RENEWING A ROMAN ROMANCE

The Prancing Horse finally arrives at the Eternal City to celebrate La Nuova Dolce Vita with the launch of the Roma, as Albert Tay reports

It was a head-scratcher. Why was Ferrari holding the global unveiling in the Eternal City? The company would not say much about its fifth and final launch of the year. A Roman event did not make sense to me since the Italian marque had pulled the covers off the F8 Spider and 812 GTS in Maranello two months earlier. Why bring customers and journalists from around the world to the Italian capital instead of the company’s popular home?

The fact is, Ferrari has been christening some models after towns beginning with its home base in 1996 with the 550 Maranello. Three years later, the 360 Modena was unveiled. The journey south continued to picturesque Portofino in 2017 where a Gran Turismo (GT) was launched. The Cavallino Rampante (Prancing Horse in Italian) finally reached the Eternal City on Nov 14 last year to unveil, what else, but the Roma. It took more than two decades but all journeys do seem to end in Rome.

Chief Marketing Officer Enrico Galliera took to the stage to wax lyrical about the good life in the 1950s and 1960s. He reminisced about the time when Romans could truly relax and enjoy a city that was full of energy. He reminded the audience of “the period of la dolce vita” and how the company’s latest GT sought to embody and renew the spirit of that era. That was the rationale for the 2+ coupé. Thus the theme of the Roma’s unveiling: La Nuova Dolce Vita or the new sweet life.

GTS are popular members of Ferrari’s Scuderia (a stable for racing horses, in Italian) since they are more suited for longer drives than the sportier models. They currently make up a third of the company’s sales. Models like the Roma are expected to contribute about 40 percent of its revenue by 2022. It is not hard to see why. Ferrari GTS are comfortable and look sporty without being overly aggressive and have the performance to keep up with the big boys. It will be interesting to see how the figures might change when Maranello introduces its first SUV.

THE FERRARI FLAIR

When I first saw photos of the Roma released just before the event, I thought it had more than a few Aston Martin design cues. It looked very handsome but was too reminiscent of the British marque’s characteristic lines. Or so I thought. Interestingly though, all such perceptions disappeared upon seeing the Roma in the flesh. It looked every bit a Ferrari with hints of the 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso and the Daytona from the ’60s.

Flavio Manzoni, Vice-president of Design, said that his team went for a pure but sophisticated styling. He pointed out that the Roma’s grille had been removed and replaced by a “porous surface”. Looking at the GT up-close, I could see the shark nose profile that lends the car an aggressive yet organic look. The profile lines flow naturally from the nose to the fastback rear, which Manzoni suggested was inspired by the “cut-off tail” design of GTS from the ’50s.

The Roma’s rear end is where the renewal of a classic look is most evident. Instead of round tail lamps that were the rage in the old GTS, the Roma has captured the spirit but updated it with thin, horizontal LED tail lights. They work well with the discreet spoiler and four exhaust tips to give it a contemporary and athletic look. The spoiler is raised at higher speeds when the active aerodynamics automatically kicks in to achieve higher downforce. To my mind, this is the most nuova aspect of the Roma’s external styling.

The Roma’s interior features a first for a Ferrari: a high centre console that separates the driver and the passenger. Although not the cosiest arrangement for a couple, the effect is like the twin cockpits found in vintage racing cars. Three digital displays give the interior a high-tech feel. The driver has a large 16-inch instrument cluster complemented by an 8.4-inch central vertical screen and a small display for the passenger.

A 2+ coupé is supposed to be only able to seat children in the rear. An industry colleague climbed into the rear when we were checking out the interior. He was suitably impressed that there was adequate legroom.

ITALIAN STALLION

The Roma uses a variant of Ferrari’s award-winning 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 that churns out 612hp (456kw) and 760Nm of torque at 7,500rpm. These are formidable numbers for a car that is meant to allow owners to go for a leisurely drive to get a cappuccino. Coupled with a dry weight that is 200kg lighter than the Portofino, the Roma is said to have the best power-weight ratio in its segment. It is also the first Ferrari GT to use the Side Slip Control 6.0. All these attributes promise enhanced driving pleasure and confidence.

Last May, CEO Louis Camilleri launched the SF90 – which he dubbed a “milestone in Ferrari’s history”. The new supercar is the company’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) and its fastest-ever supercar. Its prodigious performance was assisted by electric motors which contributed 217 more horses. In terms of performance improvements, Chief Technology Officer Michael Leiters clarified that there were no plans for the Roma to be hybridised.

In any case, a grand tourer that can dispatch a century sprint in 3.4 seconds is plenty fast. Ironically, it is breathlessly quick for a GT that is supposed to recapture the essence of a leisurely and carefree age. I am sure most owners will not be visiting the Sepang track with a Roma but they do not want just a pretty face. They want substance to back up the style, even if it only means seeing off a challenger at the lights.

Galliera said that the team wanted a GT to entice new customers who might otherwise be intimidated by the prospect of driving a Ferrari. On paper at least, the Roma ticks all the right boxes for an optimal mix of elegance and sportiness. If proven true, it would be like having your cake and eating it… with a cappuccino. I look forward to bringing the Roma for a spin when it arrives on our shores. That will probably be in the final quarter of this year. I just might catch a whiff of the romance of a bygone Roman era.

INSTEAD OF ROUND TAIL LAMPS THAT WERE THE RAGE IN THE OLD GTS, THE ROMA HAS CAPTURED THE SPIRIT BUT UPDATED IT WITH THIN, HORIZONTAL LED TAIL LIGHTS