In The Driver’s Seat
The Ferrari Roma may be the best V8-powered grand tourer on the road.
REPRESENTING A NEW bloodline in Maranello’s stable, the Ferrari Roma epitomises the brand’s ideal of la nuova dolce vita, or ‘the new sweet life’, a contemporary take on the era when Rome was an epicentre of creativity during the 1950s and 1960s. Not coincidentally, that’s also when Ferrari grand tourers like the 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso were among the world’s most desirable cars. With a pure form and classic proportions inspired by such predecessors, and a potent 611hp and 760Nm of torque from its 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8, the Roma is “Formula 1 in an evening dress”, says Ferrari chief design officer Flavio Manzoni.
The power train in the Blu Corsa-painted car I drove includes a new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox derived from the unit used in the ferocious SF90 Stradale; in concert with the nearly lagless turbo engine, it shifts so seamlessly that one barely has time to wonder whether there’s a gearbox at all while rocketing to 100km/hr in just 3.4 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 320km/hr. Behind the scenes, Ferrari’s sixth-generation Side Slip Angle Control and ancillary Electronic Stability Control systems keep things planted.
The Roma’s interior creates the illusion of twin cockpits thanks to its narrow centre console, topped by an 8.4-inch central display, and overall visibility is enhanced by a relatively spacious layout – at least up front.
Below the display are toggles for Reverse, Automatic/Manual and Launch arranged in a layout reminiscent of Ferrari’s signature aluminium shift gate. Incorporating lessons learnt in Formula 1, the steering wheel controls just about everything, mostly through a thumb-operated haptic touchpad on the right spoke.
For the first time in a Ferrari GT, there’s also a Race mode, though Sport and Comfort are ideal for spirited drives and cruising, respectively.
The Roma is “Formula 1 in an evening dress”.
Few roads are as inviting as those that hug the California coastline, and the canyons that snake inland from its beachfront offer some of the best curves on the planet. But stuck behind a pickup truck towing a horse trailer at 40km/ hr, I find it ironic that even this Prancing Horse is only as quick as the doddering nag in front of it. Thankfully, unlike some thoroughbreds, the Roma is decidedly not high-strung and suffered without complaint, until a passing lane and a quick downshift afforded the opportunity to rocket past. Once unfettered, the car throws down the gauntlet to any automaker that imagines it can make a better GT.
As a complete package, the Roma offers a glimpse of the sweetest life, indeed.
THE FLYING FOX is one of the largest species of bats and is able to journey hundreds of kilometres with ease. Similarly, its seafaring namesake, Lürssen’s 136m Flying Fox, is the largest gigayacht available for charter, with rates starting from
3.5 million a week. It also has the ability to take guests around the Eastern Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, cruising at a top speed of 20 knots.