FERRARI ROMA

The Ferrari Roma is a real beauty, inside and out

I’m sexyand I know it

LEFT: Signature Italian styling BOTTOM: The Roma is authentically Ferrari A s you have probably gathered by my headline, I’m all about the good looks, and let me tell you, the Ferrari Roma is a real stunner. When I walked out of the Ferrari showroom on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, this beauty – which is also a beast on the road – stopped me in my tracks. Mine was white, which I think accentuated this coupé’s sleek and sublime form. Modern, yet timeless elegance epitomise the re ned design of the latest model of the Prancing Horse’s Ferrari Roma, released around 18 months ago, but as showstopping today as it was at launch. In Maranello’s words, its signature Italian styling is a contemporary reinterpretation of the carefree lifestyle of 1950s and ‘60s Rome, from which it takes its evocative name. It’s authentically Ferrari, that’s for sure, and if you like to turn heads, this does the job nicely.

Performance Now, let’s talk performance and the many nuances that make the Roma unique. Ferrari’s engineers have gone to town with some leading-edge technologies, including a mobile rear spoiler integrated into the rear screen, designed to retain the car’s formal elegance when retracted and to guarantee the downforce essential for the Ferrari Roma’s extraordinary performance by automatically deploying at high speeds.

And then there’s the V8 turbo engine that punches out 620 cv at 7,500 rpm, making it the most powerful in its segment. A member of the V8 family that has won the International Engine of the Year four years in a row, it features Variable Boost Management for instantaneous throttle response. is was something I noticed. ere was de nitely no lag, with 0-100 km/h e ortlessly achieved in 3.4 seconds. Keep pushing it for 9.3 seconds and you’ll hit that 200 km/h. I did this once, on a quiet road, between speed cameras, on my way to Ras Al Khaimah. To feel the raw power and relentless speed was thrilling, to say the least. e moment lasted a few seconds, but I won’t forget them.

And we all like the roar of a meaty sports exhaust right? Well, meticulous attention has been paid to the sound of the Roma’s exhaust system. It has been completely redesigned, removing the silencers and introducing new bypass valves, so everyone can hear you coming, that’s for sure.

The nitty gritty To get into a few more of the technicalities, the Roma’s new 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is more compact and 6kg lighter than its 7-speed

predecessor. As well as reducing fuel consumption and emissions, shi s are faster and smoother, which makes the car even more responsive on the open road, but also especially comfortable in town and during stop-and-start driving situations.

While I haven’t driven the previous Roma model, I have driven the Porto no around Dubai, and the comparison in terms of response and shi s was noticeable. e Roma was less growly, jerky and clunky. While both o er exibility – they are just as good on long touring journeys as they are popping to the shops – the Roma o ers a superior driving experience in my humble opinion. It was just so easy – and relaxing – to drive.

Its versatility meant a trip down to Expo 2020 was just as pleasant a driving experience as navigating tra c around the trade centre and DIFC to reach Dubai Mall.

It was simple to park too – the cameras and sensors do their job nicely, so there is no room for human error at all. It’s also really agile – tight responsive steering, which I like.

If you do take it on a long journey, don’t worry too much about when you will need to ll it up – the fueltank capacity is 80 litres (around 550km worth) and the car was surprisingly economical.

When I drove the Porto no, I bemoaned the fact it didn’t have a cup holder. I always carry a co ee or water, so this really put me o . Fortunately, the Roma has one in the centre console – and there’s a slot next to it for your ultra-cool Ferrari key too.

So are there any downsides? Apart from the paddles on the steering wheel to shi gears manually, or into neutral; the little reverse button; the dial common to all Ferraris to shi between comfort to sports to race mode; and the handbrake lever, all other functions were touch-screen. It takes a while to fathom this all out – you need to spend a good few hours pressing and pushing things – plus on occasions, it was glitchy.

Also, when you’re on the phone (hands-free of course), when you indicate, you sometimes unwittingly touch the panel on the steering wheel that cuts o your call.

One last thing. Do not expect to take this on a long holiday or road trip unless you travel extremely lightly. e boot capacity is just 272 litres and did not t my Samsonite case. My luggage ended up being my front-seat passenger from hotel to hotel.

Would I buy one? If it was in my budget, then hell yeah. is ticks all my boxes (once the kids ee the nest). It’s agile, moves with nesse, is ridiculously stylish inside and out (did I mention the sumptuous Ferrari red leather interior?) and it’s fun, but e ortless to drive. I would be nipping to the gym and the shops in this little number, and then giggle with glee on the freeways of the UAE, or any other country for that matter. e strapline for the Roma is La Nuova Dolce Vita – the next-generation sweet life; it’s quintessential Italian style with Prancing Horse power wrapped up in the most exquisite packaging, with a nod to a bygone era, but with all the tech that brings it rmly to the present. Life certainly doesn’t get much sweeter than when you are behind the wheel of this absolute beaut.

ABOVE: It’s agile and moves with finesse RIGHT: The Roma is a versatile everyday sports car TOP LEFT: A classic Ferrari red-andblack interior with modern touchscreen technology

AT A GLANCE

Engine type: V8 - 90° turbo Max. power output*: 456 kW (620 cv) at 5750 - 7500 rpm Max. torque: 760 Nm at 3000 - 5750 rpm Max. engine speed: 7500 rpm Boot capacity: 272 litres/ 345 litres Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres Gearbox: 8-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox 0-100 km/h: 3.4 seconds 0-200 km/h: 9.3 seconds Max. speed: > 320 km/h

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