First Look: Ferrari Roma Spider

Republished By Plato

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Classic modern Ferrari design cues characterize the Roma’s rear.

You might not have noticed, but it’s spring. If you’re still shoveling remnants of winter, it may not seem that way, but here’s one sign: a new Ferrari front-engine ragtop. And that’s well worth celebrating; the last one offered with a prancing horse on it was the 1969-73 365 GTS/4, aka the Daytona Spyder.

For its newest droptop, Ferrari is unveiling the new Ferrari Roma Spyder, weighing 185 pounds more than the Ferrari Roma, but offering the thrill — as if you need more — of wind-in-your-hair driving. Ferrari describes its latest droptop as “a contemporary take on the chic, pleasure-seeking Italian lifestyle of the 1950s and 1960s.”

The numbers that count

While the 2023 Ferrari Purosangue, and it’s 715-horsepower V-12 engine will most likely be the brand’s most popular future model, the spiritual heart of the brand will always be two-door sports cars and epic race cars. And in that regard, the new Ferrari Roma Spyder will most likely capture your heart as well.

And it’s handsome with the top up, a prime consideration.

Let’s start with what matters most: performance. In the case of the soft top, it lowers in 13.5 seconds at speeds up to 37.28 mph (or 60 kph). The fabric roof can be had as one that’s more elegant or one that’s more sporty.

As for the engine, its performance mirrors that of the coupe, as its twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 pumps out 612 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The automaker says that 80% of the engine’s torque is available at 1,900 rpm.

Yum.

So, this is why reaching 62 mph requires a mere 3.4 seconds, while top speed in 199 mph. Thankfully, the headrests on the back seats can slide forward and rise up to create a wind deflector at the press of a button, and the top rail of the windscreen has a device that controls airflow over the interior.

Other helpful bits

The Roma sports the same minimalist styling seen on 1950s and 60s Ferraris.

To help maintain the car’s low drag numbers, the Roma Spider features a rear spoiler that deploys in three different positions depending on speed. Then there’s the chassis, which is mostly the same as the Ferrari Roma, with the exception the rear section and a redesigned sill.

Other elements were revised, including the A-pillar and windshield surround. The bodyshell retains the Roma’s finest design attributes, although the rear section was reworked to accommodate the folding roof.

It’s all incorporated into flowing sheet metal that possess a minimalistic vibe and long hood that mirrors the finest mid-century modern Ferraris. As with modern Maranello steeds, the Roma Spyder has a minimal number of cutlines, and the grille flows freely into the lighting and overall front-end shape with a handsome purposefulness.

The inside story

The compact cabin offers the coziness of the finest Ferrari sports cars, as well as a dual-cockpit interior that takes it basic form from a design that harkens back decades. The console flows rearward into the back of the cabin, separating the two rear seats.

The Roma’s center stack features an 8.4-inch screen that controls infotainment and climate control settings. A passenger-side screen is optional. But elsewhere, classic modern Ferrari touches remain, including a starter button on the steering wheel.

Thoughtfully, the Ferrari Roma Spyder comes with a seven-year maintenance program that covers all regular maintenance for the car’s first seven years either annually or every 12,427 miles.

Ferrari hasn’t said when the Ferrari Roma Spider would go on sale, so don’t count on owning one this Spring. Nor have they said how much it would cost, although the coupe starts at $247,310.