Ferrari has revealed a new 620hp V8 front-engined coupé called the Roma. While it shares some underpinnings with the Portofino drop-top, the new machine features bold new styling and is described by the Italian firm as an all-new model.
The fifth new model Ferrari has launched in 2019, the Roma is termed a "2+" coupé, which Ferrari says features “refined proportions and timeless design”, while offering “unparalleled performance and handling.” The two-door Roma, which is set to rival the Aston Martin Vantage and Mercedes-AMG GT, features a bold grille at the end of its elongated front bonnet, with sharp lines over the bold wheel arches. The back features a sloping rear window, distinctive narrow lights and quad exhausts.
The Roma is powered by a revamped version of the 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 unit used in the Portofino drop-top and elsewhere in Ferrari's line-up, albeit using the 8-speed DCT gearbox that was introduced on the SF90 Stradale. In the Roma, the engine delivers 620hp between 5,750 and 7,500rpm, with 760Nm of torque between 3,000 and 5,750rpm, up from 600hp in the Portofino. The version of this powerplant used in the recently launched F8 Tributo produces 720hp. Ferrari claims a 0-100kph time of 3.4secs, and a top speed of more than 320kph.
Notably, the Roma has a dry weight of just 1,472kg with lightweight options fitted, around 80kg less than the Portofino's dry weight. It measures 4,656mm long and is 1,974mm wide, making it marginally shorter and narrower than the Portofino, while both models feature a wheelbase of 2,670mm.
So far, Ferrari has only released limited details of the Roma, along with a small number of images. The only interior shot so far shows a dramatically sculpted cockpit featuring a digital instrument display and a touchscreen mounted at the front of a large centre console.
There is also no indication of what Ferrari means by a 2+ seater. The California, which preceded the Portofino, was orignially offered with the choice of two tiny rear seats or a bench, an option the Roma could re-introduce. According to Ferrari, the Roma was named after the Italian capital – where it was revealed at a launch event – because it “is a contemporary representation of the carefree, pleasurable way of life that characterised Rome in the 1950s and ’60s.” That implies that the machine will focus more on everyday usability and relaxed driving than being intended as a long-distance grand tourer.
The decision to introduce a new nameplate, rather than just producing a hard-top version of the Portofino, has likely been taken to target the car at a new audience. By turning the car into a "2+" coupé, it can likely broaden its offering at the entry level of its range.
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