Ferrari Roma Spider - A worthy successor

Elegance, performance, and comfort: the Ferrari Roma Spider has it all.

The latest addition to the Maranello marque's rich catalog of road cars features a 2+ spider configuration and a state-of-the-art soft-top that can be deployed in just 13.5 seconds. Unsurprisingly, the Roma Spider draws design cues from the award-winning Roma to produce a classy and innovative vehicle that drives just as well as it looks.

With an exhilarating top speed of 199 mph and a 0-62 mph time of 3.4 seconds, the Roma Spider is certainly a worthy successor to the recently discontinued Portofino M as Ferrari's new entry-level convertible.

Engine and performance

​The car features a 620cv twin-turbo V8 belonging to the Ferrari F154 engine family, which has won 14 awards in the prestigious International Engine of the Year competition. It's therefore no surprise that the car ​has one of the best power-to-weight ratios of its vehicle type. With a new oil pump ​​that reduces time-to-pressure in cold starts whilst also increasing fuel flow rate at medium engine revs — alongside instantaneous throttle response as standard — the Roma Spider offers a driving experience like no other.

Ferrari has mostly been about evolution, rather than revolution in the design of their components — and the Roma Spider's gearbox is no exception. Based on a dual-clutch oil bath architecture, it is a modified version of the SF90 Stradale's gearbox, with the key differences being longer gear ratios and the addition of a reverse gear. The Roma Spider also features Ferrari's proprietary Variable Boost Management control software, increasing vehicle efficiency by optimizing torque delivery depending on the gear selected.

You'll be happy to know this roofless Roma sounds fantastic, too. With the rear silencers removed to make room for new bypass valves, the signature Ferrari sound just got even better.

Exterior design

The car has an innovative soft-top that can be deployed in 13.5 seconds at speeds of up to 37 mph. The roof's compact design means that the car has a largest-in-class trunk, resulting in a truly adaptable vehicle suitable for short trips and long excursions alike. Ferrari has gone above and beyond to ensure maximum comfort with the addition of a new wind deflector in the rear backrest, deployable at the touch of a button.

With the spider and coupe before it, Ferrari opted for an ultra-minimalist and compact approach that harkens back to the Ferraris of the 1950s. Even the traditional Scuderia Ferrari side shields have been removed. The result? A stylish, sleek, and well-proportioned car with seemingly seamless bodywork.

Interior design

​Heading inside, the cabin is just as luxurious as its exterior, thanks to an evolved dual-cockpit concept that creates separate spaces for both the driver and the passenger. Ferrari has taken great care to ensure design continuity throughout the cabin through the use of forms, proportions, and textures — resulting in an organic interior that integrates well with the rest of the car.

With the Spider, Ferrari has improved upon the display technology in the Roma coupé. Instruments are well-incorporated into the dashboard and owners have the additional option of installing a passenger display to create an even more immersive experience. Improved ergonomics are the name of the game in this car, with inclined F1 gearbox controls and refined textures on the steering wheel making driving easier than ever before.

The car comes with an extended scheduled maintenance program as standard. This covers regular maintenance work throughout the first seven years of the car's life, ensuring that it continues to perform at the highest standards. With the added peace of mind provided by this scheme, why wouldn't you want to invest in this gorgeous machine?

The Roma Spider will go on sale in late 2023. Whilst Ferrari has not released prices, expect them to be similar to — if not higher than — those of the Ferrari Roma, currently priced at around $250,000.