Beach run drop top Roma Spider super car review
The Ferrari Roma Spider is a drop top catwalk model from the Maranello marque. Its global unveiling was at the El Badi Palace in scenic Marrakesh and we were sadly unable to attend.
We have already admired the lines and sensuous design of the Roma sports car when it arrived 3 years ago on June 2020. Priced from RM968,000 before all local Malaysian taxes, this VOTY 2022 award winning V8 powered Ferrari was sold out before it could even be seen on Malaysian roads.
Now, in March 2024 we get behind the wheel of the Roma Spider, a full drop top Ferrari with classic sensuous lines that many car manufacturers/designers have forgotten in the last decade or so. This 2+2 (which means it has 2 small seats in the rear of the driver) Ferrari boasts a sophisticated fabric soft top, which is designed not just to maintain, but to enhance the flawless proportions of this car on which it is based without modifying that car’s elegantly flowing silhouette.
This soft top deploys in just 13.5 seconds and can be used while driving as fast as 60 km/h. The fact that it is so compact also yields a larger boot and boosts the car’s versatility. A new, patented wind deflector integrated into the backrest of the rear bench can be deployed by a button on the central tunnel, guaranteeing exceptional in-car occupant comfort without taking up any space in the car.
Meanwhile, please do not mistake this Roma Spider for an extension of the Ferrari Portofino M (drop top) which was launched in September 2021 at a price that started from RM998,000 before all local Malaysian taxes.
Now, the Portofino M is powered by a 3,855cc engine that belongs to the V8 turbo family which was voted “International Engine of the Year” on four consecutive occasions (2016-2019). This power unit can punch out 620 cv at 7,500 rpm.
Interestingly, this Roma Spider is also powered by the same powertrain and delivers the same performance figures. If it is winning award year after year, why change it?
Climb into the well crafted cabin and it is a technological feast for the eyes. From the super multi-function steering wheel that leaves absolutely nothing to be desired to the F1 inspired digital meter cluster, this Ferrari continues the company’s direction to be ahead of the rest in driver involvement. Having just a few hours to enjoy this car is really not enough as there is a lot to absorb and get used to.
You need to take your time to get familiar with turn signals (left and right arrows sitting at the center of steering wheel) that reside on the steering wheel and not on the steering column.
The ignition is a just below the Ferrari logo on the steering wheel. Yes, its ON the steering wheel. On the bottom right of the steering wheel is the all important ‘Manettino’ switch in bright RED colour. It has five ‘DRIVE’ positions to make its handling and traction performance even more accessible with the introduction of the RACE position. Supported by the introduction of the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, it is designed to boost your driving enjoyment and extract the most from this Italian supercar. This feature you need time to learn and understand to get the most from your V8 engine and 8 -peed gearbox.
The gear shifter is a simple slider function allowing the driver to choose between auto and manual.
To open the door from the inside, its just a button on the grab handle. No lever, just a button.
On the center console, sits a tablet looking screen that houses most of the important functions that you will need during your drive. It looks removable, but its not.
The Penang Back Roads Test Drive
So, what is it like to drive? Well, to start the soundtrack from the V8 is good enough for you to ignore the JBL sound system.
Yes, Penang might not be the best place to exploit the high revving V8, but the back roads to Balik Pulau from Lone Pine Hotel gave us a little taste of how much more can be exploited from this award winning engine.
From 2nd gear to 4th gear there is more than enough acceleration to keep the simple islanders running to their front doors to see what’s the ‘ruckus’ outside and have other road users trying to keep up to admire the lines of this Ferrari drop top.
With added factory options and full taxes and insurance included for daily driving on our roads, this exotic vehicle will cost the buyer a little below RM4 million and this is never going to be an issue with the top tier Malaysian business owner, ‘tricky’ politician and or corporate leader. This is why we continue to do this job. To get to ‘taste’ of the Ferrari ownership life for FREE over 24 hours.
7 Years Maintenance
Ferrari’s unparalleled quality standards and intense focus on client service underpin the extended seven-year maintenance programme offered with the Ferrari Roma Spider. Available across the entire range, it covers all regular maintenance for the first seven years of the car’s life. This scheduled maintenance programme for Ferraris is an exclusive service that gives clients the certainty that their car is being kept at peak performance and safety over the years. This very special service is also available to owners of pre-owned Ferraris.
Regular maintenance (at intervals of either 20,000 km, or once a year with no mileage restrictions), original spares and meticulous checks by staff trained directly at the Ferrari Training Centre in Maranello using the most modern diagnostic tools are just some of the advantages of the Genuine Maintenance Programme. The service is available on all markets worldwide and from all Dealerships on the Official Dealership Network.
The Genuine Maintenance programme further extends the vast range of after-sales services offered by Ferrari to meet the needs of clients wishing to preserve the performance and excellence that are the signatures of all cars built in Maranello.
FERRARI ROMA SPIDER SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: V8 Petrol 90° – twin turbo
Capacity: 3855 cc
Power: 620 cv at 5750-7500 rpm
Torque: 760 Nm at 3000-5750 rpm
Dry weight: 1556 kg
Max. speed: 320 km/h
0-100 km/h: 3.4 seconds
