By Shereen Shabnam
I had the luxury of driving the new Ferrari Roma, the latest coupé from Maranello on a few different occasions, turning heads with the car’s timeless and sublimely refined design. The Italian styling is a contemporary reinterpretation of the carefree lifestyle of 1950s and ‘60s Rome, from which it takes its evocative name, Roma.
With all the power and agility required to guarantee a unique driving experience, I started my first journey from Al Wathba into Abu Dhabi City, then from Abu Dhabi to Dubai followed by a few days around Dubai a few weeks later. First impression was positive as I like comfort above everything else when I drive and the Roma is one of the most comfortable sports car I have driven recently and having space for the many accessories I need for my work, home, golfing and my child’s diving or horse riding classes as an added plus.
Stylistically, the Ferrari Roma is characterised by clean and symbiotic forms and it certainly turned heads while driving in both cities. Its beautifully harmonious proportions and modern design language underlines its authentic, refined styling while sleek lines retain the sporty vocation shared by all Ferraris.
To guarantee best-in-class performance whilst still retaining the stylistic purity of its bloodline, Ferrari’s engineers developed several leading-edge technologies, most notably a mobile rear spoiler integrated into the rear screen designed to retain the car’s formal elegance when retracted and guarantee the downforce essential for the Ferrari Roma’s extraordinary performance by automatically deploying at high speeds.
The Prancing Horse’s new 2+ coupé sports a V8 turbo engine that punches out 620 cv at 7,500 rpm, making it the most powerful in its segment. The car’s new 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is more compact, shifts are faster and smoother making the car even more responsive on the open road, but also especially comfortable in town and during stop & start driving situations. It was refreshing driving a Ferrari and being able to get over speed bumps comfortably.
The Ferrari Styling Centre focussed on Roma’s exterior with clean, harmonious proportions and clothed it in long, ultra-sleek lines that sweep back from the front bonnet, highlighting the spare silhouette of the flanks and the compact, set-back fastback cabin volume.
For the Ferrari Roma’s cabin, the designers developed a new formal approach that involved the creation of two separate cells, one each for driver and passenger. The crafting of the interior features a16” digital instrument cluster providing all the necessary information, while the central display with an 8.4” vertical screen and a new passenger display are exceptionally intuitive and user-friendly.
The new Ferrari key with “Comfort Access” function allows the driver to open the car by touching a button next to the new flush handle in the door while the Matrix LED headlights and optional Ferrari advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive Cruise Control, make day-to-day and longer journeys a very relaxing experience.
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