Ferrari has unveiled the convertible version of the Roma. The Roma Spider, which arrives as the replacement for the Portofino M, is the brand’s first front-engined soft top model since the 1969 365 GTS/4.
It follows the general proportions, volumes and specifications of its coupe sibling, but the omission of the roof means that some elements have been tweaked, among them the windscreen, A-pillars and of course, the rear section. The rework of the coupe’s tapering, fastback roofline meant modifying the rear screen to incorporate it into the soft top to allow it to fold below the tonneau cover when open.
Departing from the hard top employed by the Portofino, the unit on the Roma Spider is constructed from a new special fabric, woven from bespoke two-tone material drawn from a palette of four colours. Cutomers can also opt for a fabric with iridescent red contrast elements.
The automaker says the soft top boasts acoustic comfort on par with retractable hard tops and can be opened in just 13.5 seconds, at speeds up to 60 km/h. Its compactness also yields more boot space.
Attention has also been paid on minimising both turbulence and wind noise in the cabin, with a 5mm nolder on the new windscreen header rail and a new, patented wind deflector – which is integrated into the backrest of the rear bench and can be deployed by a button on the central tunnel – being among the solutions adopted to create an aerodynamic ‘bubble’ over the cockpit when the car is on the move.
As a result of the reworked back end, the electrically-activated rear spoiler from the coupe has had its geometry altered for the convertible, but follows the same working principles. Automatically deployed by an electric motor in relation to speed and longitudinal and lateral acceleration (and linked to the manettino position), the unit offers three service positions – Low Drag, Medium Downforce and High Downforce.
As with the coupe, its position at low speeds is maintained until 100 km/h, at which point it goes into MD mode, offering around 30% of maximum downforce with an increase in drag of under 1%. At its HD setting, the spoiler sits at an 135 degree angle and generates 95 kg of downforce at 250 km/h.
The interior presentation is likewise familiar, with the Roma’s dual cockpit configuration, offering individual cells for both driver and passenger in a wraparound layout, unchanged on the topless version of the car. Likewise, the 16-inch digital instrument cluster and the portrait-oriented 8.4-inch central display set between the two cockpit zones. As standard, the infotainment system features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
The Stradale-styled steering wheel is identical to the unit in the coupe, but some minor changes have come about to the HMI – the touch controls on the Spider’s steering now has indents to offer tactile zone identification on the left-hand spoke and improved swiping on the right-hand side.
Power continues to be provided by the F154 3.9 litre twin-turbocharged V8 as the coupe, with the BE version of the mill continuing to offer 620 PS from 5,750 to 7,500 rpm and 760 Nm of torque between 3,000 and 5,750 rpm. Drive is routed to the rear wheels via the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission derived from the SF90 Stradale.
Despite being 85 kg heavier, tipping the scales at 1,556 kg, the Spider manages the 0=100 km/h sprint in the same 3.4 seconds as the coupe, only being slower doing the 0-200 km/h run at 9.7 seconds (9.3 seconds for the coupe), and it also has the same top speed of over 320 km/h.
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I don’t like the soft top tho otherwise it’ll get wet during the rain so i prefer the hard top
But I like your comment, it is somehow.. serious and yet hilarious.