Ferrari Roma priced

Ferrari Australia has revealed pricing and specification details for the new Ferrari Roma, which made its local debut today following its world premiere last November.

As the designated ‘entry model’ coupe within Ferrari’s global line-up, the Roma slots into a range that already includes a pair of front-engine V8 grand touring models in the form of the Ferrari Portofino drop-top and GTC 4 Lusso T coupe.

The Ferrari Roma employs a similar front/mid-engine layout as both to those cars and is priced from $409,888 plus on-road costs. That compares with $398,888 plus ORCs for the Portofino and $503,888 plus ORCs for the GTC 4 Lusso T.

First Australian customer orders will arrive in the first quarter of 2021. According to Ferrari Australia, buyers who order a car today will have it delivered in about 12 months.

The Ferrari Roma shares its 2670mm wheelbase with the Portofino, but it’s 70mm longer at 4656mm and 36mm wider at 1974mm, giving it a substantially beefier footprint on the road.

The Roma’s design is said to draw inspiration from the legendary 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso. Underneath its long snout lives a 456kW/760Nm version of Ferrari’s familiar twin-turbo V8, and in this installation it gains new catalytic converters and petrol particulate filters to make it Euro 6 emissions-compliant.

The twin-turbo V8 is hooked up to the new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox that offers the added benefit of being 6kg lighter than the old seven-speeder, despite the addition of the extra ratio. It’s also billed as being smoother and faster-shifting.

Ferrari boasts of a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 2.37kg/hp (3.22kg/kW) and says this yields a sharp 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.4sec, 0-200km/h in 9.3sec and top speed of 320km/h-plus.

The Roma incorporates the latest SSC 6.0 (Side-Slip Control) with the so-called Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, which is essentially a torque-vectoring by brake system.

With a quoted dry weight of 1472kg (which equates to a kerb weight around the 1600kg mark), the Ferrari Roma is focused more on brisk grand touring than cutting ultra-fast laps at a racetrack.

The Roma marks a significant uplift in cabin presentation for Ferrari, deploying a brand-new, twin-cockpit interior concept with a 16.0-inch virtual instrument cluster and 8.4-inch portrait-style touch-screen atop the centre console.

The newest Ferrari is technically a four-seater, though the rear pews are realistically for show; Ferrari admits as much by marketing the Roma as a ‘2+ Coupe’.

Nestled inside the expensive options catalogue are add-ons including split-folding rear seats, sports exhaust system, carbon-fibre highlights, magneride dampers, a parking camera and active Matrix LED headlights with auto high-beam.

Ferrari hopes its new entry model will allow it to court prospective Porsche 911 buyers, not to mention those interested in the Aston Martin Vantage and Mercedes-AMG GT R.

A spokesperson for Ferrari declined to say how many orders the car-maker has received for the Roma in Australia.

As with every new Ferrari, the Roma is backed by a free seven-year servicing plan.