SPEED, ELEGANCE, NOSTALGIA

Ferrari means different things to different people. For some, it is the marque’s maddest fire-breathing offerings from the past two decades that generate the widest smiles. Cars like the berserk 599 GTO, 458 Speciale, 488 Pista, F12 TDF, the eponymous Enzo, and, of course, Ferrari LaFerrari define an era where performance and handling reigned supreme.

For others, however, it is the models of the 1950s and 60s that cause them to tremble at the knees and give a deferential bow of respect. Renowned vintage metal such as the 400 Superamerica, 275 GTB-4, 330 GT, and 250 GT California Spyder are amongst the most beautiful, elegant, and characterful cars ever made. With creamy small capacity Colombo V12’s, jaw-dropping Pininfarina bodies, and a list of Hollywood celebrity owners as long as your arm, these exotic models epitomise the era when Ferrari was at its most daring.

In recent times, Ferrari has had its mind set on one goal: speed and handling. The introduction of the LaFerrari back in 2013 marked the point at which things started to really get silly. McLaren had just released its P1; a 903bhp, carbon-tubbed weapon which pioneered crazy active aerodynamics. And Porsche unveiled its 918 Spyder; a demonic V8-hybrid creation with razor sharp handling and a list price of circa £800k.

These were ground-breaking supercars – in combining both electric propulsion with old-school internal combustion, the trio of “hypercars” were at the very edge of what was technically possible at the time. Ferrari’s latest tech-fest, the SF90 Stradale, utilises a four-litre twin-turbocharged V8 in conjunction with three electric motors to produce a net output of 986bhp. The world has definitely gone mad.

And now we arrive at the Ferrari Roma. Upon its release the marque made the point of emphasising that their new car embodies ‘La Nuova Dolce Vita’, which translates literally as ‘the new good life’, capturing the charm, beauty, and sophistication of the very best GT Ferraris of the 1960s.

So, does their motto stack up? Is the Roma a modern day reincarnation of a classic Ferrari? Well, yes and no… It goes without saying that a Ferrari owner of the 1960s, even one with esteemed racing success, would not only be shocked, but feel as if they had landed on a different planet if they were to experience the 612bhp produced by the Roma’s front mid-mounted 3.9 litre twin turbo V8 engine.

In terms of performance and handling prowess, a modern-day Roma would leave a 1960s Ferrari for dust should one pull up alongside it at the lights and demand a race. But in spirit? Ferrari are definitely on to something.

The sleek, unfussy design of the Roma is the antithesis of a wing-and-spoiler-clad FXX K; it doesn’t shout about its performance. The proportions are just right. Look at a Ferrari 275 GTB or 330 GTS and it’s the long bonnet, clean side profile, and muscular rear haunches that make it appealing to the eyes.

The Roma undoubtedly utilises the same philosophy – in silver, (Grigio Titanio) its bodywork somehow all melts together into one cohesive form. Perhaps the best way to view the new Roma, then, is as a piece of moving art? It has got the otherworldly power-delivery that we have come to expect from a contemporary Ferrari, but it delivers that performance in the most graceful, well-thought-out, understated way possible.

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