2024 Ferrari Roma Expert Review
Reviewed by Billy Rehbock
Ferrari gets back to its roots with the elegant Roma, a front-engine 2+2 coupe. What's less conventional is the V-8 engine under its hood; this is the first fixed-roof hardtop from the Prancing Horse to make use of an eight-cylinder engine rather than a V-12. For those who enjoy an open-top experience, Ferrari also offers the soft-top Roma Spider. Rivals include other touring cars like the Aston Martin DB12, the Bentley Continental GT, and the Mercedes-AMG GT .
What's New: the 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider
For 2024, the Roma Spider joined Ferrari's lineup. Ferrari offers the Roma in 19 colors and the softtop can be configured in five different shades. Much of the exterior has been tweaked. The windshield frame has been tweaked to improve airflow, and all of the bodywork behind the doors is restyled for the Spider. Ferrari outfits the convertible Roma with an active decklid spoiler that generates up to 209 pounds of downforce at 124 mph while only increasing drag by four percent. Ferrari strengthened the Roma Spider's sills, the rear structure behind the seats, and the rear axle. Ferrari also beefed up the area underneath the A-pillars to eliminate scuttle shake. Weight gains are fairly minimal, with a difference of 185 pounds between the coupe and Spider. Check out our First Drive review right here.
What We Think
The 2024 Roma is everything a Ferrari should be: fast, sharp, and beautiful. It's true that Ferrari's front-engine coupe and convertible is a delightful all-rounder with a comfortable ride for cruising, but twist the Ferrari's manettino to Race mode and the Roma wakes up. Powered by a twin-turbo V-8, the Roma delivers soulful acceleration and awe-inspiring handling. The Roma Spider offers near-identical performance with the benefit of open-top fun. The Roma's styling isn't shouty like Ferrari's mid-engine sports cars, but the 2+2 coupe silhouette is reminiscent of some of our favorite designs like the Daytona, 550 Maranello, and the 250 GT Lusso.
While the Roma's flaws are few, we have a few criticisms of this two-door Ferrari. While the dual-clutch transmission delivers snappy shifts in the vast majority of driving situations, it can stumble slightly at lower speeds. We love the V-8's screaming exhaust note, but highway cruising gives way to a penetrating droning noise. Ferrari decks out the cabin with lots of tech, but the touch controls and infotainment interface can be finicky and frustrating.
Those complaints are easy to put aside thanks to the Roma's wide envelope of capability. Whether driven hard or parked in front of a fancy hotel, it's easy to feel at home in this Ferrari.
Performance and MPGs
Ferrari equips the Roma with a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine developing 612 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. According to Ferrari, the Roma Spider can launch from 0-60 mph in about 3.3 seconds, making it about as quick as the coupe. Top speed is a blistering 199 mph. The EPA rates the 2024 Ferrari Roma coupe and convertible at 17/22 mpg city/highway.
Safety Features
Ferrari outfits the Roma with a surprisingly robust suite of active safety tech for a vehicle in the ultra-high-performance car segment. Available features include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning. Additionally, emergency braking, automatic parking, and a 360-degree camera provide peace of mind when you're wheeling around your pricey Ferrari.
How Much Cargo Can the Roma Carry?
The 2024 Ferrari Roma is a grand touring car, and as such it offers a decent bit of trunk space for carrying luggage. Cargo volume measures 10.3 cubic feet, falling short of the Bentley Continental GT's 12.6 cubic feet but beating the Aston Martin DB12's 9.3 cubic feet. As a 2+2 coupe or convertible, the Ferrari Roma can also carry passengers in the back seat.
Technology
Ferrari's 16.0-inch digital instrument cluster is called the Human Machine Interface. This display is primarily controlled by a touchpad on the steering wheel and serves as a digital control center in the Roma. Ferrari also equips the Roma with a central 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen for other functionality and media controls, like Apple CarPlay. An optional 8.8-inch touchscreen mounted ahead of the passenger shows performance information and auxiliary infotainment controls.
