garfunkle

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I dislike the exterior and yet somehow these things seem like a "bargain." hahahaha

NiteJav

The Roma has me at the front but not out back.

TheStanman

I love the look of the car, particularly the front quarter angle. I'm glad Ferrari switched up their styling because it was looking a bit generic sports car. Sounds like a promising first drive.

SConn

Have to appreciate the car. It is beautiful and classic in its' own way, even if it does look like an Aston. But I also think the 812's look like C7's so...

Great write up! Glad you shared. I'd also be interested in the MSRP of one of these.

Catharpin

$222,630
Price (MSRP)

Bud Taylor

Pretty car the sides and front fender swell actually have 991 lines. The only Ferrari that has ever tempted me is a 430F1. What a symphony of glorious sounds and motion.

97supratt

Love your review. Not my type of car. Front is too sharp and long, rear is too camaro-ish. Interior is top notch for a ferrari but still the same confusing crap that ferrari throws out.

drcollie

As it was explained to me, most all options on this car are cosmetic ones, there are very few other than that as the car is well-equipped. So it comes down to extra-cost paint, wheels, carbon fiber where you want it, tailpipes, shields and that sort of thing. While its possible to get it to $ 300K, the Ferrari Rep told me they expect most to sticker around $ 250K. One year wait from orders placed now I was told.

I've got to get out and drive some more high-end cars like a 992 Turbo S, the newer Aston Vantage, etc. This is not a fair comparison of a new $ 235K car against a older $ 80K vehicle, but its the stick I have to judge by. If other cars in this price range perform as well, then I'm really behind the curve. I was blown away by the Roma drive experience, but I may be by other new high end sports cars as well.

SFernando

Where did the classic round Ferrari tail lights go?

MidEngineRules

Ferrari can keep it. For that cash I’ll take a pristine air cooled 911 and have a grin on my face that no new/modern car can match. Buying a supercar for American roads means you’ll barely know what the car can do. That particular Ferrari is no track weapon. Don’t plan on seeing many unless you live in Palm Beach or frequent Casinos and clubs (some of the nicest cars I’ve seen we’re in front of Casinos in Monaco). It’s a shame Enzo’s philosophy died with him. I live barely a mile from our Ferrari dealer and I’ve had no desire to ever step foot in it and I’ve been a huge Scuderia Ferrari fan for decades. I distinctly separate their racing from their motor cars. I can appreciate them without wanting one. At least anything modern. That car would be invisible sitting next to a 16 year old Carrera GT. Porsche doesn’t build 911s expecting them to compete with everything.

George from MD

Love that car and think its gorgeous but I would probably spring for an F8 or McLaren 570s Spyder. Thanks for the review really well done,

PJ Cayenne

Very F-Type, which I believe is achingly gorgeous in coupe form. Nicer and more original than a Turbo S but no chance of a Roma in my garage unless an unforeseen windfall occurs.

drcollie

My friend Jim went today to drive the Roma (997 GTS) and his wife Holly (997 S). His comments on it:

“So the Roma is pretty special. It drives fabulously, the ride/handling balance is pretty incredible, and it's FAST. Where the Portofino feels turbocharged and has darty steering, the Roma has a very linear power curve and more intuitive steering. I couldn't unduce turbo lag, it just responded with thrust. Not rubber band, turbo thrust, but just a straight shove.

What really surprised me, though, was the ride was firm without being crashy. Damping was very good. You could feel the bumps some but it didn't translate into harshness.

Holly was really wowed by it. We both drove it in Race mode with manual shifting. That's likely why the car was so responsive. It feels light on it's feet and is a couple hundred pounds lighter than the Portofino. It's not a Portofino with a roof.

The Roma brings Ferrari interiors bang up to date with current tech. Screens and touch screens for everything. Of course the leather and finishing is impeccable.


A couple minor niggles:
Window switches are ergonomically backwards.
The speedo was permanently stuck on km/hr. Nobody could change it. I found the setting in the menus but it wouldn't take.

Ferrari is positioning the car as a sports car, not so much a GT. Like a stepping stone from Porsche.”

snake eyes

the Germans make a stepping stone from porsche It’s called Lamborghini lol

great review btw

ipse dixit

The suspension tuning on Ferrari's is years ahead of Porsche. Be it in their GT cars (812, F12, Portofino, California, Roma) or in their sports cars (458, 488, F8), or even in their track derived versions (Speciale, or Pista). Makes the 911 feel like its shocks are broken.

The leather is also sublime. Even after 14 months of owning my 488, every time I got into the car the aroma of real leather was inescapable and intoxicating. It was also soft and supple to the touch. Porsche could really learn a lesson here.

Up until the Portofino, and really the Roma, the interior UI for Ferrari was laughable. While the PCM in the 991, or even in the 992, was really nothing to write home about, it makes the Ferrari UI seem like something stolen from the Atari era of Pac Man and Breakout. The UI in the Roma is certainly an improvement, but it isn't necessarily cutting-edge, just sort of up-to-date.

For those who haven't driven a modern Ferrari (everything after the 458 and F12) are really nothing like your father's Ferrari. For better or worse.