Ferrari Roma (2020-2026) review – when the entry-level Ferrari became truly desirable

The Ferrari California –and the later Portofino – always felt like the entry-level car Maranello needed to make to bring in a new audience, rather than something designed and developed with the love and attention of a proper Ferrari. Things improved over the years with the California T, and particularly the ‘Modificata’ version of the Portofino, but it wasn’t until the Roma that the entry-level Ferrari truly blossomed. Despite sharing core components with the Portofino, the Roma was an altogether more impressive car when it launched in 2020 – a truly desirable GT in its own right. 

The sharp-suited Roma was developed with none of the constraints that burdened the Portofino – a Ferrari with its claws clipped, its roar muted, to render it docile enough for a broader audience. Instead, it feels like an F8 Tributo reformed as a front-engine, rear-drive coupe, with truly impressive sharpness and dynamic ability. Yet while the Roma is as fast and sporty as you want, importantly it also nails the GT bit of the brief as well. 

Design wise, the Roma was very different to its stablemates, being a smooth, elegant shape with almost zero fuss. Much of that beauty transferred when the Spider version launched in 2023, which combined the Roma’s GT talents, effortless performance and excitement with a neat stow-away fabric roof. 

The Roma has been replaced by the Amalfi (which will soon spawn a Spider version), but it’s no surprise that the new car is very much an evolution of the theme rather than a radical reinvention. Six years on from launch the Roma is still a brilliant, authentic Ferrari, with enough usability and excitement to entice new customers to Maranello, and please existing ones. That used examples can now be had for £130k – the same as a 911 Carrera S with a couple of options – makes it even more compelling. 

Engine, gearbox and technical highlights

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• Twin-turbo flat-plane V8 with 611bhp
• 70 per cent new componentry over the Portofino 
• Chassis electronics include Side Slip Control, five-stage Manettino switch and an electronic differential

‘It’s not a Portofino with a fixed roof.’ That’s what Ferrari told us back in November 2019 when it unveiled the Roma, and its technical makeup certainly backs up that claim. Seventy per cent of the Roma is new, and its more sporting edge is supported by Ferrari’s sophisticated electronics – including Side Slip Control 6.0, an E-diff, Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer and a Race mode for the Manettino switch, the Portofino only got in ‘M’ spec. Mid-front mounted (the front of the block is wholly behind the front axle line), the Roma gets Ferrari’s 3.9-litre twin-turbo flat-plane-crank V8. It develops 611bhp between 5750 and 7000rpm, with torque rated at 560lb ft from 3000 to 5250rpm. The gains over the Portofino come through increased valve lift and the closer monitoring of turbocharger speeds (as seen on the F8), which allow better matching of the cylinder bank outputs and also allow the turbos to rev 5000rpm higher. 

In today’s age of hybrid assistance it’s a setup that has taken on a certain old-school charm, even with the Roma’s eight-speed dual clutch transmission and the full roster of electronic driver aids working to best utilise the engine’s output. Some brands get paddle shifters almost comically wrong given how often drivers interact with them but the Roma’s elongated metal (or, optionally, carbon) items are beautifully tactile, within natural reach and work with a satisfying mechanical feel. 

The Comfort setting on the Manettino has been configured to reduce emissions and the responses of the powertrain are dialled back further as a result - the gearbox less eager to downshift in auto mode and a discernible lag when you ask for power through the throttle. The Sport setting completely eliminates any hesitancy, even when the Roma is shifting for itself. 

The coupe’s 1570kg kerb weight gives a 395bhp/ton power to weight ratio, and the Spider version is only 84kg heavier. The increase is thanks to the roof, plus stiffening along the sills, in the A-pillars and beneath the boot floor but the strength of the engine renders the difference almost imperceptible. In raw numbers both the coupe and Spider deliver the same 3.4sec 0-62mph time. Top speed is rated at 199mph in both as well.  

Driver’s note

‘There’s a muscular tautness to the way the Roma drives, the steering keen and direct, while even at a canter the shifts of the eight-speed DCT gearbox are smooth and snappy. Slightly at odds with this is the ride, which starts in Comfort mode and really does deliver what it says, the Roma moving with a plushness that’s pure GT.’ – John Barker, evo Editor-at-Large

Performance, ride and handling

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• Fantastic blend of sports car sharpness and GT comfort
• Fantastic engine performance and response, if not the most stirring soundtrack
• Light, quick steering takes some time to build confidence with

Give the throttle a decent squeeze and the Roma picks up crisply and drives forward with all the thrilling eagerness you expect from a 600bhp+, twin-turbo V8. Stretch the engine and the pace never seems to let up, the rev-counter needle swinging to 7500rpm and the eight-speed DCT slipping instantly into the next ratio so that the acceleration is seamless and relentless. 

There’s bandwidth to the powertrain too, the gearbox being happy to slur away in automatic mode or fire through manual changes brutally fast and hard. Use it to keep the engine within its 2250rpm-wide torque sweet spot above 3000rpm and the experience is unforgettable. 

Being a flat-plane-crank V8, the sound is rather two-dimensional compared with the surround-sound thunder from the offset crank V8s of an Aston Martin Vantage or Mercedes-AMG GT. There are no silencers in the Roma’s exhaust, sound absorption being handled by the GPFs (gas particulate filters) and the reduced-size catalysts upstream of them, leaving the NVH engineers to play with pipe lengths and diameters to tune the sound. It’s purposeful and similar in tone to the F8 Tributo. There’s an oval bypass valve whose opening is automatic and load and throttle position sensitive. 

You can’t fault the response of the Ferrari’s V8, or the connected feel of its throttle, and that exhaust note has presence – and the dynamics live up to it. You get the first clue that dynamically the Ferrari Roma is going to be a bit special within yards. On bumpy roads all that comes through the structure is a soft, quiet pattering. Even in the roofless Spider, over imperfections and motorway expansion joints the Roma has the comfort and relaxing feel of a proper GT.

But don’t go thinking that means the Roma is lazy with a chassis made of blancmange, a car that has prioritised ride comfort above all else. This ride quality is a result of superb wheel control and comes with satisfying dynamic precision rather than at the expense of it. 

Initially the steering can feel too light and ultra reactive, particularly in the wet where more measured responses and weight build up would inspire more confidence. However, once in tune it gives the Roma a fantastic feeling of responsiveness and agility. It feels connected right on centre, responsive to the smallest inputs.

The further you drive the Ferrari Roma, the more impressive it is as a sports GT. Refinement is good, the seats are still comfortable after many hours at the wheel, and the view out is pretty special too; the way the front wings rise to help you judge the car’s width and the bonnet bulge in the middle are reminiscent of the 550 Maranello. 

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In creating the Spider convertible, Ferrari adapted the engine and gearbox responses to cater for the small difference in both weight and weight distribution but did nothing to alter the car’s characteristics. The same is true of the chassis with the Roma coupe and Roma Spider sharing spring rates and settings for the adaptive dampers. In Sport mode, a downward press on the Manettino will switch these dampers to the ‘bumpy road’ setting to bring extra compliance. So adept is the Roma’s chassis setup, however, that only the worst British B-roads will have your thumb reaching for it. On narrow, hairpinned roads it feels properly handy: responsive, balanced and grippy. 

Drive it to the limit of front grip – if you dare – and you’ll be flying, occasionally leaning heavily on the powerful (and standard) carbon-ceramic brakes with their fine feel. Get on the power early to give the rear its share of the workload and traction control quietly asserts itself, releasing the torque only once the car is pretty much straight and the traction is undefeatable. Just as you’d hope, then.

Flick the Manettino to ESC Off and you appreciate just how much grip there is and how hard the E-Diff works to maintain traction. Even once you’ve turned in sharply to a hairpin, it takes a proper slug of throttle to unstick the rear. Once it’s out there, the Roma feels comfortable with a twist of opposite lock and comes back into line reasonably neatly, and it’s much the same in the wet, the rear axle finding a surprising amount of grip and traction. 

Driver’s note

‘Even guiding the Roma into sweeps, the steering feels bright, and with the ride relaxed beneath you it takes a bit of an effort and consciously soft hands to string a sequence of curves together sweetly.’  – John Barker, evo Editor-at-Large

MPG and running costs

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The Roma’s relatively subdued Comfort mode certainly did the trick on the official WLTP efficiency tests. Both coupe and Spider return in the region of 25mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 255g/km and 258g/km respectively. Actually achieving those kinds of numbers in the real world would require formidable restraint but the 80-litre fuel tank means it’s perfectly possible to extract a touring range befitting of a continent-shrinking GT car. 

Testing the Spider gave us an indicated range of just over 300 miles on a full tank and economy of around 18mpg after 150 miles, predominantly on the motorway. No surprises that efficiency goes south very quickly when the Roma stretches its legs and the car’s range metre does its best to reflect this, revising its estimates rapidly, and sometimes disconcertingly, according to the driving conditions. It’s better seen as a cautionary tale of how far you’ll get if you keep driving like that. 

Interior and technology

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The Ferrari Roma’s boot isn’t huge for a GT, being reasonably long and wide but rather low, though the backrests of the teeny rear seats fold down, Porsche 911 style, in the hard-top car. If you’re interested, there’s 272 litres of capacity that expands to 345 litres with the back seat lowered. 

In the Roma Spider convertible the boot is compromised further by the stowage area for the folding roof, but there’s still space for a couple of soft bags with the roof down. Capacity with the roof up is 255 litres, only 17-litres down on the coupe. 

The divider between the luggage area and the cab that forms the rear seat backs can be flipped-up to form a wind deflector but even without this the low seating provides decent shelter - especially with the windows raised. Operating the roof takes 13 seconds in total and the opening or closing procedure can be performed at speeds of up to 40mph. 

From behind the wheel the Portofino is an oddly roomy car, but dropping into the Ferrari Roma is like lowering yourself into the bath, the individual driver and passenger cockpit areas giving a close, low, intimate feel. The rear seat behind the front passenger is usable by children or possibly small adults - assuming a compromise on legroom can be negotiated. A small child might also be able to get behind a very small driver at a squeeze but most owners will sensibly use the +2 seating as extra luggage space. 

The most contentious part of the Roma will probably prove to be its switchgear. Largely this is shared with the SF90 hybrid supercar and includes a wide, TFT screen with a central tacho and different screens either side, and many touch-sensitive switch pads, some of which revert to black when not in use. The Roma also gets a tablet-like central touchscreen wedged into the cleavage of the dashboard. 

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If you want to be able to find things, or change screens, or simply adjust the temperature or audio volume once you’re driving it’s best to spend a few minutes working out how to do this before you get going. Even then, certain functions may elude you – the central locking button, for instance. It’s roof-mounted (yes, really) and touch-sensitive, and while there’s a loud confirmation click for certain button pushes elsewhere, there isn’t one for unlocking the doors, so you don’t know if you have. And while we’re on the doors, there’s no internal latch; instead you press a button on the door pull…

Ferrari designs its cabins so that the car’s key controls are accessible without removing your hands from the wheel, but it necessitates a Swiss army knife of a steering wheel with all manner of knobs, buttons and rotary controllers - some of which work better than others. Perhaps the Roma’s greatest crime is that the start-stop button is no longer a physical control. Instead, you prod a lifeless touch sensitive panel under the central bulge of the steering wheel – it’s an opportunity missed for a brand so obviously adept at building drama into its products. 

Thankfully, this is something that’s been addressed with its replacement, the Amalfi. The new car's steering wheel uses physical buttons and a proper start button, as well as a more usable infotainment system with a landscape-oriented display. However, the Amalfi has certainly lost something in terms of design drama compared to the Roma. The older car’s dramatic, cocooned cabin design has been replaced by something more open and conventional.

Price and rivals

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The Roma coupe was first delivered to customers in 2020 but when the Roma Spider arrived in 2023, Ferrari stopped taking orders for the hard-top car. The Amalfi and imminent Amalfi Spider replaces them both. 

Initially the Roma was priced at around £170k, a figure that would quickly rise with a delve into the extremely long and expensive options list. The Roma Spider convertible, on the other hand, came in at around £210k. These days you’ll need to stump up £130k for a tidy used coupe, with the cheapest (and inherently newer) Spiders coming in at £130k.

The Roma’s rivals included the Aston Martin DB11, and later in its life the DB12 and Vantage, the latter of which received a boost in power and aggression to meet the Ferrari head on. On the more luxurious, GT-oriented end of the scale is Bentley’s Continental GT and the Maserati GranTurismo. Neither get close to the Roma in terms of outright sharpness and performance, but there’s much to be said for their more comfort-led approaches and more practical interiors. 

Ferrari Roma specs