Ferrari’s new 200mph Roma coupe promises the ‘good life’ as it guns for Aston Martin

New stallion in town: Ferrari’s 200mph Roma coupe guns for Aston Martin’s stronghold on the GT market

  • All-new Ferrari Roma is a GT coupe designed to evoke the spirit of a new ‘La Dolce Vita’ – good or ‘sweet’ life
  • It’s been revealed to a select party of the Italian brand’s most dedicated customers in the Italian capital
  • The Roma uses a turbo-charged 3.8-litre V8 producing 620hp and can go from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds
  • Ferrari is gunning for rival models from Aston Martin, including V8-powered versions of the DB11 and Vantage 

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Ferrari has unleashed a dramatic new coupe that is gunning unashamedly for Britain’s Aston Martin – James Bond’s favourite car firm.

The new 200mph Ferrari Roma is a dramatic 2-plus-2 GT grand tourer that’s been revealed to the brand’s most dedicated costumers on Wednesday evening ahead of its official public unveiling in Rome – the ‘eternal city’ – on Thursday.

Ferrari bosses say the new Roma is designed to evoke the spirit of a new ‘La Dolce Vita’ – good or ‘sweet’ life – in the manner of the famous 1960 Federico Fellini movie of the same name which was also set in the Italian capital.

New stallion in town: This is Ferrari’s latest model, the Roma coupe, which has been named after the Italian capital

As potential clients and existing Ferrari owners were given a behind closed doors VIP inspection of the new model ahead of the launch in Rome, the firm issued a small selection of photographs at famous landmarks, including the Spanish Steps. 

The new Roma uses a turbo-charged 3.8-litre V8 front-mounted petrol engine developing 620 horse-power that hails from the same award-winning eight-cylinder family of engines seen most recently in the Ferrari V8 Tributo and before that the 488 Pista.

It also inherits a new eight-speed automatic gearbox introduced on the SF90 Stradale.

Together they help propel the new coupe from rest to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds and up to 124mph in 9.3 seconds up to a top speed expected to be in excess of 200mph.

Ferrari insisted that the Roma is a brand new car in a new segment and is not a derivative of nor a replacement for an existing model.

It is expected to be priced between £160,000 and £200,000 subject to confirmation.

While Ferrari might be stating it’s all new, it coincidentally has the same 2670mm wheelbase as the 200mph £166,000 Ferrari Portofino convertible, which is also powered by the same 3.9 litre twin-turbo V8 developing 600 horsepower, though with a seven speed automatic gearbox rather than eight.

he new Roma is powered by a turbo-charged 3.8-litre V8 front-mounted petrol engine developing 620 horse-power

he new Roma is powered by a turbo-charged 3.8-litre V8 front-mounted petrol engine developing 620 horse-power

The stylish new coupe accelerates from rest to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds and up to 124mph in 9.3 seconds up to a top speed expected to be in excess of 200mph

The stylish new coupe accelerates from rest to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds and up to 124mph in 9.3 seconds up to a top speed expected to be in excess of 200mph

The cabin has two individual fighter-jet-style compartments, dividing the driver from the front passenger with a centre console with an i-pad-sized screen and a substantial auto transmission control

The cabin has two individual fighter-jet-style compartments, dividing the driver from the front passenger with a centre console with an i-pad-sized screen and a substantial auto transmission control

And it is clearly designed and engineered to leave Britain’s Aston Martin shaken and stirred – with performance and dimensions similar to the DB11 V8 and some styling cues not dissimilar to the smaller V8 Vantage.

Inside is a hi-tech digital dashboard which is clearly focused towards the driver.

Ferrari said the new Roma promised ‘harmonious lines, timeless elegance and cutting-edge technology’ that set new standards in the category.

The elegant side profile shows beautifully sculpted haunches and just a hint of Aston Martin while the rear styling evokes elements of an aerodynamic Porsche.

The Roma is expected to be priced between £160,000 and £200,000, subject to confirmation from the Italian factory

The Roma is expected to be priced between £160,000 and £200,000, subject to confirmation from the Italian factory

The low lying lights are a clear departure for Ferrari while the bold front grille has the look of a portcullis or a knight in armour’s visor.  

Ferrari said: ‘With its distinctive flair and style, the car is a contemporary representation of the carefree, pleasurable way of life that characterised Rome in the 1950s and ‘60s.

‘The Ferrari Roma offers discerning clients the finesse and refinement that brings the concept of ‘la Dolce Vita’ right up to date.’

How does the Roma compare to rival Aston Martins? 

With a length of 4656 mm, the new Ferrari Roma is slightly shorter than the Aston Martin DB11 at 4750mm.

Its wheelbase of 2670mm is also slightly less than the Aston’s 2,805mm. 

Aston’s own 2-door 2-plus-2 DB11 V8, built at Gaydon in Warwickshire, is powered by a 510 horse-power twin turbo-charged 4.0 litre V8 petrol engine that accelerates it from rest to 62mph in 4 seconds up to a top speed of 187mph.

To crack the 200mph mark would require the 620bhp V12 powered 5.2litre DB11 AMR.

The new Ferrari Roma is slightly shorter than the Aston Martin DB11 (pictured) at 4750mm

The new Ferrari Roma is slightly shorter than the Aston Martin DB11 (pictured) at 4750mm

Ray Massey says the Ferrari Roma does bear a passing resemblance to the smaller and cheaper two-seater Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Ray Massey says the Ferrari Roma does bear a passing resemblance to the smaller and cheaper two-seater Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Stylistically, particularly around the low-siting front headlights, the Ferrari Roma does bear a passing resemblance to the smaller and cheaper two-seater Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

 Other cars which the Ferrari will be looking to seek conquests – though not all an exact match – are likely to be the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, the McLaren 570 GT and Bentley Continental GT.

Federico Fellini’s landmark 1960 movie ‘La Dolce Vita’, starring Marcello Mastroianni evoked a spirit of life and fun in Rome at that time and is memorable for a scene in which actress Anita Ekberg waded in full evening dress into the Trevi Fountain.

Ferrari says its new Roma aims to bring that up to date in the 21st century and evoke ‘la Nuova Dolce Vita’.

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