Ferrari Roma Spider v Aston Martin Vantage Roadster – car pictures of the week
In the latest issue of evo magazine, we pit Aston Martin’s new Vantage Roadster against its chief rival from Maranello – these are our favourite shots
Aston Martin is undergoing a transformation in the Lawrence Stroll era, delivering new models like the DB12, Vantage and Vanquish with a much greater focus on performance, tech and luxury to become a genuine rival for Ferrari. A lofty goal, and in issue 337 of evo magazine, we got a sense of how close Aston is to achieving it by testing the new Vantage Roadster against Ferrari’s Roma Spider. To read the test, pick up a copy of issue 337 in-store or online via the evo shop.
The new Vantage Roadster was developed alongside the coupe and has the same blend of pumped-up looks, V8 firepower and revitalised cabin tech. Beneath its long bonnet is an AMG-derived 4-litre twin turbo V8, delivering 656bhp to the rear wheels for a 3.6sec 0-62mph sprint. That’s a tenth shy of the coupe, by virtue of the Roadster being a modest 60kg heavier.
Its dynamics have been designed to closely mimic the coupe’s, too, with strengthening measures engineered into the Vantage’s platform from day one to retain rigidity in drop-top form. Thus the Roadster’s chassis setup is nearly identical, and should deliver the lairy, approachable character that makes the new Vantage so entertaining.
But is that enough to outpoint the Roma? Ferrari’s entry-level GT is well established as one of the finest of the breed, with a 600bhp+ rev-happy V8 and a fantastic blend of GT cruising ability and sports car sharpness. We know from experience that its appeal isn’t diluted one iota in Spider form, and for the Aston, it’ll take some beating.
‘The rain arrives and soaks roads that have been dry baked for weeks,’ said evo editor-at-large John Barker. ‘Unexpectedly, the Aston is the more approachable car on these slippery surfaces. Creep up to the limit of grip in a corner and when you feel the onset of slip, a gentle prod of the throttle will jink the rear out and a steady right foot will hold the angle. Of course, you can build up to it by gradually dialling down the scalable traction control. Same corner, same approach in the Roma and although it feels a little less grippy in the dry, it’s a bit snappier over the limit in the wet.’
To read the feature, grab a copy of evo 337 in-store or online.
