Ferrari Roma – design
The Roma has to be one of Ferrari’s best designs of the modern era, a car of beauty and presence that’s even better in the metal
Ferrari design has had its hits and misses in recent times but the Roma does very little that will offend the purists. To classic, fastback GT proportions, Ferrari has added a shark-like nose with a version of the classic Ferrari ‘egg crate’ grille that looks like an original that’s been vinyl wrapped and then someone has punched the holes through with a thumb.
Its rump is distinguished by the blade-like upper edge and four integrated tail lights. It has some truly excellent angles and the more sombre colours seem to suit it better. On the road it looks stunning; it’s more dramatic in motion, especially when approaching, the bands of the daytime running lights lowering the sharp nose, its stance broad and planted, like it means business.
The Roma breaks with the current style in using the company’s aerodynamic expertise to hide the air management rather than show its working on the upper surfaces with vents and scallops, scoops and spoilers. On the flat underfloor behind the jutting front splitter are a pair of curved deflectors – vortex generators – that direct the air towards the sills and help smooth the wake from the wheels, while at the rear is a carbonfibre diffuser.
The Roma’s muscular haunches are like those of the Jaguar F-type and the coupe employs a similar active rear spoiler solution: a flip-up wing that is stowed flush until needed, its deployment triggered by speed and the Manettino setting for medium or high downforce, neither of which adds greatly to drag. There’s no manual override.
Although it shares the wheelbase of the Portofino, the Roma’s proportions and dimensions are different. It’s 70mm longer, 36mm wider and 17mm lower, and has wider wheel tracks too, greater by 19mm at the front and 36mm at the rear. The 20-inch wheels and tyres are the same size.
> New 2025 Ferrari Roma spied testing
