Ferrari Roma – engine and gearbox
There’s a seductive, old-school feel to the Roma’s flat-plane-crank V8 and dual clutch gearbox. There have been better sounding Ferrari GTs but few more enjoyable
Mid-front mounted (its front face is wholly behind the front axle line), the 3.9-litre, twin-turbo, flat-plane-crank V8 has been fettled to over 600bhp for the Ferrari Roma. A final tally of 611bhp between 5750 and 7000rpm, with torque unchanged at 560lb ft from 3000 to 5250rpm spells real potency. The gains 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 the 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 items are beautifully tactile, within natural reach and work with a satisfying mechanical feel.
> New 2025 Ferrari Roma spied testing
The shifts themselves aren’t bad, either; the gearbox happy to casually slur away in automatic mode or fire through manual changes brutally fast and hard. Use it to keep the engine within its giant 2250rpm-wide torque sweet spot above 3000rpm and the experience is unforgettable.
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. No less than 80 per cent of the torque is available from only 1900rpm so, docile as it can seem at a cruise, the Roma always has one eye open.
