First Look: 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider
We get our first up close look at the stunning 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider.
We all look forward to Friday night. After a long week of work, it is finally time to kick back and relax as we head into the weekend. But some Friday nights are a little better than others. Last Friday night I was invited to Ferrari Philadelphia for the reveal of the new-for-2024 Ferrari Roma Spider. I gotta say, it is not a bad way to spend an evening. The Ferrari Roma coupe is a stunning machine. I have had my eye on it for a while, but the order books are closed at this point. So, if you want to order a brand-new Roma, it has to be the new Spider variant. That is not bad news considering it is even more spectacular than the coupe.
A front engine soft top Ferrari convertible does not come around very often. In fact, the last one was the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona in 1969. These cars tend to sell for upwards of $2 million dollars today. So, the Roma Spider is a bit of a bargain even at a starting price of around $300K. And as wonderful as that old 1969 Daytona is, the new Roma Spider would run rings around it.
Design
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But just take a moment and look at this car. It is beautiful from every angle. My phone is filled of pictures of this thing, and I have yet to find a bad angle. A lot of modern Ferraris are a bit over styled for my taste. They are fantastic machines, but all the vents, fins and scoops are a bit boy racer. At least to my eyes. If I was 30 years younger, I might not feel the same way. But now that I am a mature adult, I tend to like a more elegant design. I currently own a Ferrari 599 GTB and feel that car has the elegant design I like. The Roma Spider gives me those same vibes. Beautiful, but understated and classy as well.
Power
The Roma Spider has the same mechanicals as the Coupe. You get a turbocharged 3.9L V-8 that makes 612 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque. The Spider does tip the scales at about 185 pounds more than the Coupe. Although it is unlikely that the average human would be able to perceive any performance difference between the two. The car that was revealed was a pre-production model so a test drive was not offered. But 0 to 60 mph in about 3 seconds and a top speed of about 200 mph should be plenty performance for most.
Desirability
I want one. There is no question about it. But even if I order one today, it will be a full two years before it gets here. Is it worth the wait and the price? That is all relative and up to the individual. But I can tell you that after spending a night climbing all over one, and taking in all of the lines and details, that this Ferrari will make you weak in the knees. And that is excalty what a Ferrari is supposed to do.
Images: Joe Kucinski
