As an owner of Astons for the past 35 years (Three Lagondas, Three V8 Vantages, and 3 V12S Vantages) I was driving past the new Ferrari dealership in Minneapolis that's not officially open and a Roma was sitting outside. I had a chance to drive it and this is my honest opinion. Due to Covid and it's impact on my business, I traded my 2017 V12S for a C8 which I was able to pay cash from the equity of the Aston and buy it with a 7 year bumper to bumper warranty (LT2 with exhaust and lift options) for less than $70K out the door. No payments, no mandatory annual, no high taxes, and no $2K payment, but as special as the C8 is - it ain't no Vantage. I miss the elegance, driving 'experience' and noise of the previous generation Vantages - So I'll likely get another soonish. Anyway - The Roma is as elegant inside and out as Aston should have been in the new gen. I think Aston lost it's way and Ferrari took advantage of it. The Roma is a much better riding car than the Vantage - smoother and the engine makes the V12S and C8 seem sluggish - love the immediate power and sound that does reach your ears like the Aston. Found the seat hard like a German car. The 'corvette'-like fender bumps was distracting - hated the previous Corvettes with the humps, and the C8 is less irritating than the Roma, and the Roma is not terrible, just don't like it vs. the Aston that you don't see the front from the seat. The interior was a bit busy, not quite the elegance and style of the Vantages, but not the absurdly busy dash of my C8 either. The steering was incredibly light, distracting, but I felt that was probable one of the many settings. The $216K Base price puts it smack in the target of the DB11 and optioned out new Vantage - and at that price there is absolutely zero reason to look at an Aston, but apparently the typical options add another $100K, so if you can get a base car great, but you will be warned it will ruin resale (which I doubt).

At the end of the drive if I had the choice of a V12S, or a V8GT or Vantage S and the Roma - in a second I'd choose the Aston. If I had a choice between any of the new Astons and the Roma there would be absolutely no contest - even at $100K more I'd choose the Roma.

My C8 (non-Z51) ride is somewhere between a Vantage and the Roma - smoother than the Vantage but not as smooth as the Roma. The rear seats are nice - unusable for people, but in the C8 I have to pop the trunk just to have my wife put her purse there - the Vantage has the shelf, the Roma has the rear seats at least - cant imaging a human being older than 2 using the rear seats though.

The Roma had some cool features like the shift levers emulating the past (the C8 robbed the Hurcan 'starwars' look), and the digital dash very cool, and I loved the passenger dash.

The warranties and the services are very much like the Aston, and I thought Ferrari was better but apparently not. It would be pricy to keep it under warranty long term.

 

"will ruin resale" made me laugh. i assume that was a salesman's remark?

if so, how self-serving... do they they think that those that can afford to purchase a new ferrari are that naive or gullible to believe such rubbish? it would have insulted me and i'm pretty sure i would have made mention of it.

anyway, good to hear a real live take on the roma, i think it's lovely but, i have found i am reluctant like many others i suppose, to even drive, park, and leave unattended such an expensive car. i've had numerous people "key" my 2001 pickup. i can only assume they take pleasure in destroying other peoples property. i figure the enjoyment factor in disfiguring a 20 year old pickup truck must pale in comparison to that of doing the same to a new 1/4 million dollar ferrari. so driving it around and leaving it out in any place other than a "beverly hills" type of neighborhood would be out of the question for me.

fortunately my meteorite gray 2007 vantage slips under the radar well enough, barely, to allow me a little leeway as far as usability goes....

and why-oh-why do they insist on putting those vestigial rear seats in otherwise beautiful sports cars? they remind me of nothing more than the arms on a T-Rex. hideous...

 

There is a black Roma near me. I have seen it on the roads a few times and boy does it command some attention. Looks terrific in person when it drives by and when it's a car or two ahead in traffic.

Aston is in a bind with their current DB11 if open minded buyers are able to consider either model for similar money.

 

agreed...

at the base prices they are advertised at buyers wouldn't consider the price difference (about $18,000) significant, i wouldn't think. it would be all about the badging/brand, and maybe proximity to a dealer for service.

BTW, there are about 44 ferrari service centers/dealerships in the U.S.A. and about 35 for aston (a quick and dirty googleish estimate). sort of surprised that ferrari has more...

 

Not only are the more Ferrari dealers, but there are heck lot more of indy Ferrari repair shops too.

 

Great report, thanks

 

As I said after driving the Roma my hunger for another Vantage grew - I finalized a purchase on the 2009 Vantage that was at San Diego Aston Martin this past weekend. It's having some maintenance done from issues found in the inspection (included in the $40K price). My preference is silver with a tan interior - and that car fit the bill, light silver with a very light tan interior. Trying to get the original Window sticker or options on the car. It has the Sports Package wheels, so I'm assuming it's a Sports Package. It also has clear tail lights but not aware of all the options (hopefully it's also got the sports exhaust). Almost 55K miles, but the CarFax shows a lot of services at Aston Dealerships. The price is very reasonable for an Aston Inspected car from an Aston dealership.

 

I also test drove a Roma recently. I loved the sound and the hi-tech interior. But I can't get past the look of the front grill. Not as bad as the new BMW M4; but close. I hope Ferrari offers an optional front grill just like Aston did with the new Vantage front grill.

 

Having a black grill would look better than body color or this one in silver.

 

Same, saw roma first time yesterday in valet parking while waiting for our car, that front end is *&$()), not sure which one is worst ,new gen vantage shark face or roma dolphin face...