The Latest Ferrari is One of the Fastest Convertibles You Can Buy
With the reveal of the 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider, Ferrari has created an instant classic. The impeccable Roma styling looks even better with the top down, but that’s not all. The ferocious Italian performance beneath makes the newest Ferrari one of the fastest convertibles available today.
The first front-engined Ferrari soft-top in over 50 years
If the Ferrari Roma Spider feels like an unusual product for Ferrari, that’s because it is. The Italian brand hasn’t released an in-house soft-top version of a front-engine sports car since 1969. That alone makes the Roma Spider a standout product. However, Ferrari wasn’t satisfied with just lopping the roof off of its current sport coupe.
Maintaining performance in the convertible Ferrari Roma
The Roma Coupe is one of the most engaging products currently on the line at Ferrari. So in creating a soft top version, the brand had to maintain that essence. Historically, turning a coupe into a convertible means a reduction in rigidity and an increase in weight. With the Roma Spider, though, Ferrari has gone to great lengths to maintain the spirit of the original.
Not only is the new Roma Spider just 185 pounds heavier than its coupe sibling, but the engineers have reinforced the rear chassis to maintain the same handling balance as the original car. And that’s important in one of the fastest convertibles around, as it will likely see its fair share of spirited drives.
Minor tweaks to improve the convertible experience
Let’s face it, a lot of things about a car change when you lop the roof off. Not only does the convertible structure make things heavier, but there have to be concessions for aerodynamics and wind noise as well.
That’s where the brilliance of Ferrari’s technical team comes into stark view. Creating one of the fastest convertibles is about more than draping some cloth where the roof used to be. The rear spoiler structure was redesigned to suit the new aerodynamics of the roofless Roma. Furthermore, its active dynamics were recalibrated to maintain aerodynamic balance at different speeds, according to Road and Track.
Finally, a new wicker bill sits at the top of the windshield to help reduce buffeting and wind noise with the top down. In addition, a wind deflector pops up behind the front seats at the push of a button, helping further reduce top-down turbulence.
What makes the Roma Spider one of the fastest convertibles available today?
One thing that hasn’t changed from the base car is the engine. The 2024 Ferrari Roma Spider uses the same 3.9-liter turbocharged V8 powerhouse under the long, sloping hood. Producing 612 horsepower and 591 pound-feet of torque, the Roma Spider will accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, virtually identical to the coupe version.
An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Ferrari’s patented Slide Slip Control system get that power to the ground. While allowing for the occasional sideways antics, of course. After all, what’s the point in driving one of the world’s fastest convertibles if it doesn’t allow for a bit of extra excitement on command?
