What do we think about a V12 Roma or ‘Roma-esque ‘ model? No rear wheel steering . Not a track-focused edition. More compact and more of a modern take on the Ferrari GT driving experience?
More compact compared to the 812. If they can fit the block i think it would be great, I think the Roma's balance and steering was the highlight of the drive. Roma's sound was disappointing.
By the numbers here is the 812 first and Roma second> 812WB-2700mm 107.1 inches /2670mm 105.1 inches L-4657mm 183.3 inches / 4656mm 183.1 inches W-1971mm 77.6 inches / 1974mm 77.7 inches Kerb weight-1744kg 3845lb / 1570kg 3461lb
While not addressing your specific request, I would look positively upon any new model that is smaller and lighter than its predecessor. I realize lighter is a very tall order, but smaller, even if its a matter of an inch or two, could be very nice. So would some more feeling via the electronic steering- Im sure there is room for improvement here. The Roma is great looking, so no complaints there! Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
Roma does not feel tight fitting inside! Feels quite spacious actually. The flares on the fenders gives a great sense of the front and sides on the road. Visibility feels a bit better than my 458 Spider... SV
There you have it.... Length of Roma is 99.89% that of the 812 and width is 99.87% of the 812...I’d sayidentical in fact. Weight is far more....but then you have a 6.5L V12 that revs to 8900rpm and is built in Valhalla.
I included both as there are different markets that use one or the other as their number for a reference that they can relate to.
WB on 812 superfast is 2720mm. Looking at the inches with them being 2 inches difference, I had to look up if one of the numbers was off. 1 inch = 25.4mm. The joys of constantly converting between inches and MM
Thank you Stew as I just quoted an internet source... Canada went metric in the late 1970's and the USA was also to convert to metric standard of use but they backed out of the deal. So that is where we are today with two different systems of measurement.
All good, the inch number was correct. Source probably just had a typo or something on the MM. I wish we could all just be on metric, it makes vastly more sense and doesn't have fractions. I have to know both, so it works fine for me. My thoughts on a roma having a V12 are that it would be a lot more fun. When I drove the 812 and Roma back to back when my dealer had the factory demo cars I wasn't as impressed with it. Gearbox felt slow, car felt very much like a turbo car, noise was not even a fraction as good, the electronics weren't even 100% functional on it (lol). I also have mixed feelings about all the controls being in the touch screen. Something to be said about HVAC buttons/switches/knobs. Also I don't know how to feel about the digital steering wheel since I didn't spend a ton of time with it. All that said, I think a lot of the driving negatives would go away with a V12 and faster gearbox. I'd still like it to be a true 2 seater though.
Thanks for the info. I’m now really interested. IAny idea on when we might hear more from Ferrari? Back in the day I expressed interest in the 812 with a new dealership. Was supposed to get a car but they didn’t grant me an allocation. I like the 812 but don’t love it, otherwise I’d pick up a ‘used’ one, now there are quite a few nice examples to be found, at below MSRP too. Really love the idea of a smaller car with a lower hood height, shorter wheelbase, lighter version. Don’t really care about electric or turbo, favor the NA engine with some tweaks like titanium con rods, lighter crank and flywheel, perhaps a lighter stronger carbon power pipe, mated to the new version of the lighter DCT such as what’s featured in the SF90. Just some of my musings. Over active imagination!
I drove it. While fast and handles well, it’s too confining, almost claustrophobic and futuristic. Driver and passenger are in confined cubicles .... a la Corvette. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I totally agree with this post. If there is something that I really don’t like about a car ... I keep my checkbook in my pocket. For example, every single McLaren interior is cramped and leaves me cold with its uninviting design. Hence why I have never bought a McLaren. I completely completely agree with you that the giant central tunnel of the Roma ... with such a massive structure effectively splitting the passenger cabin into two ‘pods’ a la Corvette and Aston Martin is enough to prevent me from considering purchase right there. Out. Done. Don’t even want to know anything else about it. From my perspective this is a dangerous direction for Ferrari. One of their unique value propositions was how they designed their interiors to be horizontal and unobstructed and open. Not a claustrophobic T-shape like other sports marques. One of Ferrari’s strengths in recent years is that they realized we spend much more time behind the wheel than admiring fenders. Ferrari should not proceed any further in the direction of this separating and invasive interior design architecture. The importance of this cannot be overstated.
We are still a long way off from an 812 replacement. Meaning 2 to 3 years away from first deliveries. One of the only reliable pieces of intelligence about it is that it is to have a very similar design brief to the Roma. What does this mean? Are they going to literally shoehorn a V12 into the Roma? No. What it means is that it will have a different design direction and target customer than the current 812. It will be more relaxed and less frenetic. It will be styled more for beauty and elegance than for aggressiveness and race car aerodynamics. It will be built on the new modular platform. It will have haptic and touchscreen controls like the SF90. It will tilt more toward luxury Grand Tourer than hardcore sports car. Picture a car with curve centric design language like a modern version of a 60’s Ferrari or a classic Jaguar E-Type. Similar to the Roma but slightly more muscular. It will in all likelihood have a smaller displacement, electric motor assisted, naturally aspirated V-12. It’s not for me but I can definitely understand the appeal of a car of this type for many buyers. The only silver lining for me would be if the reason they are pushing the next front engine V-12 in this more relaxed elegant touring direction ... is because they plan to introduce a more hardcore sports V-12 production model ... with a mid-engine ... that sits atop the regular production range above the SF 90. As far as the prospect of a new regular production mid-engine V-12 Ferrari goes ... there has been some chatter about this at the margins but whether there is anything to it or it’s just wishful thinking Ferraristi trying to generate grass roots interest in such a model, is not yet clear.
Fully agree with you, The 812 should be replaced by two ranges. A more elegant front engined V12 and a sportier one with a rear engined V12. Logical on the end.
I agree completely. I have an F12 and took a test drive in a Roma, this was the first thing I noticed. It's a lot like the Aston DB11 I drove, maybe that's what they were shooting for. I think this arises because of the desire to have a large screen in the dash and the problems of integrating it. The horizontal, "non-T" layout of the F12 is one of the things I love about the car. It makes it very roomy inside.
