since 1976
since 1976
Ital Auto Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the official importer and distributor for Ferrari cars in Malaysia, launched the Ferrari Roma Spider today at the newly-revealed Ferrari Ital Auto Malaysia showroom located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The latest in a long line of iconic Spiders bearing the Prancing Horse emblem, the Roma Spider pays homage to the pleasure-seeking lifestyle of the 1950s and 60s, presenting customers with the option of a soft top for the first time in a front-engined Ferrari in 54 years after the 1969 365 GTS4.
There’s a novel and modern take on the soft-top design that underlines the Ferrari Roma Spider’s exuberant character, with extensive personalisation options that include sophisticated, bespoke fabrics and contrasting stitching. On a functional level, the soft top deploys in just 13.5 seconds and can be actioned at up to 60 km/h. The fact that it is so compact also yields a larger boot and boosts the car’s versatility. A new, patented wind deflector integrated into the backrest of the rear bench can be deployed by a button on the central tunnel, guaranteeing exceptional in-car occupant comfort without taking up any space in the car.
The Ferrari Roma Spider retains the Ferrari Roma’s excellent dynamic characteristics: it boasts a best-in-class weight/power ratio thanks not only to its soft top, but also to its all-aluminium chassis and 620 cv V8 from the engine family that was heralded as the International Engine of the Year on four consecutive occasions. The engine is coupled with Ferrari’s universally-acclaimed 8-speed DCT known for its incredibly fast shift times as well as excellent standards of comfort and mechanical efficiency.
The Ferrari Roma Spider is not just rewardingly easy to drive, it is also extremely dynamic and responsive: this makes it the perfect companion on out-of-town weekends and longer journeys alike.
Always, of course, with the exhilarating Ferrari V8 soundtrack playing in the background. A number of features are designed to make this car superbly versatile, including a category-topping boot size which includes a hatch via the rear seat backrests to allow larger items to be carried, and standard wireless connectivity by Android Auto® and Apple CarPlay® Wi-Fi.
POWERTRAIN
The Ferrari Roma Spider is powered by an engine belonging to the V8 turbo family named “International Engine of the Year” for four consecutive years and also voted “Best Engine of the Last 20 Years” in 2018. The 3,855cc power unit can punch out 620 cv at 7,500 rpm, the equivalent of 161 cv/l, which it combines with the flexibility of low-end pick-up, thanks to 80% of the torque being available at just 1900 rpm.
The Ferrari Roma Spider also sees the introduction of an important evolution of the oil pump which reduces time-to-pressure in cold starts by 70%, as well as increasing the flow rate at medium revs. The same modification has also been introduced on the Ferrari Roma, demonstrating the company’s commitment to continual research and development.
Like all Ferraris in the range, the Ferrari Roma Spider delivers instantaneous throttle response. This is the direct result of the adoption of specific solutions, such as a flat-plane crankshaft, which is more compact in size with lower rotating masses to improve fluid-dynamics; compact turbines which have a lower moment of inertia; twin-scroll technology that directs the exhaust gases from each cylinder through separate scrolls and increases the pressure of the exhaust pulses for maximum power; and a single-piece, cast exhaust manifold with equal length pipes to optimise pressure waves in the turbine and reduce losses.
The Ferrari Roma Spider boasts Variable Boost Management, a control software developed by Ferrari that adjusts torque delivery to suit the gear selected, delivering increasingly powerful pick-up as revs rise, whilst optimising fuel consumption. As the car goes up through the gears, the amount of torque delivered by the engine increases, continuing all the way up to 760 Nm in 7th and 8th gear. This allowed the use of longer gear ratios in the higher gears, which helps keep fuel consumption and emissions down, while adopting a steeper torque curve through the rev range in the lower gears for a feeling of smooth, consistent pick-up.
The gearbox is based on a dual-clutch oil bath architecture and is derived from the 8-speed gearbox first introduced on the SF90 Stradale. The main modifications made with respect to the latter are longer gear ratios and the introduction of a reverse gear. The new layout and component integration thus optimised the gearbox’s size and its installation in the car.
With eight gears and optimum transmission efficiency, fuel consumption in urban and motorway contexts has been reduced without compromising on performance. In fact, there is a noticeable improvement even in sporty driving. The main technical features that have guaranteed this result are the use of low-viscosity oil and a dry sump configuration to minimise fluid-dynamic efficiency losses (oil splashing) in addition to the use of a specially-designed differential (with the input pinion axis not offset to reduce slip speed.
The clutch module is 20% smaller than the previous 7-speed, but delivers 35% more torque, with up to a maximum 1,200 Nm of dynamic torque transmitted when gear shifting. The transmission software strategy has been evolved thanks to a more powerful ECU and better integration with the engine management software. Particular attention was also lavished on the strategies designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, particularly when the Start&Stop function is in use.
Every single Ferrari engine has its own particular soundtrack that makes it unique and, of course, the Ferrari Roma Spider is no exception to that rule. In addition to the flat-plane crankshaft, which synchronises engine firing, and equal-length exhaust headers, which equalise the sound, the spider adopted the Ferrari Roma’s entire exhaust line that eliminated the two rear silencers in favour of new geometry for the by-pass valves. The continuous and progressive by-pass valve control underscores the engine sound and performance depending on the driving situation.
CHASSIS AND BODYWORK
The Ferrari Roma Spider’s chassis is derived from the Ferrari Roma, but features new components, with the rear section inspired by the solution used on the Ferrari Portofino M. The sill, a fundamentally important structural element, was developed specifically for the Ferrari Roma Spider, as were some elements required to install the soft top, and the A-pillar/windscreen surround.
The bodyshell retains the fundamental elements of the Ferrari Roma’s design: the modifications made focused mainly on the rear and on harmonising the Ferrari Roma Spider’s lines so that they retain their elegance with the top down. Exceptional torsional rigidity and beam stiffness figures for the bodyshell and chassis have been achieved despite an increase in weight of just 84 kg for a weight/power ratio of 2.5 kg/cv, which remains at the very top of the high-performance 2+ spider category. This impressive result also ensures that the Ferrari Roma Spider benefits from the same excellent handling and performance as the Ferrari Roma.
This increase was due in part to two factors. Firstly, the addition of the unique integrated wind deflector, which significantly improves occupant comfort. Secondly, the addition of headrests for the rear seats that visually integrate into the tonneau cover design.
The automatic fabric soft top guarantees occupant comfort on a par with the retractable hard top system equipping the other spider models in the range. The large rear glass screen is fully integrated into the soft-top geometry. The five-layer fabric dampens wind and road noise, making it quiet even at high speeds. During development, special attention was also paid to reducing the ballooning effect typical of soft tops. The technical solutions adopted by Ferrari’s engineers have thus guaranteed class-leading performance in these areas.
The soft-top mechanism was designed to be light yet resilient: it pushes technical performance limits to new heights thanks to a Z-shaped movement that folds the soft top away in a mere 13.5 seconds and up to a maximum speed of 60 km/h. When stowed, the roof occupies a height of just 220mm, which is the lowest in the category, and that, in turn, ensures a roomy boot (a class-leading 255 litres with the top up).
The gas springs used to extend the wind deflector were meticulously designed and developed to deliver controlled, smooth action at all stages of movement and in all conditions. The wind deflector can be opened at up to 170 km/h. The chance of opening the mechanism is automatically speed-limited to ensure that it can be deployed in safety. Once in place, the wind deflector can be used at any speed in open configuration.
The wind deflector retains all the features unique to a real backrest: the surface the rear occupants rest on is padded for comfort, while it is shaped to open even when the front seats are pushed back. The central duct compensates for the air pressure acting either side, improving the efficiency of its movement. The system’s kinematic points are the result of an in-depth study of the entire back seat and boot area, optimising their position in relation to movement and weight.
7 YEARS MAINTENANCE
Ferrari’s unparalleled quality standards and intense focus on client service underpin the extended seven-year maintenance programme offered with the Ferrari Roma Spider. Available across the entire range, it covers all regular maintenance for the first seven years of the car’s life. This scheduled maintenance programme for Ferraris is an exclusive service that gives clients the certainty that their car is being kept at peak performance and safety over the years. This very special service is also available to owners of pre-owned Ferraris.
All Ferrari owners in Malaysia can perform regular maintenance (at intervals of either 20,000 km or once a year with no mileage restrictions) with Genuine Spare Parts at Ital Auto’s Official Aftersales Centre in Glenmarie, Kuala Lumpur. As part of the Official Dealership Network, the centre is fully equipped with Ferrari Diagnostic equipment and is manned by highly-trained personnel, including Certified Master Technicians with over 10 years of experience in servicing Ferrari vehicles.
The Ferrari Roma Spider is available in Malaysia from RM3,200,000.00 inclusive of duties & taxes. It is currently on display at the newly-launched Ferrari Ital Auto Malaysia Showroom at Four Seasons Place, Kuala Lumpur.
To find out more about the Ferrari Roma Spider or other Ferrari products and services in Malaysia, visit Ital Auto Malaysia’s website at https://kualalumpur.ferraridealers.com
FERRARI ROMA SPIDER – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Type: V8 – 90° – twin turbo
Total displacement: 3855 cc
Bore and stroke: 86.5 mm x 82 mm
Max. power output*: 456 kW (620 cv) at 5750–7500 rpm
Max. torque: 760 Nm at 3000-5750 rpm
Max. revs: 7500 rpm
Compression ratio: 9.45:1
Specific power output: 161 cv/l
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS
Length: 4656 mm
Width: 1974 mm
Height: 1306 mm
Wheelbase:2670 mm
Front track: 1652 mm
Rear track: 1679 mm
Dry weight**: 1556 kg
Dry weight/power ratio: 2.5 kg/cv
Weight distribution : 48% ant. / 52% post.
Fuel tank capacity: 80 l
Boot capacity: 255 l
TYRES AND WHEELS
Front: /35 ZR 20 J8.0
Rear: /35 ZR 20 J10.0
BRAKES
Front: 390 x 34 mm
Rear: 360 x 32 mm
TRANSMISSION AND GEARBOX
8-speed F1 DCT
ELECTRONIC CONTROLS
EPS, VDC, ABS with EBD, F1-TCS, E-Diff3, SSC 6.0, FDE, SCM-E Frs
PERFORMANCE
Max. Speed: > 320 km/h
0-100 km/h: 3.4 s
0-200 km/h: .7 s
100-0 km/h: 32 m
200-0 km/h: 130 m
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Under homologation
CO2 EMISSIONS
Under homologation
* With 98 RON fuel
** With optional lightweight content
