automotivebriefs
9:10in productionCh. 1 · What it is/ 9:10 · ceiling 15 min
Supercars · Road

Ferrari Roma

Flavio Manzoni · 2019

Ferrari’s most restrained car is also its most awarded — because elegance, not extremity, became the new benchmark.

The Ferrari Roma is a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand touring coupé with a twin turbocharged V8 and 2+2 seating. It succeeds the Portofino and sits below the F8. Named after Rome, it launched online on 13 November 2019 and was unveiled in Rome the next day. Flavio Manzoni led its design, which won five major international design awards — including Most Beautiful Supercar of the Year in Paris.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:45
    What it is

    A grand touring coupé named for Rome, launched in Rome, built to carry two adults comfortably with occasional rear seats.

  2. 2:18
    How it works

    Front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, twin-turbo V8, 2+2 seating — a direct evolution of the Portofino’s architecture.

  3. 3:48
    Where it fits

    It replaces the Portofino and sits below the F8 — a strategic positioning that defines its role as Ferrari’s accessible GT.

  4. 5:17
    Why it was noticed

    It won five major design awards — proof that Flavio Manzoni’s minimalist approach resonated globally.

Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • establishes a new visual hierarchy for Ferrari’s GT line
  • delivers coherent, award-winning design discipline
  • offers accessible grand touring presence without compromise on form
What does not
  • redefine mechanical architecture
  • introduce new powertrain technology
  • target track use
Drive it if
  • buyers wanting daily usability with Ferrari branding
  • design-conscious collectors valuing restraint over aggression
Skip it if
  • track-day enthusiasts
  • those prioritising raw innovation over refined execution
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

The Ferrari Roma is a grand touring coupé named after Rome, introduced online on 13 November 2019 and unveiled in Rome the next day.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It is a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive grand touring coupé with a twin turbocharged V8 engine and 2+2 seating.

What it gets right

It establishes a coherent, calm visual identity for Ferrari’s entry-level GT — clean surfaces, minimal ornament, proportion-led discipline.

What it does not

It does not redefine performance architecture. It shares its layout and powertrain concept with the Portofino it succeeds.

What it changed

It shifted Ferrari’s design emphasis from aggressive dynamism to restrained elegance, winning multiple international design awards for that pivot.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for buyers who want a Ferrari-badged GT with daily usability and design gravitas — not for those seeking track-focused aggression or technical novelty.

Is it worth your time

Yes. It is a focused reinterpretation of Ferrari’s grand touring language — not a technical leap, but a deliberate distillation.

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