2022 Ferrari Roma review

I’ll be straight with you all – I love Ferraris. I grew up supporting Schumacher in Formula One, dressed up as a Ferrari race car driver for my muck-up day at the end of year 12, and even got my aunty to create a Ferrari dress for me to wear for the Australian Grand Prix when I was 17. True story. 

So getting to drive one isn’t just another day on the job for me. It means much more because I feel such a connection to the brand. We all have that one brand, right?

Thanks to COVID lockdowns in Melbourne, it was a long wait before I got the call-up for the Ferrari Roma following its launch that I attended back in December 2020. 

Then, with limited time (an overnight loan) and some restrictions remaining in place, I was racking my brain figuring out what I could do with this car – it warranted something more than a standard write-up. I wanted to make it fun!

So, after snapping it up before it left Melbourne on its journey around Australia, I forged on, and instead of completing the initial task of asking if I can live with this car, I decided to position the project as 'Can the Ferrari Roma live with me?’. Essentially, a day in the life of Emma.

The Ferrari I lucked in with is the 2022 Ferrari Roma. It has a starting price of $409,888 plus on-roads, and our test model is finished in Matt Aluminum Opaco.

The spec sheet is quite the read, with 27 options added, and while I’d love to relay these prices to you, Ferrari doesn’t offer them up. I can tell you that the one we had on test was a high-spec model and I’m told it costs in the mid-fives. More about the options later. 

First, it’s worth knowing more about the philosophy of this beautiful piece of machinery. The Ferrari Roma is named after its country's capital and is known as an everyday Ferrari. 

It’s the first in a new family of grand tourers, and has taken inspiration from the most legendary GT Ferraris of the 1960s front-engine cars. 

The Roma packs Ferrari’s familiar 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and has a front, mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. That’s mated to the new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the benefit being that it’s 6kg lighter than the seven-speeder. 

It spits out 456kW of power and 760Nm of torque and has a claimed 0–100km/h sprint time of 3.4 seconds. 

In the way of standard features it gets a 16.0-inch digital instrument display cluster, keyless entry and engine start system, carbon-ceramic brake system, an 8x4-inch portrait touchscreen info telematic system with maps navigation, USB, Bluetooth audio streaming and DAB radio, and performance launch control, to name a few.

Its appearance has a pinch of the past with influence from the 250 GT Lusso. The long bonnet with shark nose overhang is distinctive, as is its unique large grille. On the side you’ll notice the absence of the Scuderia shield, which can be added as an option, but I personally prefer the simplicity as is.

Entry to the Roma is via the sleek flush door handles, while the understated elegance continues in the rear with a smaller Ferrari emblem and flat, non-traditional tail-lights. 

So in keeping with my daily routine, I set out early. Firstly, I’m an early riser as I like to get some exercise in before heading to the office, and secondly, I knew what I had waiting for me in the garage. It’s something worth getting out of bed at the crack of dawn for. In fact, you jump out of bed for a car like this one.

Of course, I couldn’t embark on this journey without the crew here at Drive, so I had our photographer, Ted, and videographer, Julien, meet me for my morning walk.

Before that I had to make my way out of the car park, which was a good opportunity to begin learning if this Roma could live with me. There are a lot of expensive, luxury cars in my building and it’s safe, so I wasn’t worried. 

However, I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was a little nervy about driving it up and down the ramp as this car doesn’t have the front axle lift. But it does get a higher ground clearance of 120mm, and in the end, while you of course need to be careful, this was more than enough height for situations like these. 

Parking was easier than anticipated, and that’s coming from a not-so-great parker, or so I’ve been told. Thankfully, you score added support from the optioned surround-view camera, plus it’d be hard to bump into anything with the beeping that sounds through the cabin while reversing.

Off to my morning walk, in the dark and continuously mindful that I was behind the wheel of an incredibly expensive car – as Ted likes to call this, “supercar stress". It's a real thing.

Luckily the rain had cleared from the night before and we were in for a much nicer day. Because I can tell you one thing, driving a supercar in pouring rain with wet mode activated and high-performance Michelin tyres underneath you isn’t the ideal way to spend 24 hours with a Ferrari.

After we fuelled up with coffee and captured the beauty of the Roma at sunrise, it was time to hit the road to the Mornington Peninsula. The cruise down the freeway was the best way to get to know the characteristics of this car.

It's only just over an hour from Melbourne, so not the longest road trip, but it's always comforting to know that you're journeying in a plush and cosy car.

The interior is first-class. Our model was finished in Cuoio-coloured leather with the remainder fitted with high-quality fabrics and exquisite hints of carbon fibre. Just sitting in it you feel special, and that’s exactly Ferrari's intention – to evoke emotion. Mission accomplished. I felt a million bucks cruising around in this.

The one thing you can appreciate about the Roma is the step forward the brand has taken with its technology. Inside the cabin sits an 8x4-inch portrait touchscreen infotelematic tablet equipped with maps navigation, USB, Bluetooth and DAB radio. 

In keeping with Ferrari’s philosophy of ‘eyes on the road, hands on the wheel', all functions can be accessed via the haptic touchpad on the steering wheel. Indicator buttons remain, while the volume and rocker switch are situated behind the steering wheel.

I got the hang of most of the elements by the end, but the elephant (or horse) in the room remained – the Ferrari voice command.

When pressing the left indicator, any slight swipe below would immediately activate the voice command and it's not so quick to deactivate. It didn't seem to understand me in English or Italian and just kept chatting away. It's distracting and making left turns became quite the annoyance. Ferrari may need to consider repositioning this in its next model.

Otherwise, the cruise down the freeway was effortless, more than that, it was exhilarating. I thoroughly enjoyed gazing across at the team, sharing a smile and a wave as I fiercely changed gears letting them hear the harmonious howls that fired out of that V8 engine. I believe the term for this is 'flexing'.

Just like that, we arrived in Red Hill – a popular wine region south of the city. What's more, it's also known for its breathtaking views and winding roads, so where better to really open her up (in a responsible manner)? 

This is the first time in a Ferrari GT that there are five modes to choose from on the manettino – comfort, race, sport, wet and then CT off (where you can turn the traction off, but that’s something to save for a racetrack). 

Ferrari's engineers have given this car all of the technology you’d expect. Thanks to its variable boost management system, it's super fast, with immediate throttle response and zero turbo lag.

When switching the open-gate shifter into manual and engaging the paddle shifters, you know you're in for something special. Cranking it down a few gears and letting it rev high in a lower gear is gripping, and the V8 engine serves you those crackles we all yearn for from a supercar.

The rear exhaust system in the Roma underwent a redesign as Ferrari likes every one of its cars to have its own voice. So, while it may not sound as piercing as others in the line-up, I can assure you it’s still loud.

Driving along the meandering roads, some rather harsh, there's no doubting that the nerves stuck. No longer being on a freeway, I was still incredibly cautious of what may lay ahead. Any larger rocks or debris at higher speeds doesn't end well for this perfectly finished paint job.

Oh, and not forgetting how much power this car has. Did I mention that it's fast? I have to say, though, that all the mechanics and technology built into it give you a sense of security.

There were a couple of moments where it had its wiggles in the rear, but with the exceptional side-slip control it meant you can corner with confidence knowing it won't step out on you.

The steering is very light and the input direct, taking you exactly where you point it to go. Even without activating 'bumpy mode', it felt in control and more than capable of absorbing any coarser surfaces.

With each rev, upshift, or downshift for that matter, the Roma was impressive. It's agile, compliant and, above all, a thrilling drive. But it's a grand tourer, right, so it has the ability to prance when you want it to and run wild if that's more your style. The luxury of choice – grand tourer and sports car in one. Sounds like my kind of car.

Finally, with not many kilometres to spare, some final stops were made. One to the top of Arthurs Seat to take in the views (and have a mini photoshoot), and the other past one of my favourite wineries for something to take home.

There was still plenty of room in the boot for the gift to myself with 272L of cargo space available. That's right, it has a boot and a surprisingly well-sized one at that.

It also has back seats, which gets another big tick from me. While they are tight, it's good to know they are there as an option. Plus, for those thinking of using this as an everyday family car, firstly, good on you, and secondly there are two ISOFIX points for the rear seats. Better back there for kids anyway, not adults.

In terms of safety it's fitted with front airbags for driver and passenger and side airbags for front head protection. Our car scored the optional ADAS package that includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning with traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera. Not forgetting the Roma's side-slip angle control, traction control, and vehicle dynamics control.

As mentioned earlier, our test model was jam-packed with options, some of which comprised of coloured special stitching, leather lower cockpit zone, full electric and ventilated seats, active matrix LED headlights, coloured mats with logo, 20-inch forged diamond rims, and lots of carbon fibre including the front spoiler, wheel cups, rear diffuser, rear active spoiler, and under-door cover.

Ferrari offers a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with a maintenance program for the first seven years. Service intervals are set at 20,000km or at one year – whichever comes first.

I have to tell you, I felt rather dejected after handing the keys back, jumping in an Uber and heading back to the office. But I did manage to hand it back just 9km shy of the range I was given, so at least there was no awkward discussion needed in the showroom. It really was an enjoyable 24 hours.

But the question remains – can the Ferrari Roma live with me? Well, it's fast enough to keep up with my hectic schedule, it's fashionable enough for a girl who appreciates style, and it's practical enough to carry all of my belongings. I would say it absolutely can.

This prancing GT does exactly what it says on the box. It's the perfect mixture of performance, first-class technology, comfort and accessibility, all wrapped in a very good-looking package. An 'entry-level' Ferrari will do me just fine, thanks.