FERRARI ROMA THE NEW GOOD LIFE

Dubai treats us to Ferrari Roma, a car from Maranello that takes it easy Without giving u-p the Ferrari way of driving.

- SUNDEEP GAJJAR AKA / KARAN SINGH BANSATTA

THE tagline is “La Nuovo Dolce Vita” which is a spin on “La Dolce Vita”. The latter means “The Good Life” and the Former means

“The New Good Life”. Ciò che intendono dire è… my apologies, I have probably enjoyed the two Ferraris a bit too much. What they mean by this is that Ferrari Roma is a modern callback to not only the Ferraris of the old but also the Italiana of the old.

For me, the Ferrari Roma is a solid hybrid. Not that hybrid, do not stop reading just yet. I mean a design hybrid. While its shape, stance, and how the design flows point to the past, there are bits that not only wave to the present but also the future. It is a Ferrari that flips the script a bit. It is a Ferrari that can be enjoyed by people who aren’t Sainz or Leclerc and that quality shows in the design.

There’s an obvious focus on luxury and looks. The Ferrari Roma’s proportions are just mind-blowing and simply put, it is a stunning-looking car. In performance-focused cars, the performance bits take away the simplicity of design. In that sense, the Roma is a breath of fresh air because it just flows sinuously and shows that proportions will always prevail over aero-appendages that add a tinge of unnatural aggression to the design.

The LED headlamp and the quirky mesh grille start things off. They catch you off guard in the beginning but you quickly get used to them. And you better because this idea or this ‘face’ is here to stay. Now, just because there are no aero appendages does not mean the Roma does not take aerodynamics seriously.

The body is shaped to slip through air and the smooth lines around the sides point to that. There are vortex generators up-front and a concealed deployable rear spoiler. So the Roma is well-endowed aerodynamically but it doesn’t go to the extreme which would have meant making the design a little too fussy and busy. Overall, the Roma is a step in a different direction and I am all for it.