Ferrari Roma Spider Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving
What is it like to drive?
Like all contemporary Ferraris, the Roma Spider does things that would have seemed space-age back in the day. The engine is a singularly impressive achievement, but always evolving. As on the coupe, the 3.9-litre twin turbo V8 has different cams, a revised catalytic converter and gas particulate filter. A reworked exhaust uses an oval-shaped flap rather than a traditional silencer, and there are more aggressive valve lift profiles on intake and exhaust. The oil pump also receives an upgrade for the Roma Spider, for smoother cold starts.
Thermal efficiency is improved, but it also sounds more soulful here than ever. Ferrari has worked hard to reduce boominess at speed, an issue that can afflict convertibles. It's not as sonorous as some classic Ferrari V8s, but then few things are.
Advertisement - Page continues below
How windswept will my hair get with the roof down?
The wind deflector in the +2 area pops into position by pressing a button on the centre tunnel (but has to be pushed back down into place manually, imagine that). Ferrari says it ran a lot of CFD and wind tunnel sessions to optimise it, and it shows. Although a simple pop-up plinth, it reduces turbulence in the cabin noticeably, adding to the 'bubble' effect Ferrari claims for the car overall. A 5mm spoiler on the windscreen header rail helps here, too.
Hardware and software are perfectly matched. Variable Boost Management adjusts torque delivery to suit whichever gear you're in, unlike some of its rivals that unleash the full lot all in one go (Aston Martin Vantage, we're looking at you), and the Roma Spider punches hard even in sixth or seventh gear. That said, torque and response used to be this engine's defining characteristic, but the Vantage now feels notably punchier and more urgent lower in the rev range.
Drive modes span Wet, Comfort, Sport, Race and ESC-Off, in the now well-established Ferrari manner. This is backed up by the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer – which adjusts brake pressure on whichever wheel needs it and works only in Race mode – alongside the regular stability system and V6.0 of side slip control. And what happens if I, er, deactivate the assistance?
Turn everything off and the Roma Spider is as slidey as you'd expect a rear drive car with north of 600bhp to be, but amusing rather than sketchy on the limit. In the dry, at least, on warm tarmac. Top speed is 198mph, 62mph takes 3.4 seconds, 124mph 9.7s. It's fast.
Advertisement - Page continues below
The gearbox is derived from the eight-speed dual-shift one in the SF90 Stradale. It's improved in every measure from the previous incarnation: it's lighter, faster, more efficient, has a more powerful ECU, and is better integrated with the engine software. It also gains a conventional reverse gear. There are longer ratios in seventh and eighth to reduce fuel consumption, emissions and to give the Spider a longer-legged, more GT-appropriate gait. It's a truly world-class set-up, and the large shifting paddles on the column mean you're always on top of things even with some lock applied.
You mentioned the Spider was less fraught than the Coupe…
The steering is linear and less frenetic than on other Ferraris, the ride quality supple and compliant. Body control is terrific and the Spider is always interactive and entertaining. Subtle alterations to its suspension kinematics have resulted in a car with even more bandwidth than the Coupe.
But make no mistake this is still a highly strung car. Don't get us wrong, it will do the mundane everyday stuff, but compared to rivals it's more frantic, on edge, straining to be let off the leash at all times. It's crisp and connected to drive and flows over difficult roads very well indeed.
As a GT this does make it less relaxing. It always feels alert and eager, never quite settles. It's long-legged and adept at eating up motorway miles and can be pretty efficient though – expect 28mpg on a long run. Quick word on the brakes too – they use 390mm diameter discs upfront; they're potent but we'd like more feel in the initial phase.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
21 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The Guide #194: Six things you need to know about the Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 came out this week. Depending on your familiarity with gamer culture, that sentence will either mean absolutely nothing to you, or have you bouncing up and down in your seat with excitement. Nintendo fans have endured an eight-year wait for this new console, so anticipation has been high: pre-orders have sold out everywhere and Nintendo wants to sell 15m of the things over the next year. I've only had my Switch 2 for a few days but if you're wondering whether this £400 new toy is worth your attention, I've got your answers. Why is this a big deal? First: you can race around as a little penguin in Mario Kart World. Second: the first Switch sold 150m units and pre-orders for the Switch 2 have sold out everywhere, so everyone is hoping that this will be a bit of a shot in the arm for the games industry. But most importantly: a new console launch is like Christmas for gamers, promising exciting new worlds to immerse ourselves in over the coming years, and they don't happen as often as they used to. The last major event was the PlayStation 5 in 2020. Is it any good? Yes! It's everything you could want from an upgrade to the Switch: the screen is bigger and clearer, games look much better on a TV, the controllers are better and sturdier with less finicky buttons. Both the machine itself and its menus have a sleek look, with a tasteful pop of colour on both Joy-Cons. It still has all the Switch's old advantages: you can take it with you when you're travelling, it's family-friendly, and the quality of the games is high. However, if you were hoping for something truly new and boundary-breaking, you won't find that here – the most significant new features are voice and video chat, which every other console has been doing for ages, and the fact that you can pop the controllers down on a flat surface and use them like a mouse. What games should I get? Mario Kart World is the biggie. About 65 million people bought the last Mario Kart, and it remains one of the world's most popular and easy to enjoy games. In this new one, the courses are run into each other in one huge world that you can explore freely in between the traditional grand prix and time trial races. It's got squillions of characters and costumes and karts to collect to keep kids busy; adults who grew up with Mario Kart will be more interested in mastering the new wall-riding and rail-grinding tricks that make the courses feel more challenging. Two other good recommendations: Survival Kids (above), a multiplayer game about working together to survive on a desert island (it's a bit like Overcooked, the chaotic game about trying to get dinner ready while everything collapses around you); and, for the hipsters, Deltarune, a surreal indie game about talking your way out of fights with kooky monsters. What games shouldn't I get? Nintendo Switch2 Welcome Tour is a little £7.99 introduction to the console's new features, rather than a proper game, but I found it bafflingly tedious. It's a cute-looking little virtual museum that almost bored me to death with information about the Switch 2's fine technical details. And be aware that almost all the launch games are updated versions of games that are already out, rather than brand new experiences. Will I like this if I basically haven't played a video game since the 1990s? Actually, you can play games from the 1990s on the Nintendo Switch 2 if you want – Nintendo's online subscription service includes a library of old-to-ancient games from its massive back catalogue, from the NES to the GameCube via the Nintendo 64, SNES and Game Boy. They're all lovingly emulated, complete with the scan lines you used to get on old TVs, for maximum nostalgia punch. Step away from the eBay listings, there's no need to spend half your life savings amassing a collection of rare retro cartridges. Should I get one for my kids? Sign up to The Guide Get our weekly pop culture email, free in your inbox every Friday after newsletter promotion With all the justified worry about young children playing Roblox and other online games, a Nintendo console is a much better option (if also vastly more expensive). A Switch has long been the safest and highest-quality family gaming choice, and the Switch 2 continues that legacy: parental controls are easy to use, there's a huge selection of imaginative and creatively interesting child-appropriate games to draw from with more to come in the future, and it's even got Fortnite on it for when your 11-year-old starts complaining that Mario is for babies. Each week we run down the five essential pieces of pop culture we're watching, reading and listening to PODCAST – Missing in the AmazonEven Guardian readers familiar with the story of journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira should listen to this new six-part investigative series about the pair's disappearance in the Amazon three years ago. Narrated by the Guardian's Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, who reported on the incident, and featuring insight from those close to Dom and Bruno for the first time, it goes deeper into their story than ever before, while offering a celebration of the pair's vital ecological work in the region. The first two episodes are available now, and can be heard on the Guardian's new investigations feed, along with other great investigative pods such as Black Box and Can I Tell You a Secret?Want more? Sara Pascoe and Cariad Lloyd return with series three of Sara and Cariad's Weirdos Book Club – and, as ever, they are happy for you to listen, regardless of whether you've read the book! Plus, here are the best podcasts of the week. TV – What it Feels Like for a GirlThis adaptation of Paris Lees' memoir about the journalist and activist's chaotic teenage years prior to transitioning will inevitably be viewed by many through the prism of this most inflamed of culture wars. Which is a shame because, while this is a story about the trans experience (and a valuable one at that), it's about much more besides: class, sex work, the long-tail impact of abuse. What's more, it does all this without being political or preachy – instead offering up a drama that is at times bracingly morally ambiguous, caustically funny and utterly compelling. Available on BBC more? Owen Wilson is at his breezy, slackerish best as a failed golfer-turned-mentor in Apple TV+'s cheery comedy Stick. For even more, here's seven shows to stream at home this week. BOOK – A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda ArdernThe former New Zealand prime minister's memoir tells the story of her rise to power, and how she tried to govern in a new, different way, while privately battling with the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatment. 'I closed the book feeling a pang of nostalgia for a time when scrapping tax cuts and spending the money on a more generous safety net, or clasping immigrants to a nation's heart (as she did after Christchurch) still seemed completely plausible things for a prime minister to advocate,' wrote Guardian reviewer Gaby more? We lost a literary great this week in Edmund White, beloved for his groundbreaking depictions of gay life. If you're unfamiliar with his work, Neil Bartlett has put together this handy guide to his books. And here's the rest of this week's books reviews. ALBUM – Turnstile: Never EnoughAn endorsement by Charli xcx, who declared that the next few months would be 'Turnstile summer' underscores the intriguing position this Baltimore hardcore group finds themselves in. A scene success story, attracting ever-swelling audiences with their enticing mix of bright, melodic vocals and brutal breakdowns, they now are on the cusp of mainstream success. Their fourth full length album reckons with the tension between those two worlds, expanding on the more pop-adjacent sound first heard on last album Glow On, with dreamy washes of synths, and at one point Mariachi horns, interrupting the heavy stuff. As ever, it's best experienced live: you can catch them headlining Outbreak London next Friday (13 June). Want more? Just the 24 years since their last album, Pulp return as sharply observational as ever, with More, also out today. For the rest of our music reviews, click here. FILM – BallerinaConsidering it started out as a simple story of a man going loco on the crims who offed his dog, John Wick has grown into quite the universe. After three much-loved sequels and one already long-forgotten TV series (The Continental), the latest hyper-stylised, hyper-violent addition is this spin-off film which is set between Wicks 3 and 4, and stars Ana de Armas as a ballet dancer/ruthless assassin on the hunt for her father's killer. Probably best not to expect anything that deviates too far from the revenge thriller template, but it's nice to see de Armas given a bone-crunching action role after the sad debasement of Blonde. In cinemas more? After grimy, low-budget horror? Take your pick between Dangerous Animals (serial killer tries to feed surfer to sharks) or Clown in a Cornfield (killer bozo slashes his way through a small town). Or for something truly horrifying, opt for the rerelease of Michael Haneke's still-twisted 2001 drama, The Piano Teacher. Plus, here's seven films to watch at home this week. A half-century on from their heyday, Fleetwood Mac are still as massive as ever, riding high in the charts and the inspiration for a hit West End play. Michael Hann looks at why they endure. Musical AI fakery isn't just limited to talent show carpenters: streaming services are rife with it – and indie artists are bearing the brunt. Eamonn Forde looks at a growing problem. Semafor speaks to Jonathan Nolan, brother of Christopher, and a pretty big Hollywood player in his own right, about how his forgotten early 2010s series Person of Interest predicted our AI age. Vulture's big Hollywood issue looks at a traditional film industry in a death spiral – and the new one that is replacing it. Over at the Guardian print shop, you can buy some rather fetching limited edition prints from one of our sister newsletters, Well Actually, which covers health, relationships and the wellness industry. They're available until Saturday. Get yours here. Last week we asked for your favourite 1960s films. Here are a few of your favourites, including some stone-cold classics and one under-seen film that I really need to catch up on: 'So many to choose from but I am going with A Hard Day's Night which came out when I was 11 and a huge Beatles fan. Ordering tickets and then standing in a long line to see the film was such a thrill.' – Marsha 'Released in 1970, so made in the 60s, I still love Borsalino starring Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo. A fun French gangster movie with a sparkling soundtrack.' – Rob Taylor 'Billy Liar. It perfectly expresses the conflicting and yearning and fantasising of the teenage/early 20s mind. Brilliant script by Keith Waterhouse, while Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie perfect in the lead roles. I can never forget Leonard Rossiter as 'Shaddy, Shaddy Shadrack.' 'Get on the train, Billy!' – Paul Howard 'Lawrence of Arabia is not only my best film of the 60s but my best film of all time. No women, questionable – to put it mildly – makeup and accents (looking at you Anthony Quinn and Alec Guinness). But thanks to David Lean, Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Freddie Young's iconic cinematography and Maurice Jarre's unforgettable score, it beats everything else hands down. @ me if you like but you will never change my mind.' – Sharon Eckman Prompted by Turnstile, this week we're after songs that you can't help but headbang to. Which tracks have you starting a one-person mosh pit in the living room when they come on? Let us know your choice by contacting Gwilym on
Top Gear
25 minutes ago
- Top Gear
Formula Legends' ‘F1 across the eras' is so good, you wonder why nobody did it already
Gaming With a playable demo out now, TG checks in with one of our most anticipated racing games Skip 10 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Formula One's best asset isn't the Netflix show or the upcoming movie. It isn't even the audio library of Kimi Raikkonen's best team radio lines, which will surely sustain the next century of meme creation. It's the heritage. The 75 years of history, iconic machinery, immortal heroes and feats of unfathomable bravery. Odd, then, that indie simcade racer Formula Legends is something of an outlier for encapsulating the sport's various historical eras in one experience. When we first saw the reveal trailer and digested the concept – an accessible, cartoonised take on circuit racing featuring unlicensed takes on F1 cars from the 1960s to present – we got quite excited. Having taken a deeper look at the game, which now has a playable demo live on Steam from 6 June, that excitement is now veritably bubbling. Advertisement - Page continues below The first thing that stands out about the racing is the quality of AI opponents. They jostle with each other in braking zones and take varying lines through turns, which really shouldn't be a rarity in the modern genre but somehow is. 3D Clouds founder Francesco Bruschi explains: 'We don't have a learning AI. It's very simple, but very tuned for the feeling that the player's in a real race. What you've seen is our first pass at that, we're not at the finish yet. I want a clean race with maybe some [AI] mistakes and different strategies. My first priority is to bring my racing experience to our development.' You might like And that might be the secret sauce that makes Formula Legends stand out: this isn't a studio having a stab at what the community might want from a game like this. It's members of that community making the game they want to play. This might be a friendly and approachable looking title, but it's the hidden depths like tyre wear and pit strategies that elevate it, and they've found their way into this game because Bruschi has been modding racing games since the days of the venerable Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix 2 in 1996. He's also a former racer who's competed against Sebastian Vettel in Formula Renault, among other accolades. Advertisement - Page continues below Structurally, it works like you'd imagine. Career mode takes you from the cigar-shaped deathtraps of the 1960s right through to modern energy-harvesting machinery, all in unlicensed but very recognisable form. There are over 100 different vehicles to span those seasons, and their liveries are instantly recognisable nods to their real-life counterparts. Likewise the drivers, whose names have had their letters jumbled in early '90s console racer style, but remain easy to decode. Each era of vehicle has its own handling behaviour and is built around a different physics model. The older cars will step out around corners and prompt your brain to provide a quick supercut of your life before the tyres find traction again, while the modern ground effect cars will reflect the greater downforce and turn-in speed. You really notice the sound differences between historical eras, too. The turbos sound like turbos, with that same musical roar that soundtracked many a Prost-Senna tussle. Details like that all contributed to Formula Legends ' warm reception when it was revealed, and that reception confirmed what Bruschi's team suspected: there's a gap in the genre for this exact experience. 'About a year ago we were thinking about Art of Rally ,' says producer Francesco Mantovani, 'which is our main reference at this point. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. 'It has received a big response from the market, and we wondered why nobody made this kind of game about the F1 world. We started working on it, we had some doubts along the way, but when we first saw the first prototype we realised there was something huge there.' That positive reception at reveal also spurred 3DClouds on, and fuelled the team's motivation to create a playable demo before launch. 'When we shared the trailer, says Bruschi, 'I knew that we had something good in our hands. We caused all sorts of praise and discussion, everybody was enjoying this game. We'll share something new in the next month, and also the demo.' Of course the hands-on experience will make or break Formula Legends , but with the team's experience on and off the track, it stands a better chance than most.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
X plays up blue checkmark disclaimer to stave off possible EU fine, source says
BRUSSELS, June 6 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's social media company X has highlighted a disclaimer to its blue checkmark in an attempt to head off a possible hefty fine from EU antitrust regulators, a person familiar with the matter said. The European Commission in July last year charged X with deceiving users, saying that the blue checkmark does not correspond to industry practices and that anyone can pay to get a "verified" status. The blue checkmark had previously indicated that an account belonged to a public figure whose identity was verified but Musk changed it to indicate it belonged to a paid subscriber after acquiring X in 2022. X has not admitted wrongdoing and the prominent display of the blue checkmark disclaimer is not part of any settlement proposal with the EU tech enforcer, the person said. The prominent display started a week ago. The Commission said it took note of X's announcement. "Our investigation related to the blue checkmark is ongoing," a spokesperson said. X did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The EU probe is under the Digital Services Act which requires large online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content or risk fines as much as 6% of their global annual revenue. Bloomberg was the first to report on the blue checkmark disclaimer.
