Ferrari Roma Spider

A cursory peek at Ferrari’s newest convertible may belie its country of origin. Without a yellow logo with the rearing horse on its flanks, the Roma Spider’s long, sloped hood and short, tapered tail might evoke a body language that is very British. That rising pair of muscled rear fenders and a driving position behind the car’s centerline may appear like the sultry GTs that Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar have made since the 1960s. What is a Ferrari doing with these curves?

-  —Clifford Atiyeh

Ferrari’s biggest business over the past 15 years has been in such mid-engine cars as the latest 296 GTS and SF90, with racing proportions and track performance. The Roma Spider is unashamedly a touring car and, at under $300,000 to start, an entry-level model. But on display is a forgotten look that Ferrari had locked away for decades: a front-engine sports car with a fabric roof that fully exposes the cabin. The Roma Spider flaunts a style unlike any modern Ferrari and, in doing so, echoes the timeless form of the Daytona Spider, last seen in 1973.