A camouflaged Ferrari prototype can only be hidden from curious eyes as long as it does not leave the company's facilities. Even then, there is still a chance to see a leaked image of such a vehicle. While the company's engineers do bother with camouflage and even various deceiving elements under it, some off-the-shelf parts are used that give away the entire thing.
In the case of the latest Ferrari prototype that was spied, we can see that it is based on the Roma, which is currently the most affordable model in the range – closely matched to the Portofino M, and it is also a convertible.
A prototype just like this one, if not exactly this one, was previously spotted by a YouTuber from Italy, and now we have a full set of spy shots of the Ferrari Roma-based convertible. The vehicle comes with numerous production-spec elements from the Roma, and you do not need to have the thick camouflage lifted to see that. Instead of a V8, the prototype in question was believed to have a V12.
We are going to refer to it as the Ferrari Roma Spider, as that is the suffix that the Italian marque usually puts on its convertibles. The drop-top part is easy to guess when compared to a regular model because of the shape of its roofline, which is different from the Roma, as well as the fact that there are zippers on the rear deck. While the latter may be there just to help manage the car cover that sits on top of this Ferrari's body, it may also be a way to conceal the presence of a retractable roof.
It is worth noting that the Roma and the Portofino share the same engine, a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 motor that provides 612 horsepower (620 PS), along with a peak torque of 561 lb.-ft. (761 Nm). We do not expect this prototype to come with a different engine configuration, but it may also have improvements to its drivetrain.
In case you were wondering what the point would be in having two convertible models in the Ferrari range at a similar price point, you have a good question on your hands.
If the prototype were to be launched sooner, rather than later, the logic behind all this would be to have a soft-top alternative to the Portofino, which replaced the hard-top-equipped California T.
Moreover, the Portofino M is not that new to the range, while the Roma is already three years old, since it was launched back in 2019. Next year might bring a facelift for the Roma, and the convertible model might get introduced alongside the coupe. We will have to wait and see what happens next.
There is also a possibility that Ferrari is testing something entirely different here, but we would not bet on that particular direction.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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