Ferrari Says New Coupe Is Inspired by Iconic Postwar Rome
Ferrari Roma’s sensual curves recall the setting of 1953’s “Roman Holiday”—and that’s exactly what the Italian carmaker wants.
(Bloomberg) -- Ferrari NV’s newest car may be state-of-the-art under the hood, but its sensual curves recall the setting of 1953’s “Roman Holiday” -- and that’s exactly what the Italian sportscar maker wants.
As Maranello-based Ferrari on Wednesday unveiled the Roma Coupe, equipped with a mid-front-mounted 620-horsepower engine, the company called the car “a contemporary representation of the carefree, pleasurable way of life that characterized Rome in the 1950s and 1960s.”
The turbo-charged V8 propels the Roma Coupe to a top speed of almost 200 miles per hour, the company said in a statement Wednesday after unveiling the car to clients in Rome.
Of course, that’s a lot faster than Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck tooled around onscreen in “Roman Holiday,” in which a Fiat “Topolino” and a Vespa scooter were among the chariots featured.
The Roma will cost just over 200,000 euros ($220,000) in Italy, Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, said at an unveiling event Thursday in Rome.
The supercar manufacturer has launched a record five new models this year with a goal of delivering about 10,000 vehicles in 2019, Chief Executive Officer Louis Camilleri said earlier. That’s up from total shipments of 9,251 cars last year. The company is in the midst of a model-range renewal that will likely allow it to boost average prices.
Ferrari is also aiming to move further upmarket with its branded accessories by teaming up with another iconic Italian name, Giorgio Armani SpA, to help push its handbag and clothing lines into the premium-price space.
Camilleri is tackling a long-held goal of former Chairman Sergio Marchionne, who died in 2018: transform Ferrari into a fully fledged luxury brand. After raising guidance for 2019 sales and profit, the company said earlier this month that branded goods will contribute 10% of earnings before interest and tax within the next 7-10 years.
To contact the reporter on this story: Daniele Lepido in Milan at dlepido1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, Jerrold Colten
©2019 Bloomberg L.P.