Return Of The Soft Top

Return Of The Soft Top

Ferrari has brought the soft top back in style with its latest convertible model — the new Roma Spider. In the same vein as the coupé version, the Roma Spider celebrates the chic, pleasure-seeking Italian lifestyle of the 1950s and 60s, and brings back the front-engined and soft top combination last seen on Ferrari 365 GTS4 from 1969.

The soft top has been designed to make the 2+ convertible stand out from its contemporary peers, as they’re almost exclusively fitted with a retractable hard top. Sophistically weaved fabrics and contrasting stitching are available as personalisation options for the soft top, which deploys in just 13.5 seconds and up to maximum speed of 60 km/h. The compact height of 220 mm of the soft top when stowed allows for plenty of storage in the roomy boot.

The Roma Spider’s twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8 boosts 612 hp and 760 Nm and is paired with a dual-clutch, eight-speed automatic gearbox, propelling the car to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and 200 km/h in 9.7 seconds, with a final top speed of over 320 km/h.

Ferrari has also integrated a patented wind deflector into the backrest of the rear bench, which can be deployed with just a press of a button on the central tunnel, offering extra in-car comfort for passengers. The active spoiler located at the back of the car is perhaps the most visually striking feature. This mobile spoiler is cleverly concealed within the rear lid, and connects seamlessly with the rear bench and headrests when the soft top is lowered. Equipped with a unique mechanism, the spoiler can be deployed into three different positions – low drag,  medium downforce, and high downforce – according to different driving speeds and situations.

 

 

Source Credit: This article originally appeared on Blackbird Automotive Journal by Blackbird Automotive Journal. Read the original article - https://www.blackbird-autojournal.com/return-of-the-soft-top/