Elegance By the Sea

Romantic. The very word derives from Roma, Italy’s capital of ‘La Dolce Vita’ and the inspiration for the latest Ferrari softtop model, the Roma Spider. And romance is certainly in the air today. 

Few cars have the charisma of the Roma Spider, and few road trips offer the romantic allure of the Natural Regional Park of San Bartolo on the Adriatic coast near Pesaro, and then on up to the picturesque little town of Gradara. Our pilota is Dino Beganovic, a bright young talent in the Ferrari Driver Academy. Born in Sweden in 2004, he has already made a big impression by, for instance, winning the Formula Regional European Championship in 2022.

Watch as Ferrari Driver Academy pilota Dino Beganovic takes the Roma Spider along the Adriatic coast and up the sweeping roads that lead to the mediaeval town of Gradara

“This is the first time for me driving the Roma Spider,” he says. “It would fit perfectly for someone who wants to drive their Ferrari daily. It’s a very complete, comfortable car, very elegant both outside and inside.” That elegance is down to the Roma Spider’s soul: a front-mid-engined fabric-roofed spider that evokes the spirit of Ferrari icons like the splendid 250 GT California and the 365 GTS4 ‘Daytona Spider’.

Top down is the perfect way to experience this Adriatic landscape and appreciate the comfort and thrills offered by the Roma Spider

The gentle aromas of the vines and sea salt that pervade this landscape are all the invitation Dino needs to fold the roof down. “On a summer’s day, it’s great to have this ability,” he says, “listening to the sound of the engine and enjoying the sun.”

A touch of a button raises the wind deflector, cleverly incorporated into the rear seat, to calm cabin turbulence. Then, as the clouds start to block out the sun and the temperatures start to drop it’s time to cover up.

The Roma Spider is agile through corners, and astonishingly pacey between them; Ferrari Driver Academy pilota Dino Beganovic is captivated by the Roma Spider’s versatile charms; the view from above; at once a true sports car and a comfortable open-top tourer

The carbon-fibre-look technical fabric roof delivers all the thermal performance and sound insulation of a retractable hard top. Equally welcome are the heated, 18-setting adjustable seats, the neck warmer and the heated steering wheel. On the sweeping roads up to Gradara, with its mediaeval walls and castle, Dino unleashes the Roma Spider’s full performance.

The Roma Spider, with its supremely elegant design, sits perfectly within the beautiful mediaeval streets of Gradara in the Marche region of central Italy

“I’m a fan of rear-wheel-drive cars, as I’m a driver, and you can really feel the power,” he says. “Yet it’s so comfortable that you can use it daily. I would love to drive this elegant car in my home town of Stockholm, as I think it would fit really well, and take it for a ride in Smögen on the Swedish coast. It’s a fantastic car and I hope I get to drive it again really soon.”

THIS STORY WAS TAKEN FROM ISSUE 61 OF THE OFFICIAL FERRARI MAGAZINE