Roma Spider is new 612bhp entry-level Ferrari convertible

Ferrari has revealed a convertible variant of the Ferrari Roma as its first car with a soft top since the Ferrari F430 Spider was retired in 2010.

Arriving as Ferrari's new entry-level convertible, the Roma Spider has been extensively reworked at the rear, taking inspiration from the Ferrari Portofino M that it replaces.

It uses the same carbonfibre tub as the Roma coupé but with added rigidity measures, due to the lack of roof.

Overall, the Roma Spider weighs 84kg more than the 1570kg Roma coupé, due to the addition of the roof-retraction mechanism, wind deflector and integrated headrests for the rear seats.

Its headline addition is the soft top itself. Breaking a decade-long trend of hard-top convertibles, the Roma Spider is Ferrari's first front-engined soft-top spider since the 365 GTS4 of 1969.

It's made from a five-layered bespoke fabric, boasts similar sound insulation to the coupe's tin top while saving on weight and can be opened in 13.5sec at vehicle speeds of up to 37mph.

The 255 litres of boot space isn’t heavily affected when the roof is stowed, although Ferrari didn’t confirm by how much. 

Buffeting while the top is lowered is negated by a new, patented wind deflector that's integrated into the rear bench. This can be raised at speeds of up to 106mph.

Inside, you will find an identical interior to the standard Roma's, with an 8.4in central display set between two cockpit-style areas.

Grunt is provided by the same 612bhp 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine as in the coupé to the rear axle through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Despite the lack of a roof and therefore added drag, extensive aerodynamic tweaks – such as an active spoiler and a curved roofline – enable the Spider to match the coupé’s 0-62mph time of 3.4sec and top speed of 199mph.

Pricing has yet to be announced for the Spider, but it's expected to hold a premium over its coupé sibling (one of the best grand tourers currently on sale, thanks to its well-roundedness), which retails at more than £170,000.

Extensive personalisation options, including bespoke colours and fabrics for the soft top, will evidently push the Spider’s price even further north.