Ferrari 296 vs Ferrari Roma

What's the difference?

I know, picture Ferrari and you'll likely be conjuring images of potent V12 or V8 engines, a scenery-shaking exhaust bark on start-up and a fuel bill that would make a Sheikh wince.

But this one, the 296 GTS, doesn't have, or do, any of those things. In fact, it doesn’t so much explode into life as it does kind of whirr gently, as though you’ve just switched on a photocopier.

And yet, people I trust on these matters reckon this just might be the best Ferrari to have ever worn the badge. So, I guess we better get to figuring out what the hell is going on with this plug-in Prancing Horse.

There aren’t as many Ferraris on the road in Italy as you might think. There’s the purchase price, per-kW taxes and poisonously expensive fuel. So, usually, they’re a rare sight, except around Maranello in the northern province of Modena.

Because that’s Ferrari’s home and in getting to grips with the subject of this review - the twin-turbo V8 Roma - I enjoyed a smile-inducing moment with a local milk truck driver.

On a narrow section, part way into a road test drive through local villages and twisting B-roads to the west of Maranello, the tanker pulled over to let me through. 

Gave a thank you double blink of the hazard lights on passing and received a quick headlight flash in return. They almost certainly thought I was putting kays on a test mule in the same way camouflaged prototypes so often do on the same stretch of road.

Maybe I’d inadvertently sipped some Prancing Horse Kool-Aid, but it felt special. Ferrari is so close to Italian hearts and the Roma is such a sleek and engaging example of its current output.

But is this ‘iron fist in a velvet glove’ 2+2 capable of tearing you away from its well-credentialled high-end competitors? Stick with us to find out.