Secret Santa. A nice idea, often poorly executed. Usually it’s done as a money saving measure, and usually it’s within an office environment and you end up buying for someone you don’t know particularly well.
But this Christmas we’ve turned the tables. We’ve given our crack team of road testers unlimited funds with which they can ‘buy’ someone else their dream car.
The results? While of course there’s one supercar, a cheap EV, a resto-mod and a commercial vehicle all make the list too…
Mark Tisshaw Who likes someone enough to get them that Ferrari out there in the car park? That’s the one we all really want…
Matt Prior It’s Christmas. If you’re going to buy somebody something for Christmas, money no object, why not buy them a Ferrari? And it’s festively red.
The coupé, however, isn’t a new car, but the Spider is, and I think I’m right in saying it’s replacing the coupé to become the only Roma.
Given that (a) it’s such a good car in coupé form and (b) Richard likes it so much, I thought it was the perfect car for him. Is it not the best Christmas present? Like, ever?
Steve Cropley Is that the first time you’ve been given a Ferrari, mate?
Richard Lane Sadly, yes… But what a superb gift it is. Truly, I feel there’s a case to be made that the Roma is not only the most complete car Ferrari makes but also, possibly, the best.
It has had a bit of a chassis nip and tuck going from coupé to Spider – the bite point for the brakes isn’t so ridiculously sensitive and the steering is a touch more measured. It’s just a bit more natural to drive overall, and remember the coupé being already incredibly intuitive.
Underrated, too. It lives in the shadow of the 812, but only in the minds of those who haven’t driven both cars: it does things the V12 car doesn’t. Or, at least, doesn’t do easily, at sane speeds.
On the road just now there was a sweeping corner where you change down to third, turn in, then squeeze the throttle an almost imperceptible amount and the nose just tightens.
I mean, an Aston Vantage is just so far from that level of deftness and precision. And it’s such a pretty thing.
Ferrari Roma
From Matt Prior to Richard Lane
Price £210,848
Price as tested £323,799
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I've seen the magazine and now this and I'm sure the MGB looks damaged. Look along the passenger door, it appears to be creased, or is it just the light?