#FerrariRoma

We’re guessing a trip to the dealership for service is a routine affair for most people, but sometimes things go sideways. There are all sorts of stories of cars being dropped off lifts and about dealer employees taking nice cars for joyrides. One thing we haven’t seen, at least until now, is a car falling down an elevator shaft. Oh, and this car happens to be a Ferrari Roma, which can cost more than $300,000 in some cases. 

At a private event in Rome this week, Ferrari introduced its newest model — the Roma. Described by Ferrari Commercial Director Enrico Galliera as an automobile for “people who would like to drive a sports car, or a Ferrari, but are a little bit afraid of Ferrari and sportscars,” it boasts one of the worst marketing taglines imaginable.

It also has a key fob that’s embarrassing to carry around — assuming shame is an emotion still within your repertoire.

While high-performance exotics aren’t widely known for being tasteful, Ferrari has always had a thin veneer of respectability brands like Lamborghini lacked. Owning one gave off the impression that you might have a mild appreciation for brand heritage or some interest in motorsport. At the very least, the prevailing prejudices would presume you were a probably a car snob with strong opinions and nuanced tastes.

Unfortunately, the Roma (Rome) and its gaudy key are helping to dissipate that formerly effective illusion.