If you thought the words "Ferrari" and "Base Model" have never shared real estate in the same sentence, allow us to introduce you to the new Roma. Yes, this is Ferrari's entry-level sports car, with the term "Entry Level" being used very loosely.

But how well does the new Roma wear the title of entry-level Ferrari? Well, some entry Ferraris haven't been all that great in the past, so let's give it a thorough overlook before making that call. Either way, as far as entry-level vehicles go, this is bound to be one of the fastest if not the fastest entry-level car ever made. So let's go through the facts and figures we know right now.

Are you in the market for a Ferrari sports car but don't have a spare half a million dollars hanging around for the new 812 Superfast? The Roma can help you get your hands on the Ferrari name without first having to remortgage your house. This doesn't mean it'll be cheap, it's still a Ferrari after all.

Growing Pains Of The Past

1982 Ferrari Mondial
topspeed.com

Ferraris legendary style, power, and driving pleasure haven't always transferred all that well down the model lineup. At the same time the Ferrari 308 was showing the world how to make proper supercars. The Mondial was tootling around seemingly oblivious to how much of a black eye its existence was for Ferrari.

For a company that's knocked it out of the park nearly every time they release a new car, the Mondial felt more like a mid-80s Chrysler product than a purpose-built Italian sports car that's supposed to be fun to drive.

Ferrari Dino 308 GT4
via motorbiscuit.com

The Ferrari GT4 of the 70s and 80s on the other hand had so little to do with other Ferraris it was actually called a Dino. This was the car Richard Hammond bought on Top Gear for their cheap supercar challenge almost 20 years ago. The Dino was indeed the last car standing on that journey, but even it didn't make it to the finishing line. So then, the benchmark is pretty low for the Roma to surpass these two cars as the best entry Ferrari of all time, let's have a look.

Related: A Detailed Look Back At The Ferrari 550 Maranello

An Impressive V8 Turbo GT Car

gq.com

There are few formulas for making good cars as tried and true as a good old fashioned Italian grand tourer. Ferrari's used this to great effect to make some of their most sought after and recognizable cars. At its core, the Roma still uses this template, albeit augmented with the latest technology.

Replacing the venerable 612 Scaglietti grand tourer, Ferrari finally bent the knee to the winds of change by adding twin turbos to the car's 3.9 liter V8. For a company that's been ride or die with natural aspiration for so long, it's a sign that change comes eventually even to people who think they know better than everyone else.

 Ferrari Roma
via Ferrari

An 8.4-inch touch screen display amalgamates all the functions for the radio, air conditioning, and car infotainment into one small piece of space in the middle of the car. In a world where modern smartphones are so quick and responsive that even a little bit of lag is unacceptable, we hope the Ferrari's main screen is at least on par. Otherwise messing around with the HVAC controls could end up being a nightmare as you drive down the road.

telegraph.co.uk

The driver's instrument cluster is a multifunctional display as well. One that can display a traditional tachometer or large satellite navigation screen with an integrated speed indicator at the bottom corner. With around 610 horsepower on tap, the Roma is bound to be a formidable and capable GT car with all the luxuries modern buyers want and demand in cars at this price point.

Related: Ferrari F8 Tributo Upgrade By Wheelsandmore Boosts Performance To 804 HP

The Competition

Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye speeding on the road
Via wikimedia.org

Being rated at 600 plus horsepower and with a starting price of around $200 thousand dollars, the Roma has some unbelievably good competition nipping at its heels. Indeed we live in a world where you no longer have to pay top dollar in order to make face-melting power.

With that said, if you'll forgive the only slightly forced comparison, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat is around 40 percent the price of the new Roma, yet it makes 100 more horsepower. No one in their right mind would say the Hellcat is only 40 percent as good a car as the Roma. So even if one costs twice as much as the other, in the real world these cars are more in competition with each other than we might realize.

Moving on to home soil, Maserati recently lost their contract with Ferrari to make engines for their cars. Expect Maserati to come firing back with an entry-level GT car of their own, likely the next-generation Maserati Alfieri, the car set to replace the aging GranTurismo.

Red BMW M8 Competition Coupe On the Racing Track
topgear.com

Cars from elsewhere like the BMW M8 and the Lexus RCF may not have as much power as the Roma or the same whopping price tag. But do offer the same rear-drive GT car layout with extra servings of horsepower. That said, if you have to have a Ferrari and don't have the backing of a trust fund, the Roma is by far and away the clear favorite here. What do you all think of the new baby Ferrari? Let us know on our Facebook page!

Sources: Ferrari, GQ Magazine

Next: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta: Here's Why It's The Most Complete Modern Ferrari