Ferrari Testarossa: From 1980s Icon to Supercar Legend
The Ferrari Testarossa was showcased in 1984 at the Paris Auto Show and soon became a recognised cultural icon in the 1980s with appearances in the 1984 television series “Miami Vice” and Sega’s 1986 video game “Out Run”. Testa Rossa means “red head” in Italian which references the red-painted cam covers sported by the car's 12-cylinder engine. The name was a tribute to the famed World Sportscar Championship winner in 1957 - the 250 Testa Rossa sports racing car.
Pininfarina designed the Testarossa to replace the Boxer series with a visually different design. It had a much softer rounded front end, deeply straked door panels, and wide rear wings housing the twin mounted water radiators which received their cooling air via the door intakes.
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A unique addition to the early Testarossa exterior design was the single high-mounted side-view mirror known as the “flying mirror”. The designer of the 1980s classic misinterpreted a European law regarding the external rear view mirror requirements and as a result, the “flying mirror” was built! This was a blunder from Ferrari and after many complaints it was decided to revert to double low mirrors and this mistake has never been made again!
In addition to the mirror revision, regulatory differences also shaped the body design across territory markets. The US Testarossas were fitted with larger front and rear bumpers to comply with American safety standards. These were a noticeable contrast to the slimmer, more integrated bumpers found on European models. In 1986, Ferrari also introduced a third high-mounted brake light on US versions to meet local legislation - another subtle but defining detail that sets the regional variants apart.
The rear-mid engine layout also kept the centre of gravity in the middle of the car which increased the stability and improved the car's cornering ability and as a result, the standing weight distribution was 40% front and 60% rear. The power from the 4.9 litre, flat-12 engine produced 380 horsepower and 361 lb-ft of torque which was enough to propel the car to 0-60 mph in just over five seconds and generate a top speed of just below 180 mph.
The original wheels fitted to the early Testarossa were magnesium central spline “knock-on” types, but over the years of production, to improve traction, Ferrari added 10-inch-wide alloy rear wheels and changed to five-bolt wheels which were easier to use and preserved the car’s aggressive stance.
Produced from 1984 until 1991, the Testarossa went on to have two model revisions between 1992 and 1996, the 512TR and 512M. Including these revised variations, almost 10,000 cars were produced making the Testarossa, at the time, one of the most mass-produced Ferrari models.
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