Ferrari Testarossa
I don't give Ferrari much love in in Car Lust, mostly because naming Ferraris as objects of automotive desire is like naming nuclear weapons as pretty powerful pieces of weaponry. It's too obvious to warrant much conversation.
I feel the Ferrari Testarossa deserves its time in the sun, though. The Testarossa doesn't seem to get a lot of attention these days--surprising considering it was once the flagship of the Ferrari line and, judging by bedroom posters and study-hall drawings, was hugely popular among the pubescent set.
Perhaps its pervasive 1980s aura has dusted the Testarossa with cheesiness by association; it's possible that all-too-frequent Fiero-arri kit cars have devalued its unique styling touches; maybe its look is not deemed traditional enough by the Ferrari faithful. Well, whatever it is, I'm putting a stop to it. The madness ends now!
I'm not going to deny the Testarossa looks a little quirky. Nearly as wide as it is long, and with severe and distinctive cheese-grater side strakes to feed air into the radiators, the Testarossa certainly isn't the typical Pininfarina-designed Ferrari wedge. The front end is slightly ho-hum, with anonymous turn signal markers and hidden headlights, but the impossibly wide, obviously mid-engined rear view is fantastic. Overall, I find the look unique and distinctively gorgeous.
Once the sense of sight is excited, add sound into the mix. Twelve-cylinder engines tend to sound special anyway--there's something about the harmonics of 12 cylinders soaring to redline that touches the soul. The Testarossa's flat-12 gives off a hard-edged metallic scream that crescendoes into an operatic aria that nearly makes one weep with joy.
Beyond its styling, the Testarossa broke the Ferrari mold in the mid-1980s by actually being comfortable to drive. Compared to its cramped, hot, and uncomfortable Berlinetta Boxer predecessor, the Testarossa was a bright, modern place to be, a mostly refined grand tourer that could cover miles of Autostrada in effortless bounds. Nowadays, following the Testarossa's lead, nearly all Ferraris are comfortable and practical. Relatively speaking, anyway.
Testarossas are stunningly inexpensive today for what they are--on everybody's favorite auction site, there are Testarossas available from $45K-$75K. That's a lot of car for the money. For reference, a new Cadillac Escalade ranges $55K-$80K. Of course, the killer for the Testarossa is the jaw-droppingly expensive maintenance--even seemingly simple maintenance can nickel-and-dime you for thousands of dollars at a time. A significant driver of sales price on used Testarossas is whether they have had their 30,000-mile service yet.
There is one aspect of the Testarossa that I can't really defend. Crockett and Tubbs drove a Testarossa on Miami Vice, forever linking the Testarossa with gauche 1980s fashion. It's hard to deny that even a glimpse of a Testarossa now inspires visions of pink t-shirts under white suit coats.
I've lined up two highly entertaining videos below that I think nail the Testarossa's mix of awesomeness with cheesy pretension. This first video handles the pretension; the second video is an uproariously funny (to me, anyway) German-language dub of the scene where Crockett gets his white Testarossa.
"Ja! Ha ha ha!"
Flickr's Testarossa group has some fantastic photos, three of which I have featured here. The first is from IJsselstein, the second is from toyangel, and the third is from pat_ernzen.
--Chris H.
John Geoffroy on March 06, 2008 at 09:29 AM
This may just be a glimpse into my personality but I don't think the Testarossa has aged too badly. Especially when compared to its super cheesy competitor of the time, the Countach. That car is brie on wheels.
John Geoffroy on March 06, 2008 at 09:33 AM
What's up with the driver's side only mirror on Crockett's Testarossa? Was that the base model? I wonder if it had crank windows and an AM radio.
bigrig on March 06, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Funny.. I felt just the opposite as John. But my first look at a "super" car was a Countach, a black one in a movie.The speed limit said....155 mph. Anyone remember?
Cookie the Dog's Owner on March 06, 2008 at 12:04 PM
John said: "Was that the base model? I wonder if it had crank windows and an AM radio."
Best laugh of the day. And I agree, it still looks good today.
Frank Black on March 06, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Didn't Magnum P.I. drive one of these, too?
Johan Amedeus Metesky on March 06, 2008 at 12:55 PM
In praise of faded elegance.
If you're willing to buy used, at many price points for the cost of a new car you can find a used luxury or exotic that is a much more interesting car. I'd rather drive an eight year old Jaguar XJ than a new Kia.
Cookie the Dog's Owner on March 06, 2008 at 01:05 PM
Magnum's was a 308.
Jamfish on March 06, 2008 at 01:50 PM
Magnum's wheels:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1984_Ferrari_308_GTB_qv.jpg
what i think on March 07, 2008 at 12:42 PM
John, if you're listening to the radio in this car, you just don't get it.
RPD on March 07, 2008 at 01:12 PM
I never cared for the look of these cars. The 512BB was more handsome and the 365/4 GTB so much prettier.
bigrig: I believe you're thinking of the opening credits of "Cannonball Run" where Susan Anton and Barbara Bach are racing around the southwest in a Countach. At one point they stop and deface the speed limit sign to say 155.
nathan on March 07, 2008 at 01:16 PM
I belive the movie was either Canonball run or Cannonball Run II.
Will on March 07, 2008 at 02:10 PM
Yea, Cannonball Run with the babelets running the Countach across country hustling there way out of speeding tickets with their clingy, colored racing suits.
Captain Chaos -- Dun dun DUUUNNNNNN!
Must. Add. To. Netflix. Queue.
John Pearley Huffman on March 07, 2008 at 07:40 PM
I was lucky enough to drive one of the last Testarossas -- the 512TR -- before they left production.
What's most memorable about it was the incredible torque the engine produced. Floor the throttle and the whole care would keel over as the engine grunted on its mounts. It was the only rear drive car I've ever driven with torque steer.
And compared to a Countach -- which you can't see out of, is impossible to get in and out of, and which breaks any time anyone looks at it -- the TR was dang near a Camry.
HUTCH on March 07, 2008 at 09:07 PM
Ahh yes, at the time I drove a 1980 AMC Concorde. I think it was very similar to the Testarossa, in that it had four wheels. Any other similarities are mere coincidence.
Swissbob on March 08, 2008 at 05:00 AM
Am I the only one who recalls this being referred to as the "Testosterossa?"
rick on March 08, 2008 at 10:15 AM
My taste runs to early 60s full size American cars, but I'd sure enjoy a week-end with a 'Redhead'.
Paul A'Barge on March 10, 2008 at 07:25 AM
That first video is just the Grand Canyon of ghey. Yikes.
Jake on March 11, 2008 at 02:53 AM
This is one my favorite ferrari! Awesome post Sir! :) The pictures looks great as well... :D
Chris Hafner on March 11, 2008 at 02:46 PM
HUTCH: "Ahh yes, at the time I drove a 1980 AMC Concorde. I think it was very similar to the Testarossa, in that it had four wheels. Any other similarities are mere coincidence."
This had me chuckling.
OldCarGuy on April 08, 2008 at 07:34 AM
True confession: I loved Miami Vice, well, the early seasons, anyway. The boats, the babes, the excitement, the music (unlike other shows, Miami Vice used the artist's original versions). Remember Phil Collins singing "In The Air Tonight," with Don Johnson driving the drop dead gorgeous Daytona Spyder convertible (replica)? Aaiiieeee! That car was a star of the show in its own right, and when they "killed" her I couldn't imagine what could possibly replace her. The Testarossa marked a new era (and the beginning of the end) in the show, and cemented my love affair (from a distance) with Ferraris.
It was no small accident, then, that my first and only new car was a 1985 MR-2. A mid-engined, nearly perfectly balanced, highly throwable redline screamer with a (mini but functional) side air intake scoop, I liked to think of it as an affordable Testa alternative. Driving that car, especially on twisty roaded Sunday morning (light traffic) jaunts, always made me smile. I can only imagine what driving the Testarossa would do to my face!
James Crawford on July 21, 2008 at 09:56 AM
I was always under the impression that the producers of Miami Vice where unable to get a white Testarossa, and therefore had to cobble together a replica one, okay it boosted sales but Ferrari were that furious, they sent out an real one as soon as possible!
Carl on July 30, 2008 at 01:58 PM
"What's up with the driver's side only mirror on Crockett's Testarossa? Was that the base model? I wonder if it had crank windows and an AM radio." - the original year (1984) had the driver's side door mirror only, and actually not on the door, but on the windshield frame. Ferrari changed this in 1985 to the more traditional design, as blind spots are bad enough in this car, especially without a passenger-side mirror!
"I was always under the impression that the producers of Miami Vice where unable to get a white Testarossa, and therefore had to cobble together a replica one, okay it boosted sales but Ferrari were that furious, they sent out an real one as soon as possible!" - actually, Ferrari gave the show a few Testarossas (it was the Ferrari Daytona Spyder that Crockett drove in the first two seasons that was cobbled together, as OldCarGuy accurately noted). But Ferrari gave them black cars - they repainted them white early on for a better look on the night scenes in the show. If you watch the first few episodes of season 3, you'll actually see a quick glimpse of a black Testarossa, before they painted them white and had Crockett get one in the show.
"I was lucky enough to drive one of the last Testarossas -- the 512TR -- before they left production." - The F512M was the very last "Testarossa" - 500 were built in 1994. The 512TR you drove was built from 1002-1994 (2,280 built). With the 7,177 Testarossa, a total of just under 10,000 "Testarossas" were produced. Actually, a high number in the world of Ferraris, but I think I see about 10,000 Mustangs on any given week in a metropolitan area...
I actully owned an '88 Fiero Formula in the day, and loved it. I remember one son of one of the rich guys in town had a Testarossa when I was growing up, and I promised myself I would own one of those things one day. I kept the promise to myself last year - I've got an '89 Testarossa in the garage, less than 7K miles. It's due for it's belt service next month. The quote on the job from the local Ferrari dealership - $6,500, assuming no problems - it's an engine-out service.
perhaps62 on October 15, 2008 at 09:26 PM
Testarossa on Miami Vice, Season3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO3lFQg7xLw&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4umVudYwSsg&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl0onIqXDU4&fmt=18
Scott Drennan on March 22, 2009 at 08:30 PM
Carl on July 30, 2008 at 01:58 PM
"What's up with the driver's side only mirror on Crockett's Testarossa? Was that the base model? I wonder if it had crank windows and an AM radio." - the original year (1984) had the driver's side door mirror only, and actually not on the door, but on the windshield frame. Ferrari changed this in 1985 to the more traditional design, as blind spots are bad enough in this car, especially without a passenger-side mirror!
Actually at the time the Testarossa was introduced,.European regulations stipulated that the rear view mirror show 100% visibility to the rear, which meant that the mirror had to be placed higher on the door, to be able to see over the large rear quarter. If you put a mirror on the passenger's side, it would be right in the driver's line of sight, which would be an impossible position. I actually saw one with two mirrors once, btw. A couple years later, the European mirror regulations had changed, requiring only 30% visibility to the rear, and so the mirrors were lowered.
smitty on April 04, 2009 at 02:34 PM
The first year for this car also saw the first issue of a brand new mens magazine, the name of which I have forgotten, but it was supposed to be a competitor to Esquire and Gentleman's Quarterly. The magazine expired after a few issues, but I treasure the memory of a truly inspired idea and feature article:
"Joyce Carol Oates Test-Drives the Ferrari Testarossa"
And of course, it was a dandy article.