What I think of the Ferrari Testarossa is probably beginning to
become clear in your mind, but I'll explain further anyway. The
Testarossa Link will give you all the information you need on
the technical side of it. However, it does not explain my
fascination with the car.
Why the Testarossa?
Four design factors that make the Testarossa so beautiful
Facts about the Testarossa that you may be unaware of
The Testarossa to me is the most beautiful car in the world. I don't consider it the best, because there are many BMW's and Mercedeses that are built much better. It's not horsepower either- I would go for a McLaren or an XJ220 then. Nor is it Ferrari, for I could then have better picked one of the GTO's, the F40 or the Daytona. No, it's the shape, combined with the superb engine in the mid-section. The essence is in four design factors and many on other levels.
The essential design factors are, of course, the
'cheese-scrapers' on the sides, the long nose vs. the short-yet
long!- tail, the delicate widening of the body from the front to
the rear and then of course the B- and C-bars, with the move
from roof to bonnet, so spoiled in the 512TR, leading to a tiny
dent in the top of that bonnet.
Of seemingly lesser importance are the huge front window and
the covering plate on the bonnet, with the PERFECT
third-brakinglight integrated in the American version.
Also, check out this site with a little more on the car:
home.att.net/~ferrari/testaros.htm.
Or try http://195.153.26.160/maranello/models/testa.html for more info on the testarossa, including some technical extra's.
This is probably a 1988 testarossa, as it already boasts the twin mirrors, but still has the single-nut wheels.
This is clearly an early testarossa, with the original mirror and wheels. If a rainy day could give ME two testarossa's, I hereby would call for eternal rain. Too bad reflections don't live up to your expectations. Instead, they just riple when you touch them.
I hope you're not admiring the landscape here, because that just doesn't count.
Now here you can see the spoiler-shape at its best. It looks even closer to the ground than it is. Perhaps, you might think, I could iron my shirt with this car?
Just to put things in perspective, this picture emphasises that the testarossa does understand the concept of 'ground clearance', although Pininfarina did not exaggerate the 'uppy-inny-the-airy' looks of the rear.
The Flash is back! If this doesn't light up the road in style, I don't know what will! It is always interesting to see how Ferrari has managed to, over the years, integrate essentially standard, truck-like lamps into beautiful designs that divert attention from what seems to be the origin of those lights. However, I still think it looks better with the lights down. But please, compare and judge for yourself with these next pictures.
This can see the light of day - any day
But in the dark, I would be found dead with these down. And, possibly even worse, the testarossa would become a used-parts issue.
And now take a look at the interior:
Slide in and relax. Then turn on the engine for some action, airconditioning running but the radio turned off. By the way, black interiors look better on testarossas than light brown or even easily-spoilt white ones.
If I say this car has a fat rear, positively speaking of course, would you disagree?
Please refer to the following pictures before you make up your mind.
Browsing through it is possible too....