by Roumyana Demireva

Created on: July 15, 2008

With its appearance Ferrari Testarossa perfectly represented the traditional connected with the modern external styling. Although the car was with modern external style, there were remains of the traditional classic Ferrari gearshift with its chrome gate and some other according to the internal style of the car.

The Testarossa or the so called Redhead became very quickly a symbol of everything that has nothing to do with the materialism in the society during the Eighties. The speculators bought the car for 100 000 British pounds and sold it for a quarter of a million.

Design of the new model was determined with the help of Pininfarina`s full-sized wind tunnel. People were not very fond of the Testarossa`s size and shape. This new car was wider than the Ferrari 512 BB, the Corvette and the Countach. This meant a bigger cockpit. The Ferrari`s cockpit was accommodating, with electrically adjustable leather seats and airconditioning as standard. The mid-engined format of the storage made it possible to have some space in the front.

There was the real fact that Testarossa had a large body. Thus meant lots of cabin space with much more room for both: the occupants and their luggage. After 112 000 kilometers the interior was not so comfortable and looked not very good.

The body style was mid-engined with a two-seater sports coupe. What else about styling? The striking radiator cooling ducts obviated the need to pass water from the front radiator to the mid-mounted engine, thus by making free the front luggage compartment. The construction was steel frame with aluminium and glass-fibre panels.

The engine which was flat-Fiat-12 mid-mounted engine had a 4942cc capacity with dry sump lubrication and produced 390 bhp at 6300 rpm. With four valves per cylinder, coil ignition and fuel injection, it was one of the very last flat-12 GTs.

The transmission was five-speed manual and the suspension: independent front and rear. Brakes were disc at the front and drums at the rear. The maximum speed was 181 mph or 291 km/h. The tires were either Goodyear Eagles or Michelin TRXs.

What about the Mirrors? The curious rear-view mirror was developed and suggested by Pininfarina. The door mirrors were on both sides and they gave the Testarossa an extra 20 cm (or 8 in) in width.

One more thing that I find very interesting about this new model. The Testarossa`s side grilles which were distinctive today are among the most imitated styling features.

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