Origin: Maranello, Italy
Engine: 12-Cylinder
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
The name Testarossa is a play on testa rossa, which means “redhead” in Italian. The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was a race car so named for it’s red-painted cam cover. It went on to win the World Sportscar Championship in 1957. The Testarossa is an homage to that great moment in Ferrari racing history, and sports a red cam cover as well.
The successor to the Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, the Testarossa began production in 1984. Like the Boxer, it had a rear mid-engine, meaning its engine was in the front of the rear axle. Because of the engine placement, 60% of the car’s weight was in the back and 40% was in the front. Unlike the Boxer, however, the Testarossa addressed the former’s issues with the cabin getting too hot due to the pipes connecting the front-mounted radiator with the rear mid-engine. The Testarossa instead had two radiators on either side of the engine, removing the pipes all together. It was also bigger and had vents on all four sides to help keep things cool. Since most countries don’t allow large open vents on cars though, the side vents were covered with strakes, giving the Testarossa its signature “cheese grater” or “egg slicer” appearance
With almost 10,000 units, the Testarossa is one of the most produced models of Ferrari and the quintessential car of the 80s. It was featured in the arcade game OutRun and was the vehicle of choice for Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice. With its looks, 380 horsepower, and top speed of 180 mph—one of the fastest of its time—it’s easy to see why.