1986 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe

Description

The Testarossa was Ferrari's flagship for the 80s and replaced the outgoing Berlinetta Boxer was a supercar that combined stunning looks and crushing performance to compete with its arch rival, the Lamborghini Countach. Debuting to a rapturous reception at the 1984 Paris Salon, the Testarossa's styling proved both controversial and profoundly influential; the most obvious feature, those massive side strakes, gave Pininfarina's design with a truly unique appearance. Underneath the sharply contoured lines, the Testarossa was very much an evolution of the 512 BB, using a tubular steel chassis frame (with wider track) and the flat-12 engine bolted to a sub-frame. The motor received four-valve cylinder heads, the latest Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, Magnetti Marelli Microplex ignition and other modifications to lift power output to a very healthy 390 bhp at 5300 rpm. As a result, the new Ferrari was both quicker and a lot easier to live with than the outgoing BB (and the Countach for that matter), capable of reaching 290 km/h and taking just 5.2 seconds to reach 100 km/h. The cabin too reflected the civilized nature of the Testarossa, being better laid out and crafted from more luxurious materials - the traditional open-gate gearshift a reminder of the race-bred potential lurking behind the driver's headrest. The Testarossa was a runaway success for Ferrari, outselling every previous model, with no less than 5,648 built before the mildly revamped 512 TR came along in 1992. Overlooked by collectors for many years, values of the iconic Testarossa are now beginning an upward trajectory and good examples like this car can only continue to increase in value in years to come.