Ferrari Testarossa: Autoblog classic driving test and video
Posted on 18-07-2015 to 18:00 by CasperH – 82 Comments”
One of the most iconic Ferrari ever is the Testarossa. Because red Ferrari’s too mainstream, we drove in a white.
The name Testarossa, or the “roodhoofd, refers to the red painted kleppendeksels of this Italian raspaard. That kleppendeksels sit on twelve cylinders storey boxer engine (or V12 with a 180-degrees inclined angle) with a content of 4.9 litres, which is good for 390 horsepower and 490 Nm of torque. This way, you can, if you can handle the five forward gears storey manual gearbox, in 5,3 seconds one hundred kilometers per hour tap. A theoretical top speed of 290 kilometres per hour should be possible for men with balls of titanium. The name also refers to the Testarossa’s from the late ’50.
The Testarossa was the successor to the 512 BBi, and it was a lot bigger than its predecessor. Wider, longer and also slightly higher to the interior space and luggage capacity to enlarge. The interior is typical eighties Italian: it seems to be a little bit at a geraapt mess, especially the centre console. Just as well memorize which button is for which is so, let that character.
The design came from Pininfarina. Most striking are the air intakes on the side, which is not only striking, but also an actual function. By air via the side along the motor lead and then the top and back of the car to flow, there was no rear spoiler, needed for extra downforce. Therefore, the back relatively clean designed.
The very first Testarossa from 1985 had a wheel size of 16,33 inch, leaving only special Michelin TRX tyres. After about a year of complaints from customers having received decided to a Ferrari in the course of 1986 to allow the wheels to reduce the size to 16 inch. Both wheels had a vijfspaaks design with central wheel nut. Later the Testarossa wheels with a standard setup with five mielmoeren.
A bizarre detail is that the car is designed is that the entire powertrain and rear suspension in one piece can be removed for the timing belts to replace. Such a beurtje cost soon a eurootje or 7000 for that matter. But that is including fluids, water pump and some other trinkets.
The Ferrari Testarossa made minced meat of almost all competitors in comparative tests. It made the Testarossa, for many, the ultimate supercar of the ’80s, in any case, until the F40 came on the market in 1987. There is one official Testarossa Spider was built, which was built for Gianni Agnelli. At the time it was Agnelli the head of Fiat. The Testarossa Spider had been carried out in silver grey with white leather and a white convertible top. Although many customers asked for a Testarossa Spider, took a Ferrari and the design was never in production because this is too much ontwerpuitdagingen entailed. There were quite a few companies that an aftermarket conversion could run, from which the famous 80’s-tuner Koenig there was one person. Another company that the conversion did was Straman, a black Testarossa convertible built for Pepsi, for a advertising with no less than Michael Jackson in the starring role.
Driving a Testarossa is not a piece of cake. Certainly at low speed, the operation is pretty heavy. The steering, the clutch, the shifting, even the gas pedal feels like the more resistance it offers. The reward for the hard work, there is also, however, because once at speed, the Testarossa is a fine laagvlieger. The rpm you will be better slightly higher, because in spite of the huge torque, the car starts a bit against stribbelen in the lower reaches of the rev range. The better, the V12 sound is the best in the high echelons.
Steering feels very direct and the car responds really well to your input. It is, however, to be careful blown with small grooves and other irregularities, because the wide tires are quite susceptible to rutting. It is quite an experience, but that is also in cars like this. A Testarossa is not intended as easy-to-handle city car. Drive with the Testarossa gives you satisfaction when to get off. Like, “that job I also but nicely done”, as it were. Heavy, but in a satisfying way.
In 1991, the Ferrari 512 TR, the second generation of the Testarossa. The 512 TR was more powerful and faster. In 1994, the Testarossa again stretched in the shape of the F512 M. Even the klapkoplampen had to disappear and were by conventional glass units replaced, which I personally sin. I understand the benefits of fixed lamps behind an aerodynamic glass plate, but that klapkoplampen belong to a Testarossa as a golden microphone, Lee Towers: it looks very wrong, but it fits so well.
The Ferrari Testarossa that we have for this video borrowed from Gina Classics, is carried out in Avus Bianco, or white. The interior is done in black leather. This copy has 42.000 miles since the car in June 1988 the factory rolled. Formerly discussed I always with my friends at school about which Ferrari, the most beautiful was, the Testarossa or the F40. The F40 was always my favorite and remains that even after this impressive introduction. But it is a wonderful thing, such a Testarossa!
Gallery: Ferrari Testarossa 1988
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