There isn’t a car nut in the world who is a child of the ‘80s and hasn’t had a Ferrari Testarossa poster in their bedroom. It was the car to dream of. The only thing that came close was the Lamborghini Countach with its sheer size and outrageous design. But even that wasn’t good enough, because it wasn’t on Miami Vice, was it? Powered by a badass 4.9-litre naturally aspirated V12 that put out 385hp, the Testarossa – its name inspired by a race-winning Ferrari from 1957, was the stuff of automotive romance.
Cut to September 2025, and Ferrari reveals a spanking new Testarossa, reviving a nameplate that had last excited us in 1996. Back then, EVs meant golf carts, and 'hybrid' was a bad word. But that was then, and the world has flipped over, and we’re all more conscious of what we say and are keen on reducing our dreaded ‘footprint’.
The new Ferrari Testarossa 849 is actually a plug-in hybrid that uses electric motors in combination with a twin-turbo V8 mounted mid-rear. The result of this hybridisation is an explosive 1,050hp. That’s a full 50 galloping Italian stallions more than the outgoing SF90 Stradale could offer.
That’s nearly thrice as much as its ancestor from 29 years ago. Therefore, Ferrari has put in a bunch of electronic trickery to help the driver at the wheel tame this beast. So, in addition to Ferrari’s brake-by-wire, there is an ABS Evo controller that improves braking precision and consistency. To ensure that the Testarossa’s 842Nm of peak torque doesn’t take the tyres out of traction, the spring and dampers of the suspension setup have been completely reworked so that the driver can get the best experience of dynamics even at the limits of adhesion. In fact, there’s a lot more going on with this Ferrari than can be fitted into a single web piece.
But even back in the day, it wasn’t that monstrously powerful (for its day) engine or handling that was the talk of the town. If it bore the prancing horse of Modena on the bonnet and the wheels, power and dynamics were a given. The Testarossa made its mark without putting a single one of its cylinders to use. Visually, it was that powerful. Its design was reflective of optimism and excess that was typical of the decade it debuted in. The new Testarossa 849, even in its stylish top-down Spider form, will have you just as stunned as its grandfather once did.
The interior of the 849 Testarossa is a synthesis between a horizontal dashboard and the cockpit of a single-seater. The upper body of the dashboard features a floating effect with 'C'-shaped air vents framed in aluminium. Between the upper and lower parts, there is a contrasting horizontal band that integrates the main controls and the passenger screen. The lower part of the dash is characterised by two architectural sail motifs that incorporate the control functions, with the F80-inspired gate integrated in a floating position in the sail on the steering wheel side. The seats are available in two versions: comfort, with a sculptural treatment of the upholstery and styling that matches the geometry of the cockpit, and a carbon-fibre racing seat, with sporty side bolsters for ideal lateral containment. Both versions are the result of a combined study of ergonomics and style.
Inspired by sports prototypes of the 1970s, it’s Ferrari’s reinterpretation of a mid-rear Berlinetta. Part of the styling is also born out of need. Need for aero-efficiency that will see the new car cut through the air at a speed in excess of 330kmph, while generating a downforce of around 415kg at 250. A full-bore launch will see the 849 smash through 100kmph at 2.3 seconds and through the 200kmph barrier about 4.05 seconds after that. The 849 Testarossa Spider, of course, is a smidge slower and can only reach 200kmph in 6.5 seconds compared to the hard top’s 6.35 seconds.
However pretty they look, the Ferrari 849 Testarossa and the 849 Testarossa Spider mean business. After all, they have a legacy to live up to!
