By Sonny Crockett
Copyright news
Or maybe not, because the latest Ferrari 849 Testarossa doesn’t exactly pick up where the original wide-hipped 1980s supercar icon made famous by Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice left off.
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Instead, the ‘Testarossa’ is more of a geeky nod to the 1956 Ferrari 500 racer that earned the name after engineers painted its cylinder heads rouge to let onlookers know it was running the most extreme high-output engine.
The less obvious references to past Ferraris continue with 849 Testarossa’s twin-tail fins that are claimed to be lifted from the 1970s 512 S prototype race car, while the blank band across its snout looks like a mark of respect for both the latest 12Cilindri GT and legendary seventies Daytona that came before it.
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If you’re wondering about the ‘849’ name, it indicates both its eight cylinders and 49cc per cylinder, with the new Testarossa sharing plenty with the SF90 Stradale it replaces in the Prancing Horse’s line-up.
That means the new Testarossa will be pitched against the likes of the latest McLaren 750S or Lamborghini Revuelto supercar and ensuring it succeeds, it pinches some of its aerodynamic know-how from the latest F80 hypercar.
Featuring a square jaw that packages a wider intake for extra cooling needed for the uprated V8, there’s a new splitter, three pairs of vortex generators that all manage airflow precisely, while sucking hot air from the radiators.
Along its flanks, you’ll discover two oversized intercoolers that neatly bury extra ducts that jet air to the rear brakes.
Below those striking twin-tails, meanwhile, is a multi-level diffuser, plus yet more vortex generators that all do their part to boost downforce to 415kg – just 25kg more than the SF90, which sounds hugely disappointing until you realise those figures are accompanied with a drag figure that has been slashed by 10 per cent at the same time cooling has been improved by 15 per cent.
Under the rear boot lid is where the Italian firm’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 plug-in hybrid that pumps out an epic 772kW and 842Nm.
That’s 37kW and 38Nm higher than before, with the twin-turbo V8 that’s willing to rev all the way to 8300rpm.
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Those gains come just from the V8 alone, instead of simply turning up the boost.
The changes include adding two of the largest turbochargers ever fitted to a Ferrari road car, a pair of fresh cylinder heads, revised exhaust manifolds, a redesigned intake, all of which are all combined with a new valve train and fuel system that are bolted to a spanking new engine block.
The rest of the powertrain carries over, including an updated eight-speed dual-clutch transmission that is combined with not one but three e-motors – two that spin up the front wheels to provide all-wheel drive and a final pancake-shaped next-gen axial flux e-motor that is sandwiched between the transmission and V8.
Fed electricity from a small 7.45kWh lithium-ion battery, Ferrari claims the Testarossa matches the SF90’s ability to travel silently for up to 25km in its EV mode.
Which is wild, because in launch control the latest supercar sprints from 0-100km/h in as little as 2.3 seconds – the same as the current most extreme SF90XX, while 0-200km/h takes just 6.4 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds brisker.
Top speed is more than 330km/h, although engineers say it could be much higher, but not with the downforce-boosting Assetto Fiorano pack box ticked that is expected to be near six-figure option.
Claimed to be crucial for those who want to hit the track, the track-focused kit lops only 30kg off the kerbweight through lightweight parts that include a set of carbon-fibre wheels that save 28kg alone but swaps out those cool twin tails for a more effective bi-plane wing and end plates that avoid adding any drag.
Front flicks and extra underfloor vortex generators signal yet more added air-bending trickery, while a more aggressive suspension set-up and more reactive Multimatic dampers slashes body roll, while a set of stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 boosts grip.
Even without its tracksuit, the 849 Testarossa is no dynamic dunce and comes with new springs and gets adjustable Magnaride dampers that improve body control.
It’s also the latest Ferrari supercar to come with the firm’s new Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator (FIVE) that uses a 6D sensor to manage the traction, yaw angles, the reaction of the electronically controlled diff and the torque distribution of the front axle for more precise feedback.
Combined with Ferrari’s brake-by-wire ABS Evo, the new 849 Testarossa should be both quicker to brake and even faster on road and track.
Behind the wheel it’s also less annoying.
Feeling more spacious thanks to slimming down the lower half of the doors, the new cabin architecture, F80’s integrated gearchange gate, new wireless charger, revised centre console and infotainment system that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a proper multi-function steering wheel with real buttons all contribute to a more intuitive, less frustrating user experience.
With production set to begin later this year, Australians will probably have to wait until the second half of 2026 before the Ferrari 849 Testarossa lands locally when we think it will be priced from around $850,000 plus on-roads, which could see it undercut other hybrid supercars like the $950,000 V12-powered Lamborghini Revuelto.
While many will lament the missed opportunity to douse themselves in Davidoff and dig out their old shoulder pads, in the fast-paced world of cutting-edge electrified supercars the last thing any proper car-maker can afford is to glance in its rear mirror.
Not when there’s fresh new competition like the Aston Martin Valhalla ready to overtake.
Ferrari 849 Testarossa
PRICE: From about $850,000 plus on-road costs
ENGINE: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid, 772kW/842Nm
WARRANTY/SERVICING: Three years/unlimited km, 12 months/20,000km, free servicing for 7 years
SAFETY: Four airbags, adaptive cruise control, Automatic Emergency Braking with Cyclist Detection, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Automatic High Beam, Traffic Sign Recognition, 360-degree camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and driver fatigue monitoring.
THIRST: TBC /100km (WLTP)
CARGO: 74 litres
SPARE: Repair kit
