Ferrari Testarossa 87 - test drive

[Cyril.fr]

When I was a kid, in my dreams , best cars were Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Testarossa. The first was yellow and the second was red: Blood and gold.
To be gotten into a 1975 ContachLP400, from my side the most extreme and the most beautiful dream car! Fifteen years after, I had the opportunity to get into a Ferrari Testarossa.
I'll not write a long historical data for this car as the web is full of it (right and wrong ) But as a reminder this Ferrari « Head/Testa (cylinder head) red/rossa » has the same name as a famous and old Ferrari in the 50's. The "a" at the end of the word (Testarossa) indicated this car is "female" in latine languages. This dream car presented during the 1984 Paris Motorshow replaced the 512 BB.
Early 1992, the TestaRossa has been modified in depth and called 512 TR. In 1994 the TR became M (512 M) M as "modificata"
The TestaRossa will be replaced in 1996 by the 550 Maranello
A lot of people say Testarossa was the most beautiful dream car in the world... (Pininfarina design) but I let you judge. From my side I can tell this car is on the podium, not in the 1st position as I would keep the 1st place for Gandini design car...
Don't forget the F40 but to not be out of topic, come back to our RedHead

The owner has shown me his car in an underground garage in Paris suburb where the Ferrari is maintained. A so magic place! Imagine FerrariS, MaserattiS, LamborghiniS and other dreamcars... in a one place! To be in, you need to have somebody who knows... The odour is gas, oil, steel, engines... sounds are incredible... just listen the start-up and the speed-up (recorded with my mobile phone)

Ferrari shares its racing stable with a F355 and a 308 GT !
Testarossa is a very impressive car once in the traffic and more once I had to drive it.

Technical data :
Year : 1987
Engine : central longitudinal - flat 12 cylinders - 48 valves - 4.940 liter - 390 hp increased to 435hp (with an specific exhaust pipes) at 6,300tr/mn and 577 Nm at 4,000 tr/mn
Transmission : To the back wheels with a limited slip differential ZF
Gear : manual 5
Net weight : +/- 3.635 lbs
Dimensions : 176"x 79" x 45"
Trunk : Designed luggage by Ferrari
Tyres : Fr 235/50 ZR 16, Rr 295/50 ZR 16
I drove a few but after tenth miles in the urban traffic; I preferred to give back the Testarossa to his owner. The mechanical fuel injection was very capricious and the 4,500 US$ clutch (so fragile) was too expensive for me. It takes time to use this car...
Performances Testarossa :
Max Speed : 185 mph
0 to 100 km/h (62mph) : 5s8
1 000 m standing start : 24s8
Specificity:
- Very short rear overhang and width of 79"
- No spoiler added on the back as the design is ideal for aerodynamics
- Body in aluminum (except for doors and roof in steel)
- It is a European car but made for US market. Safety and regulatory
- Retractable lightings
- Flat engine to have a very low gravity center.
- The 48 valves are driven by a notched belt.
- No power assisted steering.
- The clutch pedal is hard like in a truck.
- Chassis with square tubes
- The sound of the engine is not a noise but is like music. It is a symphony when engine is starting up, working, speeding up: Delight, Enchantment!
- The power and the torque are very linear but speeding up has no end.
- The car is not so low on its wheels and allows us to go on the roadside to take pictures
Good points:
- It is a Ferrari!
- Less extreme and powerful than its competitors (in the 80's), TR can be used for multiple uses: Road, races, urban traffic...
Weak points:
- Braking not hardy for a racing car
- Poor interior quality In the 80's its competitors gave better quality
- Poor bucket seats.
These weak points will be removed on the 512 TR
Conclusions:
That's sure, there is a before and an after when you drive this car. TR may be a very easy girl but can become a rough. It is a real car with a soul. We are not in a modern car, full of electronic and driven supports. For my side I fall in love
I thank you my friend to show me his marvellous car. He did that with kindness and simplicity. I took 88 pictures. If you are interested and not too disgusted by my poor English I will come back in explaining details of this dream car.

[psych0hans]

Thanks for your post M8Y!!! I think you're pretty lucky to have been in a Ferrari Testarossa. it is one of my dream cars too, and I hope to buy it as my first car. I refuse to buy any other car till I can afford it :P Till then a bike will suffice, which is a different story. That said, I am very jealous right now... lol Lucky lucky you!!! runaround