Ferrari Testarossa's good or bad?

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Savoy1984

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Not that it really matter's as I'm not likely to be able to afford one any time soon but I really like the Ferrari Testarossa and thought it was a cool car what with growing up in the 1980's with Miami Vice and Outrun and all that, but more recently I've read quite a few comments that say they were from from perfect so, what do you think?

Also is it true that the Ferrari Testarossa never came in a convertible version like it did in the game Outrun?
 
I Have a strange problem with the Testarossa
I like the stile of the old model:
performance-car-ferrari-testarossa.jpg

BUT I LIKE THE MOTOR OF THE 1996 MODEL AND I DON'T LIKE THE STYLE
OF THAT MODEL:
ferrari-testarossa.jpg
 
Savoy1984
Also is it true that the Ferrari Testarossa never came in a convertible version like it did in the game Outrun?
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Yeah. I've played Outrun and I still can't figure out why there's a convertible in that game. A few convertible Testarossas exist, but all were owner conversions. None left the factory that way.
 
I still think the original Testarossa is one of the most beautiful and cool Ferrari's ever made by the company. The 512TR re-incarnation was ugly and total abomination to its predessessor.
 
Rafa
BUT I LIKE THE MOTOR OF THE 1996 MODEL AND I DON'T LIKE THE STYLE
OF THAT MODEL:
ferrari-testarossa.jpg
Click to expand...

WTF is that?!?

Way back when I was young and inthe full hotwheels/car loving kid phase, I thought this was probably the third coolest car out there (behind teh F50 and Countach.) This really is one of the first cars that I really learned to love. This and the 355 are really what define Ferraris to this day.

Are they good cars? By today's standards, I wouldn't be suprised if they weren't even close. I would call the car a classic, and I guess for that to happen it ould have to have been a reasonably good car back in the day.
 
It served it's purpose, and although it's 12 cylinder sucessor brought the game a lot further forward in true Ferrari fashion, I'd still take one.

Who never had one of these on their bedroom wall?
 
The Testarossa powertrain was a development of the 365GT4BB/512BB, and the flat-12 in these cars was mounted higher than it should have been due to the 'stacked' engine/gearbox design, thus the CofG of the family was rather high.

Large pic but useful reference:

ferrari_365gt4bb_18019_engine_bay-2.jpg


With the 365, the narrower track and taller rubber meant that the breakaway was quite progressive - and the limit handling was thus more manageable.

Limit handling on the Testarossa, on uneven or off-camber surfaces was treacherous - once you'd got that massive rear track and huge rubber spinning, it went with alarming speed. The absolute limits were much higher, of course - mere mortals wouldn't get that far. :)

As a piece of '80s automotive history, it was a fantastic and flamboyant successor to the BB.

Me personally, I'd take the original 365GT4BB any day - even over the legendary Daytona. But then, I'm stuck in a 70s/80s timewarp for my favourite Ferraris...
 
As far as reliability and performance go, this car is a joke by the standards set by modern cars. However, it's a very special car for me, even to this day, because of it's looks. Best looking sports car ever made IMO.
KSaiyu
Who never had one of these on their bedroom wall?
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Amen. 👍
 
Nice to see so many people who like this car as I said I grew up thinking this car was cool as heck and was kind of gutted to see people in motoring magazines and on television saying it was rubbish.

Slightly off topic what kind of Ferrari was used in the television show Magnum P.I. ? Back on topic I would love to read some more trivia on the Testarossa thanks to everybody who as replied so far.
 
If I recall correctly, the Testarossa bears the distinction of being Ferrari's first roadcar designed to be a roadcar. As in, it wasn't born on the racetrack (the curb weight and performance make this obvious), and some people hate it for that.

That doesn't stop me from loving it, though.
 
Savoy1984
Slightly off topic what kind of Ferrari was used in the television show Magnum P.I. ? Back on topic I would love to read some more trivia on the Testarossa thanks to everybody who as replied so far.
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The car was a 308GTS. However, a few episodes have portrayed Magnum in a 328.

I'll always love the Testarossa, and I have Miami Vice to thank for always wanting a white one. This is one I saw Saturday. Out of the 3 Testarossas, the 512TR has been the rarest for me.
1003441zs1.jpg

Like many so though. Nothing beats the original.
 
KSaiyu
Who never had one of these on their bedroom wall?
Click to expand...

I know I had several models of the car, but I was a really cool kid, and I had posters of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, Chevrolet Camaro 4th Gen, and several signed posters of Dale Earnhardt on my wall...

===

Personally speaking, while I liked the Testarossa at the time, in general, time has not been kind of the car. You get older, you read about the performance of the car, then you see a few in real life, and it all ends up being disappointing in the end. I mean sure, the Testarossa will always be the first Ferrari I'll ever recall seeing out on the road, but that by no means makes it my favorite.

Oh and on the Magnum PI subject for a moment:

The first Ferrari I ever sat in was a royal blue 308 GTS Quattrovalve with the tan/cream leather interior. Sweet!
 
M5Power
Yeah. I've played Outrun and I still can't figure out why there's a convertible in that game. A few convertible Testarossas exist, but all were owner conversions. None left the factory that way.
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If I recall correctly, Sega didn't so much have an actual licence to use a Ferrari in Outrun so much as they got away with it, so anything is possible.

Personally I'd prefer the engine and bits of the 512 TR in the Testarossa. But with the Testarossa's black body panels painted body color.
 
Countach > Testarossa

Forever and ever. The greatest rivalry of all time.
 
Toronado
Except when you actually wanted to drive it.
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The last Testarossa I saw on the street had to have been burning oil, since there was a huge smokescreen following the car around.


Or it was Bond.


Either way that point is pretty null since neither car was built for driving.
 

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