1990 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe

The Ferrari Type F110 Testarossa was introduced to the automotive world at the 1984 Paris Lido supper club. The new Testarossa (for 'red head', the color its camshaft covers were painted) revived a model name that was long associated with the company's most successful 12-cylinder competition cars.

The outgoing Ferrari 512 BBi had never been officially approved for US sales. The Testarossa, however, was designed specifically for the American market, the first 12-cylinder to do so in the company's history. It was given a sleek, low, wide, modern, wedge-shaped, and exotic design that was credited to Leonardo Fioravanti, Ian Cameron, Guido Campoli, Emmanuele Nicosia, and Diego Ottina at Carrozzerie Pininfarina. Along the side were 'cheese-slicer' strakes that guided air along the car's flanks and into its rear-quarter cooling intakes. Along with being functional, this design was both questionable and fascinating to onlookers. Nonetheless, they have become an iconic piece of the car.

The early Ferrari Testarossas were fitted with the problematic Michelin TRX metric tires on Cromodora center-lock wheels. The cars built after 1988 were fitted with the five-bolt 'Star' alloys for which conventional tires were more readily available.

With its wide stance, occupants were greeted with adequate interior space and ample luggage-carrying capacity. The mid-mounted five-liter 390 horsepower 'boxer' flat-12 engine was capable of carrying the Testarossa to a 180-mph top speed. The engine was version of the powerplant that first appeared in the 365 Berlinetta Boxer and continued through the succeeding 512 BB and BBi variants.

During the car's production lifespan, ending in 1991, more than 7100 examples were produced.

This particular example was driven 171 miles before it was put into storage. It was in the care of an enthusiast who formed a small collection Italian high-performance, low-mileage exotics. He essentially never drove his cars after purchasing them.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2015