1993 Ferrari 512 TR Spyder

Nearing its sixth year of production in 1990, Ferrari sought to update its iconic Testarossa supercar. It had been immensely popular, and over 7,100 examples were built from 1984 to 1991. Mounted midship was a naturally aspirated 4.9 liter (4,943cc) longitudinally-mounted, Tipo F113 flat-12 engine with four valves per cylinder (for a total of 48 valves), a combustion ratio of 9.30:1, and a dry sump lubrication system. It developed 385 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 360 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM. Zero to sixty mph took just 5.8 seconds, and the top speed reached an estimated 180 mph.

The model replacing the Testarossa returned to the traditional numeric nomenclature and was dubbed the 512 TR, with '5' representing the cubic capacity of the engine, '12' the number of cylinders, and 'TR' standing for Testarossa.

The Ferrari 512 TR remained similar to the Testarossa in many details, but endowed with unique styling and engineering changes. The most visual update was its front bumper, a revised set of rear lights, and new 18-inch alloy wheels. The chassis was revised to allow both the transmission and engine to sit 30 millimeters lower, improving the car's center of gravity.

The 4,943 cubic centimeter displacement of the flat 12-cylinder engine remained the same as the Testarossa, but a higher compression ratio, revised porting and inlets, bigger valves, and a new Bosch Motronic M2.7 management brought brake horsepower to 428. The transmission gained a new single-plate clutch, sliding ball bearings, and a better angle for the gearshift knob.

Chassis number ZFFLA40C000097310
This 1993 Ferrari 512 TR Spyder by Pininfarina was built for the Brunei's Royal Family. Alfred Tan, the proprietor of Singapore's Hong Seh Motors, handled orders and delivery of Ferraris for the Brunei Royal Family as the marque's sole distributorship in Southeast Asia. Special requests made by the Roayl Family were delivered to Maranello via Tan, and then sent along to Grugliasco, where Pininfarina's Special Projects Team turned them into reality.

A series of Testarossa Spyders had been built for Brunei, so a Spyder version of the 512 TR was a natural progression. A total of two Ferrari 512 TR were sent to Pininfarina in period for conversion to the coachbuilt 'aperta' design of an open-topped Spyder. Both of these orders were placed through Ferrari by Alfred Tan.

The Spyder versions of the 512 TR received chassis reinforcements from Ferrari before being sent to Pininfarina's Special Projects. After the body conversion was completed, the two special Spyder conversions were sent back to Ferrari in Maranello to fit the mechanical parts and interior tailoring.

This particular 512 TR Spyder was delivered new to Hong Seh Motors during June 1993 and wore a bespoke 'triple blue' color combination of Blu Cobalto over Blu Scuro Connolly leather with matching carpets and power-operated soft top. This is the only 512 TR Spyder in this color combination.

For unknown reasons, both of the right-hand drive 512 TR Spyders were ever delivered to Brunei's garages. Instead, this example was retained by Alfred Tan in Singapore for his personal collection. In January 1997, Tan exhibited this 512 TR Spyder at Ferrari's 50th Anniversary celebrations in Rome.

The current caretaker acquired this Ferrari in November 2023, and it was immediately sent to RM Auto Restorations for over $65,000 of cosmetic recommissioning. Over 500 man-hours were spent on this coachbuilt Ferrari, returning it to its original specification. The work included a full refinishing in its original Blu Cobalto paint, new Blu Scuro carpets, and new Blu Scuro power-operated soft top.

Currently, this Ferrari has fewer than 575 kilometers (360 miles) on its odometer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2024