1990 Ferrari Testarossa
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Highlights
- A motoring design icon of the 1980s finished, naturally, in Ferrari red
- Low owners car with good service history including recent cambelt change
- The most powerful production car in the world on its launch
- Superb weight distribution provides excellent handling
- Clever engineering makes the Testarossa a practical and comfortable supercar with luggage space and good cabin temperature control
- Higher power post-89 European market car
- Will be sold with full 12 months MOT
The Appeal
The distinctive ‘Red head’ Ferrari became a 1980s icon thanks to a certain TV show. That, plus those bold side strakes, near perfect weight distribution and of course that sonorous Flat-12 engine also made it the firm’s most popular model to date.
This 1990 Testarossa is a European market car with the slightly more powerful 370bhp engine. It is a low owner car with just 80,000 miles on the clock and good service history, including a recent cambelt change. Beautiful to look at and very rewarding to drive, the Testarossa is one of recent motoring history’s most distinctive cars and this one looks ready to fire up and enjoy.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered on 1st January 1990
- UK registered on 1st September 2015
- Plate in photos not included in sale - MOT records are for G660 WGX which it will be sold with
- Not currently taxed or MOT tested
- VIN records confirm that this is a post-1988 Testarossa sold LHD into the European market
- Original factory service book and manuals
- 1 key
- Service history from Ferrari main dealers and specialists
- Recent services at 117,051Km in 2015, 122,444Km in 2021 and 128,029Km in March 2022
- Cambelts and tensioners replaced in February 2021
- The seller has not transferred the V5 into his own name so the DVLA V5 still shows the previous owner
The Interior
- Beautiful hand-crafted interior with black leather seats and dashboard in good condition for age
- Interesting features including central odometer and heating controls between seats
- Factory tool set in tool bag
- Aftermarket JVC stereo
- Original cassette storage tray in armrest
Ferrari’s designers were tasked with making the Testarossa more comfortable to travel in compared to its predecessors and more practical. They focussed on significantly improving the heating and ventilation system - which explains the twin radiators sat behind the strakes on the rear of the car - and enlarging the car to accommodate a reasonable size boot. The result is a supercar that is much easier to live with and a joy to travel in.
The characterful interior of this Ferrari reflects the cuboid design styles of the period. There are some interesting features like the central odometer and heating controls arrayed between the seats. The condition of this car is generally very good, just a few minor cosmetic marks reflecting age and mileage.
There are light scratches on both the chrome handles for the boot and bonnet release and slight scuffs on the handbrake gaiter. Both door trims have light wear marks and there are scuffs on the driver’s door sill cover plates. The driver’s seat is in good condition, just light creases detracting, and the passenger seat is similar. This seat has a small wear hole on the side bolster.
There are some light scuffs around the heating controls and switches in the centre of the car, while the perspex cover over the fuel gauge is lightly scratched and poorly fitted.
The car is fitted with an aftermarket JVC stereo - hidden in the dashboard behind a cover - but is otherwise factory standard, right down to the cassette storage system under the central armrest.
The Exterior
- Appropriate Ferrari Red bodywork in generally very good condition with no obvious marks
- Distinctive profile and layout provides near-perfect weight distribution
- Iconic side strakes disguise twin radiators and helped the car meet bodywork legislation in different markets
- Metalwork and detailing also in good condition with some deterioration typical of age
- New Michelin Pilot 16-inch tyres
- Refurbished factory alloy wheels in very good, unmarked condition
- New wheel centre caps fitted August 2022
The Testarossa was a radical departure from the earlier, more sculptural 512BB but with good reason. Ferrari’s designers engineered the car for improved comfort and practicality and to enable near perfect weight distribution. This resulted in a wider rear track - to accommodate the twin radiators - and those iconic side strakes to disguise the ventilation holes and meet market regulations.
This car is naturally finished in distinctive Ferrari Red and its bodywork is generally in very good condition, with only minor marks visible on close inspection. Moving around the car, on the offside front wing there is a small chip and possibly poor paint on the inside lip of the front arch. There also appear to be marks around the indicator on this wing, but this may also be dirt marks. The black sill cover appears to be slightly chipped on the front end by the base of the front wheel arch.
The offside A pillar appears to have a small chip at the top beside the guttering and there is poor finish on the corner of the window seal in the same area.
There is a small scuff at the base of the door and scuffs in the black and red paint on the B-post. This door also has small stone chips on the black painted sections. The wing mirror on this side appears to have a small stone chip.
The back of the car appears unmarked, including those lovely strakes that continue over and enclose the rear lights.
On the nearside there is a chip in the air vent which is only visible with the door open and marks on the edge of the black trim in the same area. The front arch on this side appears to be bubbling slightly at the base where it meets the sill.
There appears to be a small scuff on the edge of the rubber front spoiler behind the number plate.
The underside of the car reflects the condition of the rest of the car with no obvious signs of surface or other corrosion. It appears to have been professionally undersealed.
The car is supplied with a Ferrari fitted car cover as shown in the photographs.
We understand from the seller that the new Michelin Pilot tyres were fitted two months ago and the beautiful 16-inch alloy wheels were refurbished in a similar timescale. New centre caps were fitted in August 2022.
The seller states that the car will be sold with a fresh MOT as the current one has just expired. The MOT history back to the car’s UK importation in 2015 shows no advisories for structural issues and only otherwise minor advisories.
The Mechanics
- 370bhp Flat-12 Tipo 113A Ferrari engine evolved from the original 1973 engine fitted to the 365 GT4 BB
- 4942cc engine rated as the world’s most powerful production car when it was launched in 1984
- This car is fitted with the slightly more powerful, post-88 catalysed European specification version of this engine
- 5-speed manual rear-mounted gearbox to enable excellent weight distribution
- 0-60mph in 5.8secs
- All recent maintenance work undertaken by Ferrari specialist Keys Motorsport
- Good service history including cambelt and tensioner change in February 2021 at 122,444Km
- Last full service at 128,029Km in March 2022 including air-conditioning belts and front brake pads
- Left hand radiator upgraded to aluminium in August 2022 to match right hand side
- Clutch master cylinder replaced and system flushed August 2022
- Gear selector rod and gearbox oil replaced August 2022
The sonorous Flat-12 at the heart of this car is one of Ferrari’s crowning achievements, a remarkable design that began in 1973 and powered the firm’s cars until 1996. The Type113A version fitted to the Testarossa was the first Flat-12, four-valves-per-cylinder engine and made the car the most powerful production car on its launch in 1984.
This engine was lightly modified with a slight power increase from 1989 for European markets and this LHD car, which was supplied new into Europe, is one of those cars.
The service history shows a stamped service book up to 2015 by Ferrari main dealers and then the car appears to have been maintained by independent specialists. There is an array of invoices for ongoing scheduled and preventative maintenance including upgrading the left hand radiator, replacing the clutch master cylinder and the all-important cambelts and tensioners. Most of this work has been undertaken within the last two years.
The car was last serviced in March 2022 at 128,029Km - it has covered few miles since - and the seller advises that the car will be sold with a fresh 12 months MOT. The MOT history reads very well with only a recent advisory on tyres - since replaced - and the only mechanical advisory dating from 2015 and being minor.
Summary
The word ‘icon’ gets bandied around a lot these days yet the arresting Testarossa surely deserves the accolade. But this is much more than a distinctive piece of design. Those features were born of function - to improve handling, practicality and comfort - and result in a car that deserves to be called one of the 1980s greatest supercars.
For anyone who admired the Testarossa as it adorned their bedroom wall, this gorgeous late model example is surely a tempting prospect. It has good service history, including evidence of significant mechanical work, and has been nicely detailed with new tyres and refurbished wheels in recent months. It is a low owner, low mileage car and arguably one of the Maranello concern’s greatest cars.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
A non-refundable buyer’s deposit is payable on this item, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for the applicable percentage.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1990
- Make Ferrari
- Colour Ferrari Red
- Odometer 129,764 Kilometres
- Engine size 4942cc
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Town Trowbridge
- Location Wiltshire
- Country United Kingdom
20 bids
- au•••• £79,000 02/06/23
- pa•••• £78,000 02/06/23
- ne•••• £71,500 02/06/23
- pa•••• £71,000 02/06/23
- ne•••• £65,500 02/06/23
- sm•••• £65,000 01/06/23
- pa•••• £60,000 01/06/23
- da•••• £56,000 01/06/23
- hu•••• £55,000 31/05/23
- da•••• £49,900 31/05/23
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