The new Ferrari 849 Testarossa

The new Ferrari 849 Testarossa
Ferrari has just announced its latest creation with a familiar iconic name, the 849 Testarossa. The 8 stands for the number of cylinders, and the 49 for the displacement in centilitres, 8 × 0.49 means it’s a 4.0-litre V8. The engine is supported by three electric motors that together produce 1035 hp and 842 Nm of torque, launching it from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.3 seconds and onto a top speed of 330 km/h.

A real Testarossa?
Well, it depends. The original Testarossa was named because of the camshaft covers were painted red Testarossa translating to “redhead” in Italian. The OG was a flat-12, naturally aspirated, with a gated manual gearbox, but his new one? It’s a 4.0-litre twin-turbo hybrid V8 with all-wheel drive, dual-clutch gearbox, and enough electronics for it to be called witchcraft by the average 90s engineers. So not really, apart from the fact it has the same badge and comes on 4 wheels it’s nothing like the original Testarossa.

Replacing the SF90
The 849 Testarossa is the direct replacement for the SF90 Stradale, and yes, it builds on the same basic recipe. The V8 has been heavily revised, new turbochargers, and a hybrid system that’s lighter and more efficient than before. The result is a car that’s not just quicker, but sharper and more usable. Range in full-electric mode is around 25 km, enough to slip through city centres quietly before unleashing all 1050 horses on the open road.

The details
Ferrari has reworked the chassis with a stiffer new platform, active aero at the front and rear, and a fresh suspension setup that balances insane grip with the liveliness enthusiasts demand. The cabin takes inspiration from the SF90 but with updated screens, new steering wheel controls, and a cleaner, more driver-focused layout. And yes, you can still spec carbon-fibre everything right down to lightweight wipers, should you want to shave grams for bragging rights. All of this starting at a base price of 460,000 for the coupe and 500,000 euro’s for the spider. So most likely with options and taxes easily exceeding 600,000.

A worthy name?
Bringing back Testarossa was always going to stir emotions, and although we at PPM don’t question the fact that it will be a fast and well driving car, were just not sure about the whole “slapping iconic names on new cars” hype. The design itself is alright apart from that black strip on front all modern Ferrari’s seem to be plagued by. So overall, we think Ferrari did a solid job, although it most likely won’t go down as one of the all-time greats we still think it’s a solid choice and a decent “Testarossa” descendant! We’re hyped for when we’ll be able to test it ourselves and let you know when the moment will be there!