The independent study blends elements from the 1984 Testarossa with Ferrari’s current design language
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March 2, 2023 at 13:30
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by Thanos Pappas
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This story includes renderings by designer Marco Maltese, who is not related to or endorsed by Ferrari.
Limited production hypercars inspired by iconic models from the past like the Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 and the Bugatti Centodieci have proven to be popular with collectors. In that context, independent designer Marco Maltese envisioned a modern hommage to the Ferrari Testarossa from the ’80s, utilizing the electrified underpinnings of the SF90 as a technical base.
Maltese’s Testarossa concept features many references to the V12-powered model introduced in 1984, blended with styling cues from Ferrari’s latest design language. The designer admitted that the most challenging aspect of the project was replicating the unique proportions of the Testarossa, which was famous for its long front overhang and short tail.
Read: This Unofficial Ferrari 288 GTO Hommage Study Will Make You Forget About The 296 GTB
The concept car does an excellent job of concealing its SF90 underpinnings, thanks to the bespoke bodywork. The elongated front end has a rounded nose, with low-mounted slim LEDs and clean surfacing on the hood and pronounced fenders, since modern regulations would not work well with pop-up headlights. Some might criticize the absence of the typical Ferrari grille on the bumper, which features retro-flavored intakes and a large splitter.
The profile integrates the most characteristic styling feature of the original – the side strakes leading to the intake. The bodywork is predictably more sculpted and muscular, in line with modern supercars. The lines emphasize the C-pillar, which appears to hug the greenhouse, with a black-finished windshield surround and roof. The large-diameter alloy wheels feature a variation of Ferrari’s star-shaped design with five double spokes. Another cool detail is that the mirror-replacing cameras are mounted in a similar position to the single mirror of the Testarossa “Monospecchio”
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The rear deck of the study also references the original, with the flying buttresses and body-colored island on the glass engine cover resembling that of the Ferrari 296 GTB. The full-width LED taillights are placed above a set of horizontal slits interrupted by large dual tailpipes, while the lower portion of the bumper sports a massive diffuser.
While most coatchbuilt specials share most of the interior with the donor car, Maltese has proposed a redesigned cabin that combines a retro layout and color scheme with modern tech features, like the large infotainment touchscreen and the digital screen on the passenger side.
While the modern Ferrari Testarossa Hommage is unlikely to escape the digital world, in theory, it could feature the plug-in hybrid powertrain of the SF90 Stradale, which produces a combined 986 hp (735 kW / 1,000 PS) from a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine and a trio of electric motors.
Ferrari is known for its limited production models and for the special projects division, which creates re-bodied one-offs for wealthy customers, often capitalizing on Maranelo’s heritage. Therefore, a modern reinterpretation of the Testarossa seems plausible for the future, provided that someone with deep pockets approaches the Ferrari Centro Stile with a similar idea.
