6 August 2017

More than an old car #30: Ferrari Testarossa F512M



Mention Ferrari and practically everyone can think of a red sports car with the prancing horse logo. This is due to society's perceptions of the brand name and that there are quite a lot of them galloping on our roads, thus it is more obvious for the public. Although we tend to associate Ferrari cars with newer models, its older marques are as equally stunning as well such as this 1995 Testarossa F512M.

Ferrari first started out as Scuderia Ferrari ["Ferrari Stable"/"Team Ferrari"], founded by Enzo Ferrari himself in 1929. Fiat SpA bought 50% of the company in 1969 and currently it is spun off from the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles conglomerate since 2016. For a brand with a relatively short history, it is the world's most powerful brand where it is recognised even in "areas without paved roads".

The Testarossa was first introduced in 1984, where it served to fix the problems associated with the 512i BB. It had a longer length in order to accommodate luggage space and the distinctive side intakes or "cheese graters" were also designed to cool down the engine more efficiently. Its name, which literally means "red head" in Italian, refers to the red valve covers on the car engine. The F512M was the final generation of the Testarossa and there were quite a number of changes. Its headlights were now fixed, the grille design changed and there were twin ducts on the bonnet. It was powered by a 4943cc 12-cylinder engines, allowing it to reach a top speed of 315km/h with an acceleration of 4.7 seconds [0-100km/h]. It was 4.48m long and weighed 1455kg.

Production of the Testarossa ended with the F512M in 1996, where only 75 were made in right-hand drive. Although it may not be very old, it has a distinctly classic look that makes it stand out from other models. This specimen is the only one here and I expect it to make an appearance during the Ferrari showcase!

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