A Ferrari Testarossa’s price. Naturally, the answer to that question can be difficult given that the car in question is no longer produced. The Testarossa may fetch quite a premium on the used market, especially given its status as a classic Ferrari and its significance in pop culture. In addition, a car’s price might vary depending on a number of factors. According to its condition and the year it was released, the price of a Ferrari Testarossa for sale in 2022 can vary quite a little. A Ferrari Testarossa costs an enthusiast between $150,000 and $250,000 on average. While it’s a significant sum of money, the Ferrari Testarossa MSRP of $181,000 is still within striking distance, and it’s important to note that the Testarossa automobile combines being a classic, being a Ferrari, and being a well recognised pop culture icon.
At $181,000 in 1989, the initial price of the Ferrari Testarossa was relatively high for the time and included a $2,700 gas-guzzler tax. Famously, the family of Fiat Chairman Gianni Agnelli auctioned off the Testarossa Spider (the only authorized convertible variant of the Testarossa in 1986) in 2016. Agnelli received the car as compensation for his 20 years as the company’s chairman.
1984 until 1996 saw the debut manufacture of the Ferrari Testarossa. At Pininfarina S.P.A., Leonardo Fioravanti, Ian Cameron, Guido Campoli, Emanuele Nicosia, and Diego Ottina created the opulent sports automobile. The Ferrari BB 512i served as its forerunner, and the Testarossa was superseded by the Ferrari 550 Maranello. Over the course of the Ferrari Testarossa’s ten-year production cycle, roughly 10,000 vehicles, including all altered models, were created. As a result, the Ferrari Testarossa is one of the sports car models that Ferrari produces in the highest volume.
In This Article...
In 1990, how much did a Ferrari Testarossa cost?
With each new model it introduces, Ferrari is the only company that can make such an impression in the automobile industry. Such was the case—and possibly the largest stir yet—when the Italian automaker unveiled its unconventional Testarossa as a replacement for the well-liked 512 BBi at the 1984 Paris Motor Show. The name, which translates to “red head,” pays homage to the illustrious sports racing 250 Testa Rossa of the late 1950s. The similarities, however, ended at the name.
The deep horizontal strakes that ran the length of both doors and supplied air to the side-mounted radiators were the most distinguishing characteristics of the restored Pininfarina-styled Testarossa. Such a car had never been seen before, and it divided anyone who saw it.
The Testarossa’s 4.9-liter, 48-valve flat-12 engine, situated in the middle of the vehicle, provided 380 horsepower and 361 ft-lb of torque, enabling it to reach 60 mph in less than five seconds and reach a high speed of just under 180 mph. All of the power was transferred to the rear wheels via a five-speed transmission, and all four wheels had independent suspension with coil springs, hydraulic shocks, and anti-roll bars as well as upper and lower A-arms of different lengths. The mechanical package was complemented by large vented disc brakes.
The Testarossa was an agile, forgiving vehicle even at 3,700 pounds, and the automotive press hailed it for its courteous driving.
Throughout the Testarossa’s seven-year manufacturing, not much changed. Originally solely equipped with a driver-side exterior mirror with two stems that was situated halfway up the A-pillar, it was moved to the A-pillar base and a passenger mirror was added in 1987. Also included that year was a passive restraint system. Only the price structure underwent a significant adjustment, going from roughly $85,000 in 1985 to almost $150,000 by 1990.
At the end of 1991, after more than 7,000 vehicles had been produced, production came to a stop, and the Testarossa was replaced by the 512 TR. The 512TR resembled the Testarossa externally, but had a changed front end treatment and a slightly altered tail, both of which increased aerodynamic effectiveness. Additionally, interior modifications were done to improve the ergonomics of the vehicle. But the most significant adjustments happened in the engine.
The center of gravity was lowered and performance was enhanced by three cm of engine lowering in the vehicle. With an additional 40 horses available, horsepower also increased. The boost increased the peak speed to almost 190 mph and decreased the 0-60 mph time to just under five seconds.
Up until 1994, when the F512M (for Modificata) went into production, the 512TR was in use. The pop-up headlights were replaced with more conventional fixed units installed in the front clip, twin NACA vents were added on the hood to improve internal ventilation, and the Testarossa’s squared taillights were changed to round ones. Otherwise, it was substantially unchanged from its predecessors. The F512M weighs 150 pounds lighter than the Testarossa because of weight-reducing methods. 432 horsepower was added. In 1996, the F512production M’s ceased.
The Testarossa, like the Lamborghini Countach, epitomizes the flash of the 1980s. It rose to prominence as the “co-star” of the television series “Miami Vice,” as well as on the posters that lined the walls of millions of young men. It is still a divisive vehicle that is recognizable from practically any viewpoint.
A Ferrari Testarossa is quite rare.
Only 501 Ferrari F512 M vehicles were produced over the course of the two-year Ferrari F512 M production cycle. By this metric, it is by far the rarest Testarossa model.
Is buying a Ferrari Testarossa a wise decision?
The Ferrari Testarossa, a 1980s supercar that was affordable, is today a valuable investment that is much sought after by investors.
Above all, the Ferrari Testarossa is a symbol of the automobile industry of the 1980s. In those days, many a young automobile enthusiast’s bedroom walls were covered with posters of this groundbreaking supercar. Those people are now old enough and, in some cases, wealthy enough to be able to purchase and engage with the actual thing.
The Testarossa currently up for auction on PaddlUp’s website is the ideal investment opportunity for individuals wishing to acquire a piece of history while also taking advantage of an asset that is appreciating, as the popularity of these 80s icons appears to be growing tremendously.
The Testarossa rose to fame thanks to Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street and the American crime thriller TV series Miami Vice, which ran from 1984 to 1990. The five-speed, rear-wheel drive GT, which was advertised at the time as the most affordable Ferrari available, was a vehicle that many hoped to one day buy. Thanks to PaddlUp, that dream is now very much a reality.
The Testarossa was created with the goal of building the greatest GT ever imagined at Maranello. From that point on, however, the Italian manufacturer decided that maintaining an emphasis on GT characteristics in a mid-engined supercar was not practical. As a result, they shifted their attention to front-engine GT examples, going back to their tried-and-true design.
The combination of this supercar’s now-iconic side-mounted radiator with “cheese grater” strakes, retro-style pop-up headlights, and roaring flat-12 390bhp engine makes it a true classic of the time, with some of the most recognizable and unforgettable automotive elements of the decade.
The value of Ferrari Testarossas has, however, risen during the 2010s’ vintage and retro automobile renaissance and the development of online auction platforms like PaddlUp.
The Testarossa was not regarded as a classic automobile until the last ten or so years, which has helped to increase its value. Production of its final version, the F512 M, ended in the late 1990s.
After taking everything into account, PaddlUp calculates that the perceived market worth of this example ranges between PS 100,000 and PS 120,000. Due to the enormous demand for “poster automobiles” like these, values are expected to grow even more, making now the ideal opportunity to make your next significant purchase.
Which Ferrari is the cheapest?
The brand of supercars that is perhaps best known worldwide is Ferrari. This Italian carmaker has gained notoriety for its outstanding performance and domination in motorsports. In order to make their sports vehicles even more thrilling, Ferrari has started using turbocharging and electricity.
The Portofino is the least costly Ferrari currently on the market, yet no Ferrari can be classified as entry-level. The base price of this classy roadster is around $215,000 before options, and like any Ferrari, extras are available in abundance.
Most Expensive: The SF90 Stradale is a display of Ferrari’s performance prowess. Its hybridized twin-turbo V-8 produces close to 1,000 horsepower. The SF90 is considerably over $1 million in price, but you can’t just go into a dealer’s lot and purchase one. To add an SF90 to your collection of Prancing Horses, you must receive a personal invitation from Ferrari.
The most entertaining Ferrari to drive is impossible to choose, just as the preferred pizza variety. Nevertheless, we were in awe of the 812 Superfast. We won’t soon forget the 812 “Stoopidfast’s” V-12 song since emissions regulations cast doubt on the future of 12-cylinder engines.
As soon as a car is released, we want to test and rank as many of them as we can. We’ll rank new models as we periodically update our rankings and we might even change the scores for some models. Vehicles with insufficient testing data, however, are not scored.
What is a Testarossa currently worth?
The Hagerty Valuation team has learned a lot about previous Ferrari Testarossa transaction prices, so please check here for the most recent values. Testarossas are up 42 percent for #2-condition (Excellent) cars and 76 percent for #1-condition (Concours) autos compared to four months earlier. No Ferrari experienced a greater gain over the same period, although Testarossa sales boomed in 2014–2015, similar to many other vintage and contemporary Ferraris. A value gain of 27–34 percent was seen in the first half of 2015 for Testarossas, followed by a decline in 2019 and early 2020. (-13 percent from January 2019 to January 2020). They quickly bounced back after that and are currently at an all-time high.
You ask, how high? A #1-condition (Concours) Testarossa was valued $64,000 at this point in 2014. Even a #4-condition (Fair) automobile, which as of this writing is valued an average of $77,500 for models from 1984, won’t cost you that much. The top end of the price range is $211,000 for cars in perfect #1 condition. The Miami Vice Testarossa (no sale at $475K), actor Don Johnson’s own example (sold for $110,000), the aforementioned 1986 Testarossa Spider (sold for $1,349,239), and a one-owner time capsule car (sold for $319,000) are notable sales in recent memory.
Ferrari Testarossa Hagerty insurance rates have increased by 8% over the past three years, while quoted values have decreased by 3% over the same period but have increased by 18% overall. The base for Testarossas skews elderly despite the popularity of 1980s and 1990s automobiles among younger consumers, likely due to high prices and exorbitant operating costs. Pre-boomers provide 15% of the quotes (representing just 7% of the market), while Gen Z provides 0% of the quotes (they make up 5 percent of the market).
The Testarossa has few peers in his or her environment. The vehicle astounded the automotive press at the time, and thanks to TV appearances, posters, scale models, and inclusion in well-known video games, it cemented its place in the cultural canon (Out Run and Test Drive). For those who are interested in owning a Testarossa, the best advise is still to get one that you genuinely adore, in the best condition you can afford, and, if at all feasible, with a documented service history.