The Ferrari Testarossa was a masterpiece of the 1980s. The two lesser-known models that followed it – the 512 TR and the F512 M – may have resembled the original car, but the differences were much more than skin deep
Who can resist the urge to package decades as if they were easily assimilable objects? Invariably it’s more complex than that, but the Ferrari Testarossa still screams Eighties. With its low nose, flamboyant body-side ‘strakes’ and wide hips, Ferrari’s design partner Pininfarina wasn’t just embracing the zeitgeist, it was accelerating it. The new car – with a contracted version of a famous old name – received its world debut at the Lido cabaret club on the Champs Élysées ahead of the 1984 Paris motor show. This is a car that was total showbiz.
See the trio of the Testarossa, 512 TR and F512 M in action on road and track…
This latest in the famed 12-cylinder Ferrari bloodline stands as one of the greats. All these cars are inter-woven and the Testarossa picked up where the 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer and 512 BB left off. It gained all-new electronic fuel injection and ignition, and four-valve cylinder heads helped its 5.0-litre flat-12 make a total of 390cv. Its epic shape was also driven by some fundamental engineering requirements: the 512 BB’s packaging was compromised by its front-mounted radiators, prompting Ferrari to move them to the side for the Testarossa. This obviously increased the car’s dimensions – it was 152mm wider at the rear than its predecessor – and led to what we might call a design ‘opportunity’. Hence the swooping, upswept side scoop intakes and protective strakes, the designers doubling down on the proportions with the buttresses and notably flat and wide rear.
Above: with its epic shape, magnificent side strakes and 5.0 litre flat-12 engine, the Testarossa more than deserved its legendary status
This was the height of Eighties Maranello modernism, a car whose almost cartoonish shape saw it seep quickly into popular culture. (In 'Miami Vice', a replica Daytona Spider was used in season one, Ferrari subsequently supplying a pair of Testarossa 'monospecchios' for one of the great production placements.) The new car arrived only a few months after the GTO, underscoring Ferrari’s subtle repositioning of its 12-cylinder range-topper as a GT as much as it was a supercar.
Interestingly, by today’s standards the Testarossa doesn’t feel as big or as challenging as some found it when new. It’s comfortable to sit in, and its unassisted steering lightens up as your pace increases. The classic open gate adds drama and character to the act of changing gear, while modestly sized front tyres imbue the car with eager turn-in. Its high-speed handling demands respect though – as was the case with the 512 BB – thanks to the engine’s size, its position above the gearbox and the mid-mounted configuration.
Above, from left: the Testarossa's gated shifter made changing gear a joy, while its shape was governed by engineering requirements; the 512 TR's interior brought the car firmly into the 1990s; the F512 M lost the pop-up headlights of its predecessors
These were issues that the 512 TR addressed. It arrived in 1991, and as well as boasting an uplift in power to 428bhp, Ferrari’s engineers saw fit to mount the powertrain 30mm lower, improving the centre of gravity and optimising the polar moment of inertia. The TR’s structural rigidity was also improved, and it had bigger wheels – check out their distinctive five-spoke design – and tyres for a generally sharper dynamic experience. The visual upgrades were relatively subtle, including a reworked nose and part-black engine cover, yet this quintessentially Eighties aesthetic still looked fresh as the new decade got into its stride. It was easier to handle, too, the more powerful engine revving beyond 7000rpm, the throttle response a little sharper, the weight distribution friendlier. This was the first Ferrari I ever drove, so the 512 TR obviously has a special place in my heart. But it was a strong, if rather intimidating, place to start, for history now records this as a truly fine Prancing Horse.
Above: the 1991 Ferrari 512 TR was more powerful than its predecessor, and offered a slightly more dynamic driving experience
1994 saw the debut of the F512 M – for 'modificata' – which lost its signature pop-up headlights thanks to new safety regulations and gained four round rear lights. The engine benefitted from titanium con-rods and an increased compression ratio for a power output of 440cv, while a new stainless steel exhaust enriched the aural experience. It’s the easiest of the three to drive, and represented a tactile, rewarding refinement of a mid-engined flat-12 template that would soon give way to the front-engined V12 format in 1996’s 550 Maranello, and thus a reconnection with the 365 GTB4 Daytona.
Above: the F512 M of 1994, which gained four round rear lights, was the easiest of the trio to drive
Almost 10,000 were made in all, across the three incarnations, making this illustrious trio some of the most successful 12-cylindered models in the Ferrari canon. And along with that longstanding success, all three cars remain curiously fashionable, like so many things from the Eighties and Nineties.
Cover image: the legendary 1984 Ferrari Testarossa takes centre stage, flanked by the 512 TR (left) and the F512 M (right)