While another Testarossa with lower miles than this car's 3700 may exist, it's hard to imagine there's one that has been better cared for. Some cars are just appliances, where it doesn't matter if the previous owner did anything other than get the oil changed regularly. With an exotic, however, assessing the previous owner's level of passion is just as important as checking the oil dipstick. Ideally, you want a car that's been somebody's all-consuming obsession.
To say this 1990 Ferrari Testarossa has been well-loved is like saying Prince Paris had a bit of a crush on Helen of Troy. Recently listed on Bring a Trailer, it's been in the same family since new, and the previous owner cared for it so thoroughly that he learned to perform a full engine-out service in his own warehouse garage.
View Price on AmazonDuring the first part of its life, this Testarossa spent most of its time static, but not abandoned. Each month, according to the seller, it was carefully started and warmed up for 45 minutes, the better to keep everything lubricated and circulating. Starting in 2004, the title was transferred from the seller's father, and the car began to be driven sparingly.
In the early going, a Ferrari dealership's unsatisfactory service led to overheating catalytic converters, prompting the current owner to take matters into his own hands. He hired a Ferrari mechanic to show him how to take care of his Testarossa, and went to work. As any owner of a British or Italian sports car can tell you, developing a mechanical understanding and sympathy with your car significantly upgrades the ownership experience. Doing three engine-out services on a 12-cylinder Ferrari over two decades is certainly the expert-level version of that experience, but it does make every one of the 3700 miles traveled here that much more special.
Also to be admired is the seller's forthrightness. While the current set of Dunlop tires is said to have just 200 miles on them, he notes that they are two decades old and not suitable for spirited driving. Often, tires are an afterthought with such a well-preserved classic. Here, you're getting a mechanic's recommendation to swap them out if you plan to uncork that 4.9-liter flat-12, which was rated at 380 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque.
The sometimes overlooked appeal of this generation of Testarossa is that it is both a bedroom poster car and also a wonderfully approachable GT car. Ferrari made sharper-edged cars, but a 1990 Testarossa is still as quick as you could want while also being a comfortable tourer. The most recent engine service was completed this year, with the timing belt done. Short of a set of new tires, this prancing horse is ready to run.
Source: caranddriver.com
