Ferrari’s continuation of the Testarossa Legacy has made its US Debut. The covers came off a red Ferrari 849 Testarossa during a mid-November gathering in New York, and we got a chance to take a very close look at the upcoming hypercar.
So what do you notice when you see Ferrari’s next flagship in person? The “cockpit” seems pretty advanced, there are buttons on the steering wheel. Between that and the bucket seat you shouldn’t have too much of an issue convincing yourself you’re a racing driver — even if you are just taking the scenic route to the store. As you may have guessed, there is a lot of carbon fiber. Though where visible it is incorporated into the overall design well. Overall, there’s a retro-futuristic feel to the 949 Testarossa. Like a few other recent vehicles, it has that “what someone from the 1980s thought 2025 sports cars would look like” feel to it. This isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s a brilliant leap forward from the somewhat bland and rounded automotive design era we seem to be leaving.
In terms of Ferrari family inspiration, the engine didn’t seem to be capped in red, which is an odd omission. It does have similar (but far beefier) side intakes like the 250 Testarossa. And that stripe up front has cropped up before on the likes of the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Despite these links it’s also a bit more angular and aggressive than previous models, possibly indicating the legendary Italian manufacturer may take a different design direction during this coming generation.
Of course there’s a track-focused version
The people associated with the “Prancing Horse” also unveiled the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Fiorano — basically a track-focused version which weighs 60 pounds less than the standard model.
In terms of raw specs, the 3.9L twin-turbo V8 sitting behind the driver’s head peaks at 1,036 horsepower. It features a dual-clutch transmission, and can rip from 0-60in a shade over 2.2 seconds. But performance isn’t just power. A combination of the vehicle’s AWD system and the ridiculous amount of downforce its body is designed to generate should ensure you’re almost pinned to the road or track while pushing the new Ferrari to its limits. In terms of weight distribution, Ferrari has decided to go with a 55/45 rear bias, which should keep the 849 Testarossa stable and predictable most of the time while providing an increased amount of agility when cornering
The “frunk” has a surprisingly generous amount of room too. I’m not saying this is a daily driver, but it is one of the more “practical” Ferrari’s I’ve encountered. Perhaps the oddest stat is the new Testarossa’s fuel economy. Obviously this doesn’t apply when you spot some clear asphalt, open the taps, and do what you’re meant to do in a Ferrari. But in general use it will allegedly average around 25 MPG. Which is pretty decent.
The Ferrari 849 Testarossa is set to make its debut in 2026, so we don’t quite know everything just yet. But we do know the run isn’t “limited” so if you’re looking to break into this very exclusive club the upcoming Red Head could be an ideal entry point.
Automobile Magazine-UK
