The 1987 Ferrari Testarossa Is A Bargain Flat-12 Powered Supercar

"DailyTurismo" (thedailyturismo)
10/07/2013 at 11:54 • Filed to: Daily Turismo

The Ferrari Testarossa was an extremely expensive mid-engine supercar from the 80s, an iconic fat ass featured on every 10 year old boy's bedroom wall and starring in everything from Miami Vice to Sega's Outrun. Today, the red head is cheap due to depreciation, but don't expect prices to be "good" forever.

Find this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for sale in Anaheim, CA for $49,975 via hemmings.com

The Testarossa (Italian for red-head) was quite costly when new, around $135k in 1988 money (or $280k in today's money when adjusted for inflation). The big hunk of change got you one of fastest cars this side of the uber rare and expensive F40 and into the big boys club. We aren't suggesting that you take an early withdraw on your 401k to buy some maintenance money pit, but if you were considering dropped 50 large on some other new, used or late model car, perhaps you should give a flat-12 powered mid-engine Ferrari a second look. This is no V8 powered plebeian 355/360/430/458 or mustache-required 308 "Magnum PI" edition, this is the real 12-cylinder heart throb.

The Testarossa is powered by the 4.9 liter Ferrari Colombo flat-12, a magnificent piece of art that puts out 390 horsepower and 361 ft-lbs of torque. It won't matter how much power this thing makes after the first time you turn the key because the sound of a Ferrari flat-12 is unmistakable.

The inside of this Ferrari is classic 80s Ferrari at its best - and somehow the highlight is that silly gated shifter. Doesn't matter if it slows down shifting, but I just want to snick-snick-snick it through the gears. Back to the prospect of the $50,000 dollar car. There are some people who are going to plunk down $50k this year for a brand new Lincoln MKT, which is an overpriced Ford Flex with an ugly grill. Imagine for a minute that you could find one of those thousands of fools and show them this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on the state of the Testarossa market. You will need read it to the legally blind buyers of the MKT, or explain it very slowly to the simpletons who feel that buying an MKT is a good idea (a $50k Flex...say it out loud...), but in essence it says that the Testarossa market has likely reached its low point and is starting to appreciate. In 10 years the MKT will be flogged around a 24 Hrs of LeMons track (after being purchased for $500) and the Testarossa will be sold to replace that money you withdrew from 401k for those singing lessons (also, you aren't Cher and no matter how often you shave your legs you never will look like her, so put some damn pants on and get a hold of yourself man...).

Perhaps the comparison to a new, warranty intact, MKT is unfair, but compare this to a just out of warranty 911 Turbo for the same 50 large...and the value retained in 10 years still looks great.

The only potential issue is that the previous owner has treated this car like a red-headed step child and hasn't given it all the proper maintenance...in which case, be prepared for $250 oil changes, $2000 valve adjustments. The thing about a late model any Ferrari is that it treats you like a Libyan Dictator. One minute you are Gaddafi circa 1977, living the high life surrounded by adoring fans and the next minute you are at a repair shop being treated like Gaddafi in 2011. See a better 401k burner? email us here: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Don't worry, the Daily Turismo hasn't been sold to a foreign investment group hell-bent on turning DT into a profit machine for overpriced listings of overpriced cars...but every once in a while we feel the need to feature something a bit more exclusive, perhaps as an option for the a reader of this site who has a good paying gov't job and mostly we are featuring the car now to taunt him while he is being furloughed (sorry about that Bob).

As recommended by !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , read this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! from automobilemag.

Originally posted as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! via !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Photo credits: hemmings.com

DISCUSSION (47)

getchapopcorn > DailyTurismo
10/07/2013 at 12:01

I'm a bigger fan of the 512TR — add about 30-50k. Prices may be set to come down in the coming years though as it enters the odd age for cars: the mid 20s.

BJ > DailyTurismo
10/07/2013 at 12:01

For those of you who are curious, here's what it sounds like:

And for something a little meaner, a de-catted version:

GhostZ > DailyTurismo
10/07/2013 at 12:05

Well, time to take out a loan and fulfill my dreams of being an outlaw ghost driver of the 80s...

Takuro Spirit > DailyTurismo
10/07/2013 at 12:23

THEE favorite poster car of mine from the 80's/90's. Would love to pick one up when I am rich and famous. Seeing that the prices keep going up, and experts say that it'll be the next collectible Ferrari to own... yeah.

Someone Else's Projects > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 14:11

Wow, that interior is almost Corvette levels of awful.

Ratchet when he's all hopped up on synthetic energon > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 14:13

That interior is... not pretty.

b-webster > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 14:13

Is it wrong that I love that car in white?

Drooooool....

Kinja'd!!!

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 14:18

Dammit, forgot my 100$ bill

curbwatching > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 14:40

Just to nitpick, "$50,000 dollar" reads "fifty thousand dollar dollar."

Kinja'd!!!

Darwin Brandis > BJ
10/08/2013 at 14:41

Jesus Christ, at least let the thing warm up before you rev it all to hell.

ATX211 > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 14:58

I just still...really fucking want one! Most childhood dreams get boring, or undiagnosed fake ADD kicks in, but I still just want this car.

My first encounter with one ever was when I was 7 walking down Cleo with my Dad in Laguna Beach, CA. Some total assbag (I thought he was the coolest motherfucker alive then) flies down the street past us, then rips a U-turn with a fair amount of oppo at the bottom, and screams back up the hill past us. Told my Dad then I would have one some day.

Stiiles > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 15:10

Be prepared for engine-out $8,000 major services every 5 years or 30,000 miles (whichever comes first) and $4,000 minor services between every major service. Add in the cost of repairing stuff likely to go wrong from old age on any 26 year old car (like most rubber and plastic parts on the interior, exterior, engine compartment and suspension) and you've got the potential to drain even a large bank account rapidly.

Google automobile magazine's collectible classic article from 2010 on the Testarossa for more info.

Booligan > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 15:20

When I worked for Ferrari, I had the pleasure of caring for one of these beauties (in 80s-tastic white no less) for a few months. It sat on our "lot" for too long (only asking $50k or so, and this was 7-8 years ago) and we wholesaled it to another dealer. I had to buy new shoes just so I could fit my size 13 boats in the pedal box. It was one of the most difficult to drive vehicles that I ever had the privilege to sit my butt into. Ultimately, I had to load it up on a transport to go to its new dealer, but not before it would try to kill me one last time. You see, the other dealer cheaped out on transportation and instead of a nice, enclosed truck, they sent one of those double decker, cantilevered deck open trailers. I had to drive it onto the top. This is a car with a clutch as heavy as stepping on a cinderblock and expecting it to flex, and a loud, angry flat 12 behind you. Inching it up a ramp onto the top level of a poorly maintained, rickety transport truck with near zero visibility was probably the most difficult driving I had done at that point.

I don't think I ever fully unpuckered from that experience. And I was crushed to see the car go. Of all the 360s, 430s, 575s, Enzos, etc that we had on the floor, I loved the poor unloved Testarossa the most.

TractionControlOff > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 15:29

This was the peak of Ferrari 12-cylinder exhaust notes. The LaFerrari, glorious as it is, can't match the roar of this and the F50.

StoneColdSteveUrkel > getchapopcorn
10/08/2013 at 15:37

Agreed. The 512TR is one of the best model updates ever done to any car.

Chotaku > GhostZ
10/08/2013 at 16:16

sunglasses at night? lol

Captain_Overboost > BJ
10/08/2013 at 16:19

Boy, there's nothing I like more than to see a car revved like crazy the second it's started. Cold starts. Oil pressure? Bearings? That shit's for pussies. /sarcasm

I'm just gonna go ahead and tell myself that the red 512 was already warmed up. The oil was warm and the galleries were full. Bearings still basking in the sweet, sweet embrace of freshly filtered oil from the moment it was just shut down off camera. Because, well, the alternative makes me cringe.

GhostZ > Chotaku
10/08/2013 at 16:35

Its to hide his blood-red ghost eyes!

lt5zr180 > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 17:13

fantastic car to drive. really really enjoy driving one...except for the lack of PS...ok i'm a pussy

DailyTurismo > Booligan
10/08/2013 at 17:30

Not a bad days work eh? Many, many years ago I worked for a summer at a small independent Porsche repair shop that specialized in classic Porsche restoration. Driving a 930 Turbo, 356 Carrera, 550 Spyder from the front of the building back to the service bay included epic pucker factor for the young lad I was at the time, so I can completely relate to your sense of panic at trying to drive slowly in an unfamiliar car with a clutch pedal that kicks like a mule.

DailyTurismo > Stiiles
10/08/2013 at 17:31

Nice. Adding to main article.

Booligan > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 17:44

The worst part about mine is that we were the primary attraction at a VERY busy Las Vegas hotel/casino. Everything we did had an audience. Pulling Enzo's on and off elevated turnstiles using large metal ramps that just barely fit in the showroom, all while you have hundreds of tourists watching, cameras out, still haunts my dreams. Even the service department had massive windows where people would watch us wrenching on cars. All of the terror of handling someone else's several hundred thousand dollar toy, with the added bonus of people hoping to catch you screwing it up so they can post it on Youtube. I miss aspects of the job (you need me to do hot laps up and down The Strip to warm up a VIP's Enzo? Sure, if you insist.) but man, the job itself was the most stressful thing I've ever done.

Manuél Ferrari > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 18:28

Great article. How do I recommend you for Best of Oppo?

Manuél Ferrari > Stiiles
10/08/2013 at 18:29

All worth it. It's like dating a supermodel. There won't be many dinners at Taco Bell. But you'll gladly work OT and take her out to sushi 5 nights a week.

DailyTurismo > Manuél Ferrari
10/08/2013 at 19:27

Hey thanks! You mean like this?

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/best-of-opposi…

Manuél Ferrari > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 19:30

Oh lol, you're already on there :) Nice

Check out my first post to Oppo if you have a minute:

http://rusto.kinja.com/the-comprehens…

Please post a comment and let me know what you think!

Manuél Ferrari > DailyTurismo
10/08/2013 at 19:32

What color would you get this car in?

I think I'd have to go cocaine white. A white Testarossa screams the 1980s to me even more than a red one.

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/08/2013 at 19:44

Really? it's on the beach. It's at least seventy outside. It's day light. That start hurt the motor not at all even if it was the first start of the day. And that guy has a red head probably dont care no way. Your answer makes me cringe.

Captain_Overboost > Nate
10/08/2013 at 22:49

Lmao. Dude, serious? If he's your best bro or something let it go. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm glad he "don't care". It's not like its a La Ferrari. It's a $50ish K used car. If he wants to rev it with start up conditions go for it. If you think it's "ok" more power to you. I just hope more people don't think that's perfectly fine treatment for any car. Just FYI, I wouldn't advertise that opinion as the extent of your mechanical aptitude on a automobile enthusiast blog though.

Have a good one.

Stiiles > Manuél Ferrari
10/09/2013 at 02:02

If you've got lots of cash and another car or two to drive while the ferrari is in the shop , sure. The reality is that any lightly-used 26 year old car has lots of original plastic, rubber and electrical parts on it, many of which have long exceeded their original design lifespan and if you're actually going to drive it any distance on a semi regular basis, they're gonna break, along with the usual wear parts and semi-consumables that don't like sitting such as ~$1,000/ea brake calipers, master cylinders/hoses, fuel and water pumps, ~$2,000 A/C compressors, etc etc.

It adds up. I'm not saying don't buy it; I'm saying know what you're getting yourself into ahead of time and have the money available. Buying an old exotic car is like paying the cover charge at an expensive Manhattan nightclub. It gets you in, but you're still buying $20 cocktails and $500 bottle service as the night goes on.

Manuél Ferrari > Stiiles
10/09/2013 at 02:24

I totally agree. The price of admission is just a fraction of the cost.

It's a bad idea. Very fiscally irresponsible.

But just so hard to be good all the time, especially when the price of admission is within reach for many people now.

I am trying very hard not to pull the trigger on an old exotics like this. I own too many cars now. Oldest is a 2004. I know there will be a lot more things to replace on a car from the 80s. Wish me luck with my willpower :)

Stiiles > Manuél Ferrari
10/09/2013 at 02:38

If you do go for it, have fun! Some of the replacement parts cross-reference to identical cheaper ones from the aftermarket since many exotic car manufactures sourced common components also used in high volume (read:cheaper) cars from other manufacturers.

Manuél Ferrari > Stiiles
10/09/2013 at 13:39

That's good to know. I didn't know that was the case for the older Ferraris. I do know that the modern ones shared some parts with other cars that are under the FIAT umbrella.

The other car from the 80s that I would love to have (as it was the other bedroom poster when I was a kid, and the one I wanted more back then) is a Countach. The Countach would be even more expensive. Higher purchase price and probably harder to find decent priced parts. But it would be pretty cool to own the car I obsessed about as a kid and made illustrations of instead of doing homework :)

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/09/2013 at 16:25

You called it a cold start. I question that and he was not redlining it and was hardly revin it like crazy. I have plenty of mechanical aptitude. Which I don't think you have if you think that's eating the bearings, so I said something. FYI I could care less what the blog thinks there for sarcastic goof balls like you make me cringe. Peace

Captain_Overboost > Nate
10/09/2013 at 16:37

Actually what you're trying to say is that you * couldn't * care less, if you " could care less "... how much less could you care? Ok, ok, now I AM just being sarcastic. So, uhh, like.. yeah.. peace. lmao

As for mechanical aptitude, I'm sure you've got it by the ton, so you win the internet champ. I'll let anyone who reads your comments make up their own mind.

Captain_Overboost > Darwin Brandis
10/09/2013 at 16:41

Nope. Nate said it was fine to just crank it over then rev it under no load, several times. Doesn't hurt a thing. No, really, he said it so it's true. He's got tons of mechanical aptitude and he "could care less" about our blog comments. We're just sarcastic goofballs.

I happen to be one that owns, builds and runs actual high horsepower cars. (...and doesn't rev them like that, but I don't know what I'm talking about so you should probably ignore me. hehehe

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/10/2013 at 15:15

You were in grammar class, I was turnin wrenches. :) I bet you drive a Camry.

Captain_Overboost > Nate
10/10/2013 at 15:23

Think whatever helps you feel better and sleep at night champ. Oh, and you just lost that bet. It's actually not hard to see my past posts that include pictures and, you know, actual cars. Like I said, I'm sorry I hurt your feelings calling out your bro revvin' that flat 12. lmao Stick with trying to insult me though, hopefully you're better at that than "turnin' wrenches".

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/10/2013 at 15:43

Yeah i'll check your pics out.

Nate > DailyTurismo
10/10/2013 at 16:12

damn didnt mean to post this

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/10/2013 at 16:17

All I saw was comments on your profile. Hey you should make your avatar a Camry! and looking back At the comments on that cars exhaust note you had the only douche bag response Bro . So I guess ignore my slow bad grammar southern self:) I like cars which is why I read everything I can, sometimes a comment catches my attention. As a amateur car mechanic( who has never paid for anyone except the tire man to touch my vehicles) and former helicopter mechanic/crew chief who happens to operate and maintain a acetylene plant my ego is secure . See i am still alive;) But yeah I concede I suck at spelling however i sleep great. I do wish I had a bro with a TR , as I would encourage him to wang it out under no load. Then I would encourage him to hammer it under a load.

Captain_Overboost > Nate
10/10/2013 at 16:43

You didn't try hard enough then champ. But I kinda figured that. Lol. Back in June there are pics, including a shout out to Jalop in one pic, when I got my '12 997 C2 S. There are also pics of my 17 year old's '09 RX8 R3 (he's a car guy in training so I got him a nice first car...). And mixed in there pics of my '09 GT500 and '14 GT500. Pretty sure my wife's FX50 has been posted at one time or another, but I'm not certain of that one. Lol. We do 90% of our own work, father-son bonding.

But anyway, keep Oppo classy with the "douche" comments. Lol. Just an FYI, be careful with those. If a mod sees personal attacks against other members they're against the rules and you might get the ban hammer. There's a real simple solution if you don't appreciate a little of my humor, sarcastic as it may be sometimes, just don't click them. Trust me, we'll all live.

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/10/2013 at 16:51

It's all good. Wow you got some fancy stuff! I don't think I made a personal attack but ya know everyone looks at stuff a different way. Truce?

Captain_Overboost > Nate
10/10/2013 at 16:52

Captain_Overboost > Nate
10/10/2013 at 17:49

No harm, no foul man. We're both car guys, lol. We can agree to disagree about the whole "cold revving" thing since, ya know, the car is not EITHER of ours so, really... it's stupid to even care. He can rev the hell out of it, it's his. (...but I still contend it's wrong. I've had several cars that would automagically decrease the rev limiter until the oil was up to a preset operating temperature...ok, ok, I'll stop. lol...) We got off on a bad start, what can ya do.. sh*t happens right?

But one thing I have to disagree on, saying I drive a Camry is definitely a personal attack. hehehe Anyway, if you're ever down in Texas, shoot me a message if you're in Corpus, we can argue over a few beers. *thumbsup*

I have a few pics on my phone...

Kinja'd!!!

That's the boy's car, the day we were buying it. You can see him in the background texting pics to his friends. lol

Kinja'd!!!

??? Kinja? Y U make my pic so small? smh Anyway... The '09 GT500. She was my DD for 4 years. In that config she was putting down 750-something rwhp and 710/ft-lbs. She's been retired from DD duty and is currently being built as a 1000+ whp (we'll see) track monkey to run in Beeville, TX at the Texas Mile. I want far north of 200+mph.

Kinja'd!!!

not much of a pic, but the actual pics are here. Just what I have on my phone. The '12 997 Carrera 2S, my new DD. I know that seems like an Odd pic, but some jerkoff tried to accuse me of lying about the Porsche. Seriously? If I was gonna lie, it'd be a Aventador, not a 2012 Carrera 2S with 6k miles and a PDK. Hell, I would've at least made it a Turbo Carrera 4 or GT3. So, accuse me of lying? I walked outside, posted this pic about 5 minutes after they posted... and, suddenly, silence. They STFU. Which, was good. hahaha

Kinja'd!!!

Me and the boy, doing routine maintenance. One of the conditions I bought him a car like that for his 16th birthday was it be well taken care of and it is. We do all PM's every weekend along with detailing. Clockwork.

Other than that, my wife's FX50, nothing to see except a bonestock FX50. Which explains why I don't have any pics of it on my phone. And, I bought a '14 GT500 just because, well, the car is insane. I seriously doubt Ford will go there for a while with the Mustang platform retool. So, I consider it a "best of the breed" and since I'm violating the '09 into a track car, other than a few bolt-on mods I can undo, the 14 is staying stock. I keep her in a storage building/shop/warehouse off-site of our home. The HOA doesn't allow any kind of "that" (metal buildings) so I have to visit her on the weekends. lol

Seriously though brother, sorry if I got pissy. It's no big deal, i must be coming up on time to start my period or something. *shrugs* "Man-o-pause" or something?

Nate > Captain_Overboost
10/10/2013 at 18:17

Hell yeah. nice rides! I'm jealous. I was pissy and had a few beers in me that night. I guess my point was how do you know it was cold? anyway it don't really matter. I would kill to run the 14 on the interstate. I would warm it up first.

Nate > Nate
10/10/2013 at 18:18

And yeah the Camry shit was mean. I was gonna say stanced Camry lol