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Ferrari Testarossa 2021.

Ferrari Testarossa 2021. Rebirth of a legend: the updated Ferrari Testarossa debuted in Switzerland.

Swiss Atelier Officine Fioravanti has presented a restomod based on Ferrari Testarossa — one of the most striking supercars of the 1980s.

Car fully preserved its original design and technical features, but all key components were modernized with regard to XXI century technologies.

The fashion for the revival of legends of the ’80s is gaining momentum: the latest examples are reincarnations of Lancia 037 by Kimera Automobili and Renault 5 Turbo by Legende Automobiles, and Lamborghini has recently presented a new interpretation of the iconic Countach model.

Ferrari Testarossa, of course, also deserves a second life and it got it thanks to the efforts of the young Swiss company Officine Fioravanti from the commune of Coldrerio, bordering Italy.

Work on Ferrari Testarossa was carried out in the genre of intelligent restomodding, the essence of which consists in careful attitude to the historical context of the donor car and bringing its style to perfection using modern components.

In theory, such an upgrade could be done by Ferrari itself, but it is not yet engaged in such creativity, while Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover already offer upgrades for their classic cars and even reissue them — this is a separate, very profitable business.

The Swiss have taken an early design version of the Testarossa, which has only one left high-mounted rear-view mirror, but they don’t say exactly what year the original car was made.

Generally speaking, the Ferrari Testarossa debuted in 1984 and replaced the Berlinetta Boxer coupe, retaining its basic layout and 12-cylinder petrol opposition «atmospheric» engine with formulaic pedigree.

The main technical difference between the Testarossa and the Berlinetta Boxer was the redesigned engine cooling system with side radiators, which defined the characteristic appearance of the Testarossa with a wide stern and «cheese grater» on the sides.

Under the name Testarossa this model was known until 1992, which after a slight restyling was renamed to 512 TR, and in 1994, after another update it was called F512 M and in this form was in production until 1996 inclusively (the total circulation was about 10,000 copies).

But the peak of fame of the model came in the ’80s, when it was considered one of the most expensive and fastest production cars.

In the 80s, a 4.9-liter diesel engine produced in the Testarossa maximum 390 hp and 490 Nm. Up to 100 km/h the car accelerated in 5.8 seconds and had a top speed of 290 km/h.

Officine Fioravanti upgraded this engine and now it develops 516 hp and 599 Nm, so its maximum speed increased to 323.5 km/h. The gearbox is still a 5-speed manual.

The list of improvements includes titanium exhaust system, ABS and anti-tramp system, adjustable Öhlins shock absorbers with a function to raise the front end by 70 mm (for passing through speed bumps), adjustable anti-roll bars, powerful Brembo brakes and improved aerodynamics body with a flat bottom, which, however, had no effect on the style of the car.

The only cosmetic improvement the developers allowed themselves in the exterior of Testarossa — is the new wheels, 17-inch at the front and 18-inch rear, instead of the original 16-inch, with old-school design wheels retained.

The Michelin racing tires, on the other hand, are modern.

The interior completely retains the original angular design, but has a new leather upholstery, and rough plastic panels from the 80’s are replaced by more accurate details made of aluminum.

Under the cover at the top of the center console is a modern multimedia system, but with a retro design of the head unit.

The old telephone handset got new stuffing with a Bluetooth module. On the central tunnel is added a remote control with adjustments of the driving electronics.

Curiously, after the modernization the Testarossa has lost 130 kg, which, presumably, had a favorable effect on its dynamic qualities.

The original sports car weighed slightly more than 1,5 t, and now it is less than 1,4 t.

Officine Fioravanti has not yet announced the cost of the project and the estimated number of copies. The specific price will obviously depend on the price of the original car.

To find a Testarossa in a decent condition now on the secondary market is not easy, good copies at the auctions are under 200 thousand dollars.

We think you should think about buying a restomod with not less than a million dollars in your pocket.