Ferrari Testarossa and F40
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Ferrari Testarossa and F40: two cavallinos in the spotlight

We are talking about two icons in the history of the Maranello manufacturer, two absolute successes for Ferrari that helped change the history of the brand. However, both were involved in several controversies.

The Ferrari Testarossa and F40 They are two of the greatest icons in the recent history of the Maranello brand. Both contributed decisively to changing the dynamics of the firm. It is enough to see that, in 1983, one year before the launch of the Testarossa, 2.366 Ferraris had been produced. At the beginning of the 90s, specifically in 1991 -before the crisis of 92-, no less than 4.487 cars were sold. cavallinos, that is, almost double.

Ferrari Testarossa
The design of the Ferrari Testarossa exuded personality on all four sides. The "monospecchio" are worth a fortune today.

The two models featured in this article were the main architects of this leap, and not only in terms of units produced, which also, but the general perception of Ferrari. In case there was any doubt, the Italians returned to recover the scepter as most desired brand in the world, since they have not abandoned since then.

Starting from this premise, it is difficult to understand how both lived involved in different controversies of greater or lesser importance. And it is that, in the Ferrari universe, or rather in that of the purists of the Italian brand, both the F40 like the Testarossa, they made mistakes that were hard to forgive. Fortunately, history has handed down its verdict, but that does not mean that criticism has worsened for different reasons.

So let's see what went wrong always according to the purists of the brand, each one of them, starting in chronological order, that is, with the Ferrari Testarossa.

CHRONICLE OF A SUCCESS

Presented at the 1984 Paris Salon, the brand new Ferrari Testarossa was in charge of taking over the fantastic series of BB It appeared in 1973. It dispensed with any number in the denomination, as was customary in the brand -even the Mondial was accompanied by an 8-, opting to rescue an iconic nomenclature associated with competition TRs.

Ferrari Testarosa front
The Testarossa's presence was intimidating.

In matters of design, broke with the voluptuous shapes of the 308 and 512 to opt for sharper and more angular forms. The exterior, the work of Pininfarina, was characterized by the exuberant rear widening, essential to accommodate the 12-liter 180º V-shaped 5-cylinder engine and 390 HP of power. Although the element for which he is most remembered is the gigantic side air intake, necessary to cool the mechanics. The five horizontal slats that it had were used to prevent a person from slipping through the hole, as prescribed by the USA regulations.

For the rest, it was a sales success despite the fact that it never set foot on a circuit, since became a star thanks to his appearance in television series such as Corruption in Miami or the video game Out Run. Until it was replaced in 1992 by its evolution, the 512 TR, 7.177 units had been dispatched. To establish a comparison, the BB added 2.323 cars between 1973 and 1984.

ROUND WITH THE PILOTS

And what could you criticize the Ferrari Testarossa then? Well, in your specific case, there was a design element that purists especially disliked. Until then, each and every one of the cavallinos they had sported circular taillights. The new Testarossa not only dispensed with said element and mounted rectangular optics, but also hid them under an unprecedented stylistic resource for the brand. We refer, of course, to the horizontal aluminum grill that is behind.

Ferrari Testarossa rear
The rectangular pilots, hidden behind a grille, did not end up liking the purists of the brand.

It is a detail that, for the vast majority of fans, was unimportant. What's more, for whoever writes this, Helps give the Testarossa personality. And most importantly, it fits in with the design philosophy of the car. It was not seen that way by the most ardent Ferrari fans for whom the rectangular drivers were almost a provocation.

The Italian brand still kept them, including the grille, on the 512 TR, but for the 512 M -“Modificata”- from 1994 the rear was substantially changed. The size of the grille was reduced and two circular pilot lights were incorporated at each end with which to please the purists. The result was inelegant and weighed less on the Testarossa's overall design.

Ferrari F512M
The 512 Ferrari F1994 M recovered the circular lights in a solution that is not quite convincing.

It's not hard to imagine what will they weigh fans more classics about the latest creations of the brand, like the Roma and its particular rear lights. I'm telling you, it doesn't even look like a Ferrari to them, according to what one of them has told me. We better not ask about the Purosangue. Anyway, let's talk about the criticism that our next protagonist, the F40, also received.

A BEAST IS ON THE LOOSE

Over the years, and as models like the 250 GTO lose momentum, which is normal since they are further back in time, the Ferrari F40 has become the great icon of the brand. Few cars arouse as much passion and interest as the one that was the last car presented by the owner himself. Commendatore. In fact, the week in which we do not discover some story or news about him is rare.

Ferrari F40 official presentation
The Ferrari F40 was unveiled on July 21, 1987. It was the last car presented by Enzo Ferrari.

Is a machine derived from the competitionWell, let's not forget that the 288 Evoluzione was a racing car, even though it never made its debut. Ferrari's claim with the F40 was to transfer almost without filters the sensations of the competition to a street car. Although also responding to a Porsche that, with the 959, had climbed into the beards of its GTO.

Being based on the 288 Evoluzione made the F40 It will mount a mechanical V8 of 2.936 cm3 with 478 CV of power. So far everything normal, the problem was that, to reach said horsepower -the Porsche 959 remained at 450 CV-, in Maranello they resorted to the help of two IHI turbochargers. For purists that was an unforgivable sin. All Ferrari that boasted of being, had to mount an atmospheric engine, preferably a V12, as required by the tradition of the brand.

The rest didn't matter. Not that he had swept away the German archrival or that he was one of the most beautiful creatures ever to come out of the factory. red. A superlative car, which is still so even under today's prism, sentenced for mounting the wrong propellant. In fact, Ferrari itself took good note of the fact and, by the time the successor to the F40 was conceived, it took the opposite path.

The object of the controversy, a supercharged V8 engine instead of an atmospheric V12. Buyers didn't seem to care.

Thus, the F50 equipped the driver's back a 12 liter naturally aspirated V4,7 engine which yielded 520 CV. For purists, the Ferrari F50 is clearly above F40, if only by equipping atmospheric mechanics. Perhaps also because his behavior is somewhat more civilized, which was not complicated either. let's remember How did he define our protagonist? Dealer and pilot Mike Sheehan: “A great car makes a bad driver look good. The F40 makes a good one look very busy and a bad one makes you look stupid.”.

PRODUCTION THAT NEVER STOPS

There was another reason why the Ferrari F40 was embroiled in controversy for almost its entire commercial life. And it is that, although Ferrari's initial intention was to make a run of 400 units -272 cars were made from the GTO, for example-, finally the matter got out of hand. In Maranello, they were overwhelmed with requests, so they decided not to announce any specific numbers.

Also, for the first time in history, not everyone could buy the car, only previous customers of the brand could do so. This motivated some of the lucky ones who did have the opportunity to buy a Ferrari F40 to put them up for sale almost immediately, for prices that could double what they had paid. In several European magazines there were even advertisements in which the rights to purchase an F40 were offered! To end these practices, in Maranello they extended production above 1.300 units. And more importantly, they did not give a target figure or say when it would stop manufacturing.

Ferrari F40 rear
The superb stamp of the F40 continues to fall in love today.

Esto put an end to the business of speculators, although, in any case, the cars continued to be dispatched second-hand without major difficulties. The case of Nigel Mansell, who received a Ferrari F40 when he signed for the Scuderia and sold it almost immediately. In any case, the enormous production has meant that, even today, they keep their prices under control, always thinking about what a supercar of this nature can cost.

TWO CONTRACTING THEORIES

Julio de Santiago maintained, who was the founding director of the magazine Classic Cars, that the Ferrari F40 was responsible for that supercars became objects of speculation. According to him, she unleashed a race to buy a unit like never before. Furthermore, and for the first time, the objective was not to enjoy the car, but to save it to sell it later.

It is evident that there was something like that, but also that, as our collaborator thinks Pablo Gimeno, Ferrari's reaction managed to completely stop the price explosion. if currently around a million euros quote, despite the thousand cars assembled, it would be necessary to see what they would be worth if 349 units of the F50 had been manufactured. Possibly we would talk about prices multiplied by five.

Ferrari F40 front
Image of one of the prototypes, distinguishable by the position of the rear-view mirrors.

As in the case of the engine, Ferrari reacted to all these movements. As we have already said, not only announced and kept to the letter the production figure of the F50, but on the condition that the buyer could not part with the car in the first years. Thus he put a stop to speculation, at least initially. And why 349 units? In Maranello there is a theory that you have to build one less unit than you can sell. It is the way to maintain the value of cars. With the F50, that number was considered to be 350 cars, so they made one less.

EPILOGUE

In my modest opinion, the F40 managed to stop the speculators, but it taught them a path of no return that supercars have been on ever since. A vast majority of the cars of this type that are sold in the world go directly to a garage with the sole purpose of revaluing them. Others serve to complete collections, but in all cases, they rarely go out on the road, which in the end is the ultimate goal of a car.

With respect to the controversies that involved the Ferrari Testarossa and F40, we can say that, as in Roy Batty's monologue in Blade Runner, "will be lost in time, like tears in the rain". Luckily, hardly anyone remembers them anymore. All that remains is the magnificent residue of two extraordinary automobiles that They continue to raise passions like the first day.

Ferrari F40 side
The bulky production of the Ferrari F40 has kept its prices under control.

What do you think?

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Written by Ivan Vicario Martin

I am lucky to have turned my passion into my way of earning a living. Since I left the Faculty of Information Sciences in 2004, I have been professionally dedicated to motor journalism. I started in the magazine Coches Clásicos in its beginnings, going on to direct it in 2012, the year in which I also took charge of Clásicos Populares. Throughout these almost two decades of my professional career, I have worked in all types of media, including magazines, radio, the web and television, always in formats and programs related to the engine. I am crazy about the classics, Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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