Ultra-powerful Ferrari 849 Testarossa debuts

FERRARI has unveiled its latest and greatest in Milan, the ultra-desirable, ultra-powerful and stupendously fast 849 Testarossa Spider; in the process resurrecting the legendary 1950s and 1980s “Red Head” name.

The name Testa Rossa was coined in the 1950s to describe red painted cam covers on Ferrari racing engines and was subsequently used for an iconic 1980s supercar.

Ferrari says the car is both a true coupé and a true spider thanks to its retractable hard top (RHT), which opens or closes in 14 seconds at speeds up to 45km/h providing a “vibrant connection with the surroundings and heightened driving emotions”.

The latest PHEV drop-top Fazza with 25km EV range from a 7.45kWh lithium-ion battery takes its place at the top of the Italian brand’s open-top sports car range thanks to its performance, comfort and interior refinement, to say nothing of its striking design.

Replacing the SF90 Spider, the 849 is what the factory calls a super sports berlinetta (little sedan) equipped with three electric motors assisting a mid-rear twin-turbo petrol V8 engine delivering a total of 1050CV (European horsepower) equating to 772kW complemented by 842Nm of torque.

The 1660kg 849’s combined output out-punches the SF90 by around 37kW allowing the sleek newcomer to clock a 0-100km/h sprint in approximately 2.3 seconds, 0-200km/h in 6.5 seconds, and on to a top speed exceeding 330km/h.

The sleek supercar’s 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine with an 8300rpm redline and flat plane crankshaft has been completely re-engineered to reach new performance peaks and is aided by an advanced plug-in hybrid system derived from Ferrari’s motorsport experience and the earlier SF90 model.

It consists of a rear electric motor and two additional units installed on the front axle creating an on-demand four-wheel drive system with torque vectoring to maximise performance in all conditions.

Cogs are swapped by an eight-speed dual-clutch F1-style gearbox.

Engineers placed a focus on the engine’s new turbos which are the largest ever for a Ferrari production car “enabling unprecedented acceleration” optimising other key components in the process such as cylinder heads, engine block, exhaust manifolds, intake plenums, titanium fasteners, valve train system and fuel rail.

An Inconel exhaust manifold and system improves performance and provides the expected Ferrari timbre without increasing weight while complying with regulatory requirements. The sound level has been increased at all speeds, with particular attention to the “richness and purity” of the exhaust note in the low and mid ranges.

Balancing the go is the whoa with the 849 gaining the manufacturer’s latest generation braking system featuring brake-by-wire with Ferrari’s ABS Evo controller. It is said to improve braking precision and consistency in all conditions.

For improved ride quality and “behaviour” at the limit of grip, the spring and damper set-up has been completely revised compared with the SF90 Spider.

Furthermore, the 849 has undergone extensive component weight reduction in the chassis and powertrain utilising race-car tech’ giving it the best power-to-weight ratio ever for a Ferrari range model.

In the styling department, the 849 is not lacking and marks a revolution in the concept of a Ferrari V8 mid-rear berlinetta with inspiration taken from 1970s Sports Prototypes according to Ferrari.

It features twin tails with sharp and geometric lines to create a “unique and timeless design” with a synergy between form and function that has enabled impressive aerodynamic performance.

Total downforce of 415kg at 250km/h represents a 25kg increase over the SF90 Spider as well as providing a 15 per cent boost in cooling power for the powertrain and brakes.

In the passenger compartment we note the enveloping cockpit is more ergonomic than earlier models with the central sail motif and integrated gear-change gate carried over.

The design is inspired by Ferrari’s F80 model which it says improves the positioning of components and makes them more accessible.

Ensuring no roofless coif kerfuffles the Italian sports car manufacturer developed a new system to minimise turbulence inside the cabin using an “innovative” wind catcher positioned behind the seats.

The 849 runs a new steering wheel equipped with mechanical buttons (including engine start) and “elevates the driving experience” while maintaining the high functionality of the latest-generation Ferrari steering wheels.

A new HMI system makes and appearance improving interaction with the car for simpler and more systems intuitive control.

ADAS features are integrated to “increase comfort and safety”, intervening only in emergency situations and in the least invasive way possible, only when the driver needs it.

They are fully configurable via the instrument cluster menus and feature: adaptive cruise control with stop and go, automatic emergency braking with cyclist detection, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, automatic high beam, traffic sign recognition, surround view, rear cross traffic alert and driver fatigue monitoring.

The 849 debuts Ferrari’s use of recycled aluminium secondary alloys for engine castings (cylinder head, crankcase and sump), further reducing production CO2 emissions.

The new Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider offers a wide range of personalisation options to enhance the car’s sporty character and stylistic identity.