Celebrating 40 years at the original Lido nightclub
The Ferrari Testarossa had a bit of a family reunion this past week thanks to the team at Real Art on Wheels. On October 2nd, 1984, the Testarossa was unveiled at the Lido nightclub at the Champs Élysées in Paris. To celebrate 40 years of the next best 80s Ferrari icon – the Countach still has my heart. The first and third Testarossas ever produced were brought back to that same location for the first time in two decades.
Both cars were reportedly in immaculate condition as they were raised on a pedestal in the middle of the stage. Reminiscent of the way the Testarossa was first unveiled to the public all those years ago.
The stories of Chassis #1 and #3
Chassis #1 was one of five pre-production cars. The first one to meet the public gaze at the Paris Motor Show. After Paris, it made the rounds at various international motor shows including the NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham. The Ferrari stand in Torino. Chassis #3 was the one used at the official Lido Club reveal as well as the Pininfarina Paris Salon and Turin Motor Show. Its first owner was Japanese racing driver Sokichi Shikiba.
The Testarossa was a hit right from the beginning
Designed by Pininfarina, the Testarossa was powered by a 4.9 L Tipo F113 flat-12 putting out 385 hp through a 5-speed manual transmission. Its name is a callback to Ferrari’s 1957 250 Testa Rossa which means “red head” in Italian. Refers to the red-painted cam covers on both cars.
Immediately upon its release, the Ferrari Testarossa was met with positive reception from the press, despite it failing to beat its contemporary competition like the Lamborghini Countach. It went on to rack up a roster of celebrity owners including Elton John, Rod Stewart, Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Dr. Dre, and numerous others.
Pop culture cemented the Testarossa in automotive history
Perhaps the Testarossa’s biggest claim to fame was its depiction as one of the hero cars in Miami Vice, forever cementing it in pop culture as a quintessential icon of the 1980s. Many video games of the time, notably Sega’s Out Run, also featured a Ferrari Testarossa.
Few cars are as immediately recognizable as Ferrari’s side-straked beauty, and for good reason. It’s bold, with wide hips and functional side strakes. It followed the wedge design language that manufacturers of the time invested in heavily. And blended it with 12 screaming cylinders for a combination that’s both elegant and aggressive.
In the words of Bodie Hage, owner of Real Art on Wheels, “The Ferrari Testarossa is a timeless icon. And for its 40th anniversary it deserved to be honored just like it was when it first hit the road.” Amen to that.
