2026 Ferrari 849 Testarossa | PH assessment

Only we have been here before with Maranello, in the form of the SF90 Stradale. Launched in 2019 as the dawn of a brave new electrified era, it was packed with technology, but never captured hearts and minds in the way you might expect. With the poor remains to show for it. The design was strangely undramatic, the sound wasn’t exactly spectacular, and the by-wire braking setup received some criticism.

So consider this a fairly drastic reinvention of the formula. One that increases power (a total of 1,050 hp is better than the 1,015 hp Lambo, but not the 1,079 hp Valhalla) while learning everything from later hybrids – think the 296 and the F80 – to create a more memorable Ferrari hypercar experience. This is much, much more than just a controversial new look (we’ll get to that, promise).

Interestingly, the electrical side of the 849 remains largely unchanged; the extra 50bhp comes from overhauling the V8, and quite extensively too – when you’re around 200bhp per liter it’s not just a matter of fiddling with the ECU. So now the Testarossa features the largest turbos ever fitted to a road-going Ferrari (a cool claim to fame), even though they weigh no more than before and claim identical response thanks to tweaks to the compressor and turbine blades. They now have ceramic ball bearings and are mounted directly on the manifold. The cylinder head has been completely redesigned, the crankcase construction has been changed to save weight, the entire block is new.

That means 830 hp at 7,500 rpm, coupled with the 220 hp offered by the two front radial flux motors and the rear-mounted axial flux item. The total of 1,050 hp means that the car goes from 0 to 200 km/h in 6.35 seconds. Say that to yourself and let it sink in. Fast cars reach half that speed in 6.35 seconds. It means that an 849 around Fiorano is 1.5 seconds faster than an SF90 of identical spec (specifically an Assetto Fiorano example), at a speed of 1:17.5. The car you see here is more than two seconds faster on Ferrari’s test track than a LaFerrari…

But it’s not just the power that contributes to that extra speed. The radical new look (we’ll actually discuss it) promises more downforce with less drag, the braking system has been completely redesigned (discs bigger than manhole covers, the largest brake pads ever on a Ferrari, all-new brake calipers), there’s more rubber on the road – 10mm more per corner, now 265-piece front and 325-piece rear – and of course the whole package of dynamic technology has been improved. We are now on the ninth generation of Side Slip Control, the second of the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer, and ABS Evo is now present in every Manettino setting to improve braking feel. Even for a new Ferrari, this is a thorough rework. Maybe that’s just their typical strict standards and tireless attitude. Or perhaps just the slightest acknowledgment that the SF90 wasn’t quite the ticket. Or why change so much?

Probably no one will really want to talk about Inconel exhausts, MagenRide mufflers or the Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Enhancer, because there’s also the 849’s looks to talk about. It can’t be accused of being just an SF90 update, that’s for sure. Ferrari says the idea was to extend the rear deck to create more of a supercar look, then blend modern and traditional styling cues. So the rear end leans heavily into Maranello’s sports car racing heritage, while the twin tail treatment like a 512 S is evocative and exciting in a way the SF never could be. The exhausts that come out so high look beautiful. Even the doors are dramatic, scalloped and cut to direct cooling air to the large intakes you can see at the rear.

Rest assured, no one can accuse this Ferrari of lacking presence. And knowing that it all has a function: pinning a Ferrari to the road as it goes faster and faster is cool. That’s something to keep in mind when you look at the front, at least, because to these eyes this isn’t the prettiest part of the 849. Trying to evoke the Daytona with this black noseband is a nice idea – it just hasn’t worked out yet. Ditto a lightweight design that aims to mimic the look of pop-ups. ‘Bumperettes’ that direct air along the side of the car are awkwardly integrated. In any case, it is recognizable as a Ferrari face; The problem is that none of them, aside from that, are great right now.

Driving starts at the Circuito Monteblanco circuit, with two stints of four laps each. Half of that is a warm-up and a cool-down, so four quick ones in total. Not much for a definitive verdict, but more than enough for an overwhelming first impression: in its most racist specifications – with the Assetto Fiorano package, including Cup 2s and Multimatic dampers – the 849 Testarossa is a truly sublime track car. It’s an intimidating prospect, essentially twice the power of an M3 in one Ferrari on a greasy track, but the reality is glorious: the TR is nimble, nimble, nimble and predictable as the very best mid-engined sports car, backed by the very best assists in the business, and accelerates with unabated violence. To be honest, I can’t remember any other car that pulls so hard through every gear; a Revuelto is (comparatively) duller due to slightly more weight, a McLaren P1 doesn’t have the same traction or gear ratios according to racer spec. The acceleration is brutal, exhilarating and completely addictive.

And it’s not even the best part of the 849 TR track experience. It’s the ability of all these features to make the Ferrari feel authentically like a lighter, smaller and simpler sports car; nowadays a well-known Maranello trait, but here executed with even more aplomb. Because this is such a complicated vehicle – wire-wire, all-wheel drive, hybridization – but it drives with all the transparency and intuitiveness of a back-to-basics sports car. With 1,000 hp. You learn to trust it quite quickly, messages come back through the seat, the pedals and the steering wheel about what is left in reserve. It moves on a smooth surface, but nothing is a shock; the assists provide the subtlest, softest and smartest helping hand. Which all leads to you getting a bit carried away and doing a sideways move in fourth gear, which is quite good for cooling your boots. Rarely has a supercar struck such a balance between intimidation, challenge, reward and accessibility as the 849 Testarossa. It’s intoxicating.

Although the road cars (pictured) have less extreme specification, with the standard magnetorheological dampers and Pirelli P Zero R tires, the experience is not much less lively. Softer touches on the steering and brakes make them seem a little light at first, and turn-in is less immediate, although it really does take very little time to acclimatize. Once tuned to its responses, the TR feels sensational, with finer brake pedal feel than a 12Cilindri (and far better than an SF90, according to those who’ve driven both) and a delicacy in its ride and handling that you simply wouldn’t believe in a car of this weight.

You’ll want to use the ‘bumpy road’ setting, as is always the case, but any concerns that the 849 would only perform on the track can be quickly put to rest. There is no front axle damage, as some reported with the SF90, and incredible traction. Each gear lever, faster and wilder than any other DCT and with meaningful ratios, is convincing, the click of each paddle reminds us that these should always be as large as possible; the sound is very motorsport-like (and very likeable), with flat flat bleat, turbo whir and electric hum to appreciate; even if you’re driving electric, it’s fun to use the bumps of the wings to position the car and maintain momentum with minimal input. There are electric miles here that a Revuelto can’t boast, and they’re worth exploring. The Ferrari replenishes its range almost as quickly as you use it. The hybrid strategy is customizable at the bottom of the wheel, from pure electric through mix-and-match modes to qualifying for the maximum of everything, and it becomes second nature to adjust to your liking with the manettino.

This may sound stupid, but if you go a little fast on a good road in an 849, you’ll feel like Bradley Cooper in Limitless. Honestly. Everything you do is faster, better, more efficient and more informed than normal, or so it seems, because this car is so capable and you feel so integral to it. Instead of hybridization and assistance dulling the experience, it takes the Testarossa to another level entirely. The speed is even acceptable, although of course you still don’t travel with a lot of stuff. As a representation of everything Ferrari can currently achieve with a road car, an 849 Testarossa is quite fascinating.

But of course it’s not perfect. The sound of the turbo V8 is pretty cool, but isn’t a patch on the V12 opera offered by a Revuelto; and when you’re spending half a million pounds on a mid-engined exotic, that’s the kind of thing that counts. While the interior has also been improved over some recent Ferrari efforts, with some good rear buttons and a virtual cockpit-style display that works well, elements of it remain a little clunky. And even after a day in all kinds of conditions and specifications, the design is never as charmed as the very best Ferraris always do. Like a 296 maybe. There’s a strong argument to be made that a driving experience this engaging is enough to overlook a strange front end, but you know how fickle people can be. As it is, the Testarossa is perhaps the best of the production hybrid hypercars we’ve experienced. Aston Martin and the rest will do insanely well to top it.

Engine: 3,990cc, twin turbo V8, three electric motors
Transfer: 8-speed automatic transmission with dual clutch and four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 830 at 7,500 rpm + 220 (electric), total 1050
Torque (lb⋅ft): 621 at 6,500 rpm (combustion engine)
0-100 km/h: >2.3 seconds
Top speed: ‘more than 330 km/h’
Weight: 1,570 kg (dry, with lightweight options)
MPG: 30.4
CO2: 212g/km
Price: £407,617 (Spin £442,467)