2027 Ferrari 849 Testarossa Drive: bullet with butterfly wings

But the SF90’s looks weren’t nearly as dramatic as its powertrain, the major turnaround Ferrari is making with the 2027 849 Testarossa. (Quick note: the “8” in 849 is for eight cylinders, and the “49” is for a displacement of 49 cubic centimeters per cylinder, although it’s actually 49.9, which should arguably be rounded to 50).

A dramatic redesign

Although the powertrain and chassis are an evolution of the SF90s, the design is vastly different. Some might equate the stacked protrusions on the front of the Testarossa to a beaming Aimee Lou Wood, but wouldn’t you rather be memorable than blend in with a sea of ​​lookalikes?

Equipped with the lightweight Assetto Firorano package, the Testarossa’s split rear spoilers and stacked wings are meant to be reminiscent of Ferrari’s 512S and 512M racers of the late 1960s and early 1970s, while the front blackout finish pays tribute to the pop-up headlights. If you wanted horizontal slats as a reference to the 80s Testarossa, fuhgeddaboudit. Despite a poor first impression, we became increasingly accustomed to the Testarossa’s design the more time we spent with it. The best designs are often a little off-putting at first and take some time to reveal their brilliance. If it looks good right away, it often hasn’t broken new ground enough.

We can tolerate arguments about the design, but there is no wiggle room to dispute the rationale. The 849 Testarossa is simply brilliant.

Blindingly fast, without fear

The Testarossa’s flat-crank V-8 has more low-end grunt in the midrange than before. Press the accelerator and acceleration goes from moderate above 3,000 rpm, with the rear motor dutifully filling in for turbo lag, to pandemonium above 6,000 rpm, ripping to a lofty redline of 8,300 rpm. As you run through the gears, the bike never drops below the madness zone; it just keeps pulling and pulling and pulling. Ferrari claims the Testarossa is slightly faster than the SF90, which with a speed of 2.0 seconds to 100 km/h is now the fastest gas car we’ve ever tested, along with the new Porsche 911 Turbo S. Pull the large, column-mounted paddle shifters and the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic responds with instant upshifts and downshifts, punctuated by fantastic throttle thrusts. In the more aggressive modes, we cannot imagine a transmission more responsive than this. The Testarossa inherits the SF90XX’s more dramatic shift; the upshift can sometimes be so urgent that it feels like you’ve had a mild rear-end collision.

You don’t have to worry about switching switches manettino to one of the more extreme modes such as Race or TC Off – even on the street – as you can then click the selector to choose the ‘bumpy road’ setting to relax the dampers. The engine spits power at the rear tires as if it’s out for revenge, and since roughly 80 percent of the Testarossa’s power goes to the rear, it can be as happy as you dare.

The texture of the road comes through the steering and the basic effort is excellent. But as the load in the corners increases, the effort does not increase much. And there’s a little more pedal travel in the brake-by-wire system than we’d like. But these are minor complaints. On some of southern Spain’s unfamiliar winding roads, made even more treacherous by persistent moisture, we’re convinced there’s nothing else we’ve ever driven that can negotiate these bends faster.

Part of the magic comes from the assistance systems, which work more precisely than before. Ferrari says Testarossa estimates of vehicle speed and slip angle are now 5 to 10 percent more accurate. That accuracy allows more precise interventions from the electronically controlled rear differential, front torque vectoring and stability control to squeeze every bit of grip out of the available conditions.

Evolved mechanics

Ferrari’s engineers are serial tinkerers, and the Testarossa benefits from plenty of fiddling, starting with the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. This flat-crank screamer dates back to the 2015 California T, but has been endlessly revised since then. The Testarossa features roughly 10 percent larger turbos than the SF90 – the biggest slugs on a road-going Ferrari – to boost its output to 819 horsepower at 7500 rpm and 621 pound-feet at 6500 rpm, a gain of 50 horses and 31 pound-feet. (Side note: the 1985 Testarossa’s 380-hp flat-12 seems decidedly odd in comparison.) To offset the weight gain of the larger turbos, Ferrari stripped down the engine block and camshafts to remove unnecessary material and also installed titanium fasteners.

Speaking of the engine block: for the first time it is made entirely from recycled aluminum. As before, a radial flux electric motor drives each front wheel, allowing torque vectoring, and an axial flux motor sits between the engine and the dual-clutch transmission. Total combined electric power is 217 hp, the same as before, and the carryover 7 kWh battery should be good for about 8 miles of all-electric range on the EPA cycle. But why slouch around when you have 1,036 combined horsepower attached to your limbs?

Continuing the trend of automakers moving away from touch-sensitive controls, the Testarossa places the classic red start button on the steering wheel, along with real buttons that replace the SF90’s capacitive controls on the steering wheel spokes. But there are still some fiddly HVAC and mirror adjustment controls that are performed via touch-sensitive buttons.

The Assetto Fiorano performance package returns with larger front aero elements, double-stack rear wings and a weight saving of around 26 kilos, mainly thanks to carbon fiber wheels and lighter bucket seats. The package also includes Multimatic fixed dampers and stiffer titanium springs that result in a wheel travel of 0.6 inches. You can opt for the AF package, but you keep the standard magnetorheological dampers and the all-important front-end lift function to clear driveways.

Overall, the claimed curb weight is the same as before, about 3850 pounds with the Assetto Fiorano package. Remarkably, this makes the Testarossa 350 kilos lighter than the Lamborghini Temerario.

Maximum downforce (with the additional aerodynamic components of the Assetto Fiorano package) has increased by 55 pounds at 155 mph compared to the SF90, while powertrain and brake cooling has increased by 15 percent. Of the just over 900 pounds of total downforce, 220 is due to an active rear spoiler that pops up in less than a second. The standard car provides about 25 percent less downforce. The aerodynamic tweaks likely explain why the claimed top speed of 330 km/h is slightly lower than the SF90’s 340 km/h.

According to vehicle dynamics manager Andrea Giacomini, the Testarossa’s latest Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires have about the same grip as the previous Cup 2Rs, while the 2Rs have about 3 percent more lateral grip than before. Both the front (265/35R-20) and rear (325/30R-20) tires are 10 millimeters wider than those of the SF90, and the Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors are also slightly larger. It equates to a 1.5 second improvement in lap time over the SF90 Stradale around Ferrari’s 3.9km Fiorano development circuit, with the Cup 2R tires adding a second to the regular Cup 2 tyres.

Based on the blinding speed and engaging dynamics of Ferrari’s latest top coupe, we’d give it two thumbs up regardless of how it looks, even though the price has risen about 10 percent to $565,685. But the reaction to its dramatic new appearance will undoubtedly ultimately define the legacy of the reinvented Testarossa.

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Specifications

Specifications

2027 Ferrari 849 in Testaro
Vehicle type: mid-engine, front and rear engine, four-wheel drive, 2 passengers, 2-door coupe

PRICE
Base: $565,685

DRIVE
DOHC with twin turbocharger and intercooler, 32 valves, 4.0 liter V-8, 819 hp, 621 lb-ft + 2 AC front motors, 133 hp, 63 lb-ft each; AC rear motor, 201 hp, 196 lb-ft (combined power: 1036 hp; 7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack; peak charge rate, AC 3.3 kW)
Transmissions, front/rear: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic drive

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches
Length: 185.8 inches
Width: 78.7 inches
Height: 48.2 inches
Loading volume: 3 ft³
Empty weight (CD estimate): £3850

PERFORMANCE (CD EAST)
100 km/h: 1.9 sec
160 km/h: 4.2 sec
1/4 mile: 9.2 sec
Top speed: 330 km/h

EPA FUEL ECONOMY (CD EAST)
Combined: 18 mpg
Combined gasoline + electricity: 51 MPGe
EV range: 13 km

Dave VanderWerp has worked in the automotive industry for more than 20 years in a variety of roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leads Car and driver‘s vehicle testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by submitting an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time job as a road warrior while a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became captivated by the world of automotive journalism.