Overview: Four Key Highlights
- Ferrari brings back the Testarossa badge for its SF90 successor.
- 1,050hp hybrid V8 makes it the most powerful Ferrari road car ever.
- Blistering pace: 0–100kph in under 2.3s, top speed above 330kph.
- Features Ferrari’s latest FIVE predictive control system for sharper handling.
Introduction
When Ferrari dusts off a name as legendary as Testarossa, expectations skyrocket. The original, a wedge-shaped flat-12 from the ’80s, was as much a cultural icon as it was a supercar. Now, in 2025, the nameplate returns—but not as a nostalgic throwback. Instead, Ferrari has used it to launch its most extreme road car yet: the 849 Testarossa.
Packing 1,050 horsepower, new aerodynamics, and the kind of digital wizardry that wouldn’t be out of place in Formula 1, the 849 isn’t just the SF90’s replacement—it’s a bold step into the next era of Ferrari performance.
The Heart: A 1,050hp Hybrid V8
At the core of the 849 is an evolution of Ferrari’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, paired with three electric motors.
- The petrol engine alone churns out 830hp and 842Nm.
- The e-motors contribute another 220hp, taking the tally to a staggering 1,050hp.
- A 7.5kWh battery allows for short bursts of all-electric driving.
This isn’t just raw muscle—it’s carefully engineered performance. Ferrari shaved weight wherever possible, using new alloys and lighter internals, so that the car still tips the scales at 1,570kg, the same as the outgoing SF90.
Performance That Bends Physics
Numbers barely do justice to what the 849 can achieve.
- 0–100kph in under 2.3 seconds.
- Top speed north of 330kph.
- A Fiorano lap time of 1:17.5, a full second quicker than the SF90.
For those who live for the track, the Assetto Fiorano pack takes things up another notch, cutting 30kg and adding hardcore aerodynamic tweaks. Stopping power has also been upgraded, with beefier carbon-ceramic brakes working in tandem with regenerative braking from the hybrid system.
Design: Not Retro, but Revolutionary
Many expected Ferrari to borrow cues from the old Testarossa’s slatted sides or wedge silhouette. Instead, design chief Flavio Manzoni chose the opposite route.
The 849 looks forward, not back. A blacked-out nose graphic, sculpted side intakes, and a rear dominated by a split spoiler and diffuser give it a futuristic, almost concept-like stance. A glass engine cover teases the V8 beneath.
The aero is as functional as it is dramatic. Ferrari claims the 849 produces 25% more downforce at 240kph compared to the SF90—proof that the beauty here is more than skin deep.
Inside: Built Around the Driver
Climb inside and you’ll find Ferrari has struck a balance between high-tech minimalism and old-school usability.
- Physical buttons return to the steering wheel after years of touch controls.
- A floating console houses the drive selectors, a nod to Ferrari’s gated-shifter heritage.
- A split cockpit layout wraps the driver in a racing-inspired environment, while the passenger gets their own digital display.
It’s futuristic, yes—but still very much a Ferrari cabin.
Tech That Thinks Ahead
The 849 also debuts Ferrari’s FIVE (Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator) system, first previewed on the F80 concept.
Unlike traditional stability systems that react to what the car is doing, FIVE predicts what the car will do, using a constantly updated digital twin of the vehicle’s dynamics. That data helps it manage everything from torque vectoring to traction control in real time.
Combined with the new Slip Slide Control 9.0, the result is sharper handling that feels natural, not intrusive.
Conclusion
The Ferrari 849 Testarossa is not a retro rebirth—it’s a technological milestone. By reviving one of its most evocative names for its most advanced car, Ferrari has made a statement: the future of Maranello’s supercars will be electrified, intelligent, and blisteringly fast.
Deliveries begin in early 2026, with a Spider variant to follow. And while the Lamborghini Revuelto and McLaren’s hybrids provide fierce competition, Ferrari’s new flagship shows that the Prancing Horse still sets the pace.
For enthusiasts, the Testarossa is no longer just a poster car from the past—it’s a 1,050hp vision of the future.