Goodbye SF90, hello Ferrari 849 Testarossa
Maranello's new plug-in supercar gets retro Le Mans looks, 1,050hp twin-turbo V8 hybrid
It’s been six years since the SF90 Stradale launched as Ferrari's first plug-in hybrid and, aside from the track-focused XX, it’s been left completely unchanged ever since. So an update is due, one we’ve expected for quite some time given the sheer volume of pap shots showing heavily camouflaged test mules plastered with yellow, high-voltage stickers. What we didn’t see coming, though, is the name Ferrari has decided to call it. Feast your eyes on Ferrari’s new 849 Testarossa.
Clearly, that’s a name with some cavernous boots to fill, and one that hasn’t been used since the original became an '80s icon. But there are no side strakes here, both doors have mirrors and the V8’s cam covers, while red, are buried so low in the cockpit that it’s easy to miss them. Instead, the name’s been revived to mark the 70th anniversary of the original Testarossa, the 500 TR, and to signify the 849 as one of the most powerful models in the range. Yes, Ferrari marks all of its cam covers red and has done for decades, but cracking out the Testarossa name is a statement no matter how you cut it.
Ferrari bods will tell you that it’s a reflection off the technical strides that have been made over the SF90 Stradale, and they may have a point. While the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 lives to fight another day in the 849 (which, by the way, refers to eight cylinders and the individual capacity of each one), it’s been extensively upgraded with new cylinder heads, exhaust manifolds, plenums and revised valvetrain. Even the block is new. But the big change here are the new turbos, the largest fitted to a Ferrari production car, which make use of the F80’s low-friction bearings and the 296 GT3’s heat shielding for greater efficiency. That all means the combustion engine alone now develops 830hp, a 50hp increase over the old SF90 and 20hp more than the XX version.
Bigger turbos have naturally required a fair bit more cooling (15 per cent more according to Ferrari), so the bodywork has been opened up to help drive airflow towards a new F80-donated intercooler. The hybrid system, meanwhile, has been carried over with no major changes to the hardware, meaning you get the same trio of motors (one at the back and two up front) plus 16 miles of electric-only running, though the software has been recalibrated for smoother torque delivery and improved energy recovery. Bringing both elements of the combined 1,050hp powertrain together, as well as a tweaked eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, nets you a 0-62mph time of 2.25 seconds while 0-124mph takes just 6.35 seconds - 0.25 and 0.4 secs quicker than the old car respectively.
Underpinning the 849 Testarossa is the same aluminium architecture as before, and yet despite the larger turbos and beefier intercooler, the 1,570kg dry weight is identical to that of the SF90. Part of that comes down to a heavily revised suspension setup which, when paired with one of the four tailor-made tyre options, saves up to 35 per cent compared to the outgoing model and reduces body roll by 10 per cent. Naturally, the brakes have been beefed up, too, with 420mm discs up front and 370mm at the back, as well as new rear calipers.
Then there’s the technology. The SF90 was arguably the firm’s most advanced car when it arrived in 2019, and the firm is building on that by introducing its ABS Evo brake-by-wire system and Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator (FIVE) from the F80. The former aims to provide a more consistent braking feel, while the latter uses hi-tech sensors to create a digital ‘estimation’ of certain parameters, like the yaw angle, that otherwise cannot be accurately measured on the fly. It then uses that date to adjust the traction control and torque vectoring to keep the platform in the optimum window. Seriously clever stuff that, Ferrari says, will be imperceptible to most drivers, but the end result is a quicker lap time, as reflected by the 1.5-second improvement around Fiorano.
Clearly a lot there to digest, there, so let’s take five to assess the all-new look. Unlike the recently revealed Amalfi, which was clearly an updated Roma, the 849 Testarossa looks nothing like the SF90 it replaces, the only visible carryover being the glasshouse and roof. Despite the Testarossa name, Ferrari design chief Flavio Manzoni conceded that there isn’t a single element on the new car that calls back to its namesake. Instead, the inspiration here is the sub-zero cool 512S and 512M race cars from the '70s, namely the twin-tail rear deck and the high shoulder line over the rear arches. It’s all functional, too, with the 849 generating an additional 25kg of downforce at 155mph over its predecessor.
Inside, you get a new steering wheel that ditches the old car’s frustrating haptic controls for physical buttons (hooray!) and the cockpit’s been redesigned with a more wraparound feel for those in the driver’s seat. Luggage space is as limited as the old car, save for a small, 74-litre compartment under the bonnet, a bit space behind the seats (which is eradicated on the Spider), and that’s it.
You’ll be able to spec the Assetto Fiorano package from the off, which saves 30kg courtesy of additional carbon fibre and titanium parts, and comes with a more aggressive aero package that piles on 25 per cent more downforce. First deliveries for customers in the UK will be towards the second half of 2026, with a Spider version following soon after, bringing you closer to the 849’s retuned exhaust note at the cost of a slight (90kg) weight penalty. Prices start at 460,000 euros, or 500,000 euros for the Spider, with the Assetto Fiorano package setting you back an extra 52,000 euros.
Strong money, but you’re still getting performance that’s just shy of the F80’s for a sixth of the price. Admittedly, it was the same story for the SF90 and while Ferrari doesn’t release sales figures for individual models, lacklustre residuals - as this lightly-used Assetto Fiorano example for £299,995 shows - hasn’t painted this most hyper of supercars in the best light. The cynic would say that reviving the Testarossa name is a ploy to address that, but Le Mans racer looks and a cabin with proper buttons may be all that’s needed.
kinglutely awful How many of these will ever be driven at even 9/10ths (which would require a track)?
They might as well sell a range of track only cars which can be properly optimised without needing to be road legal and make their road cars more relevant for the road (ie simpler, lighter and yes, slower.)
Porsche have got it right by capping the GT3 at around 500hp, saying openly that more would not improve them.
And now seems the time to note the 911's boring, though consistent, style.
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