Ferrari revives Testarossa name with 849 plug-in hybrid producing 1,035 bhp

Ferrari has resurrected the Testarossa name for a new model, unveiling the 849 Testarossa on Tuesday in Milan and billing it as the Italian marque’s most powerful series-production road car. The new-era Testarossa uses a plug-in hybrid drivetrain producing 1,035 bhp, accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 2.35 seconds and is expected to exceed 205 mph at top speed.

The 849 Testarossa was revealed at an invite-only event in the Italian fashion capital, with Ferrari confirming European starting prices of €460,000 for the coupe and €500,000 for the Spider. First deliveries of the coupe are expected in spring 2026, with the open-top Spider due to reach customers in autumn 2026. UK pricing has not yet been announced.

Ferrari said the 849’s powertrain is a development of the system used in the SF90 it replaces. The package pairs a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 rated at 818 bhp with three electric motors that together add 217 bhp, drawing energy from a 7.45 kWh lithium-ion battery. The car can be driven in electric-only mode for up to 18 miles before the combustion engine engages. Power is routed through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

Despite the historic badge, the new Testarossa departs visually from the 1984 road car that most enthusiasts associate with the name. Ferrari said the design is "futuristic yet deeply historically rooted," but the 849 lacks the pop-up headlights, the large side strakes and rear grille characteristic of the original. Chief designer Flavio Manzoni said the team felt it was their "duty to create something new," pointing instead to rear "twin-tail" architecture inspired by the 1970s 512 S racer and to "sharp and geometric lines" that reference later models.

Ferrari acknowledged that the 849 is in many respects a heavily reworked successor to the SF90 rather than an all-new platform. The two models share the same weight, though the Testarossa Spider is about 90 kilograms heavier than the outgoing SF90 Spider. The coupe’s dry weight is listed at 1,570 kg; Ferrari offers an Assetto Fiorano track package that reduces weight by roughly 30 kg and adds upgrades to suspension, tyres and bodywork for an additional €52,500.

Aerodynamic changes are intended to deliver greater downforce and cooling. The 849 is 8 mm longer than the SF90 and, according to Ferrari, generates 25 percent more rear downforce at 150 mph thanks to a redesigned underfloor and diffuser and to two rear wing sections that contribute to rear downforce. Large side intake vents accommodate enlarged intercoolers, and complex aluminium panels required about two years to tool and produce.

Inside, Ferrari has moved away from a conventional stacked dashboard and does not include a central infotainment touchscreen. Instead, the driver receives information through a digital instrument cluster while the passenger has a separate letterbox-style display. A modern interpretation of a gated manual shifter provides tactile control over the automatic gearbox.

The 849 nameplate continues a long line of Testarossa and Testa Rossa models dating back to Ferrari’s 500 TR racer more than seven decades ago, though the marque and many journalists note that most associations with the name derive from the 1984 mid-engine road car. Ferrari explained that the "849" designation refers to the engine’s eight cylinders and to the displacement expressed as 49 decilitres from the 3,990 cc unit.

Ferrari framed the launch as a continuation of the brand’s evolution toward electrified performance. The company said the 849 will be its most powerful series-production road car at launch, producing nearly 50 bhp more than the SF90 it succeeds. Optional configurations and long option lists, typical of Ferrari’s bespoke ordering process, are expected to increase customer prices beyond the stated base figures.

European orders for the coupe start at €460,000 (approximately £398,250), with the Spider priced at €500,000 (about £432,900). The Assetto Fiorano package is listed at an additional €52,500 (roughly £45,450). Ferrari has not released UK pricing or global production volumes. The company has said deliveries will begin in 2026.