TESTAROSSA IS BACK: FERRARI 849 TESTAROSSA MAKES SOUTHEAST ASIAN DEBUT

Ferrari brings back one of its most recognizable names: the Testarossa. It made its Southeast Asian debut in Bangkok, Thailand recently. Replacing the SF90 Stradale, the 849 Testarossa is the Prancing Horse's latest supercar that produces a total of 1,050 horsepower thanks to a mid-mounted twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors.

- By ULYSSES ANG

Sitting atop Ferrari's range (F80 excluded, of course), the 849 Testarossa pairs a 4.0-liter dry sump twin-turbo V8 that alone produces a formidable 830 horsepower. The F154FC engine carries over the existing displacement but features new turbochargers, cylinder heads, engine block, exhaust manifolds, and more. It's then supplemented by three electric motors, a high-voltage battery, and an inverter that bring a further 220 horsepower to the table. Ultimately, the 1,050 horsepower is a record for a production Ferrari model. Moreover, this enables it to have on-demand all-wheel drive and torque vectoring. And with a 7.45-kWh lithium-ion battery, the 849 Testarossa can be driven on pure electric mode for up to 25 kilometers.

Performance numbers are impressive: 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2.3 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h in 6.35 seconds, while braking from 200 km/h covers just 108 meters.

Like every other Ferrari before it, the 849 Testarossa recognizes that the exhaust note forms a big part of the car's character and for that, engineers have paid careful attention to "enhance the bright tones" of the combustion at high speed, while also "enriching the purity" of the low and mid-range speeds. Even the gear shift is programmed to trigger this sound by optimizing the sequence of actuations and the pressure in the combustion chamber to maximize sound intensity during lift off.