Your eyes are not fooling you. The Ferrari Testarossa will stand as one of the most iconic designs to ever reach production. If you have always pictured yourself in an Italian convertible blasting down the beach, it’s not the car for you. That’s because Ferrari officially built one Testarossa without a roof. Convertibles were simply not popular when the car was designed.
American manufacturers quit the convertible business in 1976 due to lack of demand. It left a hole in the industry that was filled by companies like American Sunroof Corporation, who worked with McLaren to build convertible versions of the Mustang and Camaro. Enzo was adamant about not offering convertible versions of the Berlinetta Boxer and the Testarossa, but a special request from an old friend couldn’t be denied. Gianni Agnelli was the third generation owner of Fiat. Under his leadership, the family assumed control of Lancia, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo. Enzo and Gianni had mutual interests in each other’s brands, so Mr. Agnelli was probably the only person who could ask for a convertible.
His silver Spider is the only official model, but it sparked a demand for more versions. The process of transforming a coupe into a convertible is easier said than done, so it took a serious effort by the aftermarket to make it happen. An Italian coachbuilder accepted the challenge and produced a stunning Spider. The industry consensus is that 25 cars were built, ordered by celebrities and the wealthy. The cost of the conversion was around $40,000 (not including the Testarossa) in 1986, which equals $90,000 today.
A Testarossa with the top down offers a silhouette all its own. Everything flows as gracefully as the coupe, which makes us wonder why the factory passed up on such an opportunity. Legend says the builders had factory support in the build process which is why they came out so clean. This is the only example we’ve seen in years, and it might be one of only a few survivors. Click on the link below for all the details from Ferrari-Maserati of Fort Lauderdale and have a great weekend!
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