Ferrari 849 Testarossa Styling

I believe you grasp the situation. We are getting older and what we thought was cool isn't so much to the younger generation.
Beauty is still beauty, but it is constantly morphing and changing to the 'new' paradigm.
It's still universal. Across cultures there are variations as to what may constitute beauty. Look at some of the cars in China for example. Or the front ends of the last several BMW's.
There are some I've spoken with that adore the Tesla Cybertruck. Different strokes for different folks.

 

Fascinating, thanks @jm2. None of my questions were meant to imply good or bad. I'm actually not yet sure if I like or dislike the proportions. I'm mostly curious how certain design choices (or constraints, as you point out) may impact my perception of them.

I suspect you're being humble about your expertise. Regardless, you're orders of magnitude more knowledgeable about such things than me.

 

Thank you! I'm here to further design. It's important.

 

That is the problem in my opinion. Design shouldn't be by committee, it should be by dictatorship.

 

Truly, it’s only folks like you who’s opinion matters. Congratulations and enjoy designing your spec!

 

Having experienced the 2 extremes, you can make a case.
William L. Mitchell: guilty as charged! Harley J. Earl wrote the book on dictating design. Steve Jobs.
There are of course issues with that, but that's a topic for another day.

 

I just find it ironic that folks here like the SF90s design language. I happen to agree btw, the SF90 is an awesomely beautiful car. I simply mention because I remember so many fchat intelligencia roundly panning the SF90 as they are the replacement we see now.

What’s old is new again, repeat.

 

So either we didn't understand each other, or we understood each other and we don't agree.
You’ll tell me if your heart desires. What I was expressing is simple: who gave the brand this aura that it still exploits today? Well, among the buyers were Delon, Rossellini, McQueen, Newman, Eastwood, Jaeger, Mason... then wealthy industrialists who would go away for the weekend to Lake Como, and then other more discreet passionate buyers... and then the tifosi who seem unjustly scorned here, you know, those who wave giant flags in the stands since the first grand prix, who read every article in the Gazzetta dello Sport, who are present in large numbers at different events... The common point to all this is passion, which has allowed this aura to grow, again and always; undoubtedly. So today, where are we, what percentage do the enthusiasts we are here represent? 10... 20% max of Ferrari customers ? All the rest is just show-off purchase, And we know it !
Rappers have replaced rock stars, Rich YouTubers instead actors by buying a Ferrari, a pure extension of a fashion accessory.... Well, the show-off category doesn't interest me, and whether he writes the check or not is completely indifferent to me... and it certainly isn't her that contributes to the aura of the brand more than a tifosi who will never buy a Ferrari and for whom I have the greatest respect. I hope I have been clearer.

 

Some people have bad taste, what can i say!
The F12 is a masterpiece from every angle.

 

Well, i'm sorry to break this to you, Ferrari don't and never have looked to Corvette for anything.. In fact it's been always the opposite.. In Europe we have a very limited Corvette culture. Car people respect them, but a Corvette is almost never considered. Ferrari is not paying homage to a Corvette, i can promise you that.

 

I think you can draw a comparison to music. There is a sense of dissonance that will differ to people however when a design strikes a proper chord it will resonant with the majority. Even the ignorant or aloof will acknowledge that at a minimum there’s no egregious fault in it.

 

My comment was tongue in cheek, I don't think they do either, it was more meant to disparage the way the interior was done.

 

The more i see the 849, the more i love it. I'm going to Italy next week with my best mate that might be getting one to see it in real life. I will admit i have 2 styling issues with the car. The square radar cruise pod on the front, and i don't like the added rear arch extension (like the Puro has), that should be flared body work.

https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/inline-galleries/2025/09/905b699e3ccfcae23bd130f2ebbe3de9/849_Testarossa_AF_16x9_03.jpg?w=1952&h=1098
https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/inline-galleries/2025/09/8215a1920c9ebd26fa8dc99b4dcde017/849_Testarossa_AF_16x9_01.jpg?w=1952&h=1098 https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/2025/09/849_Testarossa_media_06_0.jpg

 

All good brother. But the interior is brilliant looking in pictures.

 

I’m certain that if we met in person, we’d get along and most likely be friends. I’m easy to get along with and generally very accommodating.
Online, you’ll never really know my history, who I am or where I come from, hell even people very close to me don't really know who I am unless I let them in. If you did, you might better appreciate and understand the reasons behind what I say. For me, this is mostly just internet fun, sometimes entertaining, most (sometimes) an escape. Of course, it can be frustrating too, but you can’t have the good without the bad.

I’ll leave you to your own thoughts, but I’ll share one piece of advice that often gets ignored: NEVER judge a book by its cover. The people you call “flexers” you don’t really know what’s in their hearts, what drives them, what’s genuine or artificial, or why they react the way they do. At the end of the day, we all bleed red, and I wouldn’t judge anyone I don’t truly know.

Ultimately there is no romance without finance LOL you can wave my flag but I need to get paid, romanticism is fine but it does not feed hungry mouths.

 

This car needs to be seen in person, even then, I found that stepping away is the only way to grasp the design, it's hard to explain, I love the stance but dislike the front end treatment, the front to me is a bit of a let down, I wish it were a bit more rounded and organic at the front, the rest, right after the front bar I love!

I will get a Spider AF, not sure what color.

 

Yes would say arrogant for sure, if it is true that they don’t care about the buyers at large. The design influence is totally different now for a series of models in a row. I used to want almost every model they produced back to back and would then end up buying also. Now since the suv absurdity and v12 lineup change and “electrification” craze I haven’t bought a single one or even been interested. On many levels.. I would think there are many of us who feel similarly.