i'm skeptical that is original paint
+1 -- might be the original color, but that's had a lot of extra paintwork. We've seen many with the front spoiler and side rocker panels painted body color, but that's the first one that I can recall with the rear grill and rear exhaust grill painted body color (hard to tell if the front grill is also body color or not). More black exterior details to contrast with that beautiful color would be better IMO.
Grill is black with what may be some overspray in the upper left corner next to the turn signal lens. Both the grill and area behind it look very clean. Overspray visible in 105,106.
How heavy was the clutch on the Testarossa? Everyone complained about the gated shifter, until they no longer could get one. (funny, how that works) I'm more interested in the clutch/steering/gearbox feel. Thanks
A lot of YouTube reviews make a big show of the heavy clutch but it’s really only slightly heavier than other manuals. You won’t even notice it unless you’re in a traffic jam.
It’s much heavier then your average springy Japanese clutch but it’s only a touch heavier then your average similar era European clutch. I’ve done stop go and never had an issue. My leg has never gotten tired, sore, or anything. I actually think that the clutch is very very easy to use. I don’t notice it as being any heavier or harder to use then my old 328. I never understood the complaint people had about it being very heavy or making their legs tired? I am not extremely physically fit or anything but I’ve never had an issue. Seriously unless you have severe claudication issues you will be fine. Yes the gearbox is very notchy… if you manhandle it it does not like it at all. I actually think it feels almost exactly the same as my old 328. Both best when warm. Do NOT let first drive impressions sway you because it changes dramatically when the gearbox is warm.
I have put prob 15k miles on Testarossas in Los Angeles traffic over the years, no big deal but I do bike 30 miles a day so my calf muscles are prob a little stronger than most.
Totally agree, haven't driven mine in a few years but did this morning, I almost find the clutch light. I've always somewhat short shifted 1-2 when cold, within 5 minutes 2nd was as easy as any gear..
Much heavier than your mom would expect; much lighter than you would expect. The gated shifter is SUBLIME when warm, but requires finesse. Like every part of a TR, it rewards a careful, knowledgeable driver and punishes an ignorant one. If you’re here, you’ll probably love it. Testarossas are very sensitive to shifter linkage adjustments. Adjustments are free and easy to make, but it takes lots of time and fiddling to get it just right, and with expectations of the shift feel so low I think many owners settle for a poorly adjusted shifter because they think it’s just supposed to feel like that. When I bought my TR a year ago, I was expecting it to be awful to drive. I didn’t care … that was just my expectation, and I wanted the car anyways. I was so misinformed by decades of complainy auto journaists. She’s easy as can be, and her quirks only make her more interesting — never tiresome. (Ok, almost never. Three-point turns are a PITA with fat tires and no power steering.) If cost was no object, I would certainly make her my daily driver. She’s plenty easy enough to live with. A 575 is a wonderful modern car, but to me the TR still has one foot firmly planted in the classic era, and delivers much more to an appreciative owner because of that. It isn’t only a V12 Ferrari; it’s an icon that practically defined a generation. If you can, you must.
That's very interesting. I find the gear shifting much harder than expected on my 512TR, I wonder if it is like that normally or it is the problem you describe. For an example - I never had any problems putting 2nd gear when the car is cold, but during a hard drive with a fully warmed car the last thing I can say is that it goes like "knife trough butter". I owned a 355 in the past and shifting gears was so easy it was almost day and night difference, compared to the TR.
Rumen, you should get it adjusted, The shifting is the 2nd best part, next to the screaming of the v12!
To be clear, I don't think you can ever speed-shift this car with any confidence the gears won't crunch. Every shift is two deliberate motions: into neutral first, then feel it into gear as the synchros do their thing. I don't mean double clutching -- that isn't necessary -- but moving the lever is never one smooth movement; it's two. Feel the feedback through the lever, and send it home when you feel the resistance in the lever subside. Driven this way, yes, knife through butter, but you won't ever be able to slam it into gear like in the movies. This is a good example of what I meant when I said the TR rewards careful drivers and punishes ignorant ones. You can't pretend it's a Honda and get good results, but adapting to the car isn't that hard, and is very fun and rewarding if you like that kind of thing.
