Ferrari 849 Testarossa Styling

The picture below shows the SP3 Daytona and the 849 Testarossa side by side, two cars whose names pay homage to some iconic Ferraris of the past. The SP3's shape was inspired by past racing cars such as the 330 P4 and the 250 P5 Berlinetta Speciale, but despite its references to the past, the design projects its magic into the future by showcasing its unique personality and visual character. For me, the SP3 can be summed up as follows: Flavio Manzoni's second masterpiece after the LaFerrari and IMO his greatest. In short, a modern Ferrari with a V12 NA engine and, above all, stunningly beautiful.

Looking at the SP3 and the 849 side by side in the picture, the first impression I get is that, although the former's lines are on a different level due to their timeless beauty, they share some similarities with the latter, such as the shape of the rear fenders and tailgate. For me, the 849's lines are acceptable because I can't say the car is ugly at all. However, what I think happens, as I've mentioned here several times before, is that the black vertical stripe element added to the side completely destroys the design's harmony, and this is quite evident when we see the 849 in profile.
I honestly can't understand why Flavio Manzoni resorted to this black stripe when he could have solved the design of that air duct in a much better and less destructive way. As someone already mentioned, the only explanation is that F.M. is currently in a mood where he doesn't coexist well with harmony.



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Remember how some folks thought the SP3 to be hideous?

 

The picture of 849 isn't real. It looks somewhat like the spider, but isn't that one either. Too high body behind the roof.

 

The picture is as real as Ferrari wishes because was taken from the configurator. After you mentioned isn't real I realized that a bit of the roof of the 849 was cut by the grey background. Here is another with a slightly different angle of view of the 849 this time not the same as the one of the SP3 which is essential for a good comparison. However, the new picture doesn't change what I wrote on my previous post.


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maybe the vertical piece can be body color....problem solved.

 

they do not need to go back to pininfarina.... just replace the chief design director.. who is not an architect but a true car designer.... and once i was an avid fan of mr. manzoni...

 

Glad the interior of the new car doesn’t have the ‘soulless’ central I pad screen and the meaningless double cockpit design found in the Amalfi and 12 Cilindri. After all, the passenger isn’t ever going to drive from the second seat.

 

The side skirts are shaped to meet the side stripe. Might look strange still.

 

Precisely, that theme is way overplayed IMO. Enough of that pinched waist.

 

The side band reminds me of the air intake on the 1980s Testarossa, because it says to me: engine air intake! Id also note the air intake gets its air from a scoop that runs along the top of the door and then down, a bit similar, but placed in a different spot, from the SP3.

 

I bet the 849 in person will be much better however after watching a lot of videos about the 849 I do like it.

I am reserved on final thoughts but I am having a difficult time with the side air intake black vertical strip. I reminds me of an Audi R8 but is Ferrari trying to tie in the front black strip on the nose? I think the 849 would flow a lot more and not have something that stops the eye when looking at the car if these black strips were body paint color.

 

I am pleased to see that Ferrari has decided to show more than just 3 paint colors paired with a100K optioned spec!

A least potential buyers can get an idea of how the different wheels look and how different shades of paint give a different face.

Also nice to see the standard trim in real
life-glossy black. Not just get the carbon trim idea shoved down your throat.

 

The black side stripes seem to me to be the main discordant note and source of disharmony in the 849's side design, and I think they could have been addressed much better. But who am I to give design lessons to Flavio Manzoni, who already proved again with the SP3 that he's capable of designing a masterpiece?
Lamborghini also uses black side stripes on the Aventador, and I think they fit better into its angular design.



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La parte delantera sigue siendo horrible

 

The vertical black stripe on the side seems there simply to break up the long continuous bone line going down the side. It’s slab sided and this sorta defines the rear volume.

 

Still unnecessary IMO. Bone line didn't need to be broken nor rear volume defined. It's like Manzoni thought of adding something just for the sake of it: "Too big area without anything going on, let's see..."

 

Look at the Lambo rear wheel with the lack plastic design motif. Style only!

The 849 also uses black plastic to surround the rear wheel arch. Hopefully the standard trim is shiny gloss black and not the ugly dull black plastic.

Of course Ferrari does this to sway most buyers to upgrade to Ferrari carbon fiber trim which is a money maker for the brand.

 

I’m not saying it’s necessary, just speculating why they placed it there. I also think another reason may be to make the air intake look different to that of the 296.

 

I see it as referencing the 1980s Testarossa. When I look at the black band on the new car, it almost looks like the whole thing could be a giant side air intake. Especially with the way the waist is punched up at the bottom. On the 1980s car, they needed a huge huge opening for the engine air intake and cooling, hence they developed the now iconic strakes as a way of making a giant opening more interesting and even pretty. Here I think they are giving a visual nod to the old car, without literally copying the strakes.

 

The 80’s TR was not intended with the strakes. The intake opening was too large to be road legal and they developed the strakes as a work around. It became an elegant and iconic workaround however a workaround none the less.

 

And in the 80’s when I first saw it, I thought it was dorky. It was cool to drive, though!!