Ferrari 849 Testarossa Styling

Jerry, in an interview with Auto&Design on January 7, 2025, about the F80, Flavio Manzoni was quite clear concerning the black visor containing the headlights, which debuted on the 12-cylinder. Manzoni explained, "We wanted to avoid the typical anthropomorphic effect whereby the headlights look like eyes, the grille like a mouth. The effect is perhaps less romantic but more sophisticated, and the result is more modern, futuristic, and simple." Manzoni continued, "This is when we went further: we surpassed our codes and created something unique that went beyond the typical aesthetic conics of cars and referred to futurism, speed, and elegance. To enable this transition, we moved beyond classic human lines to approach those of the most cutting aeronautics."

From Flavio Manzoni's words, one cannot deduce that he now hates seeing a face effect on the front of a car. However, he's been clear that the anthropomorphic effect is already somewhat old-fashioned and unsophisticated. The question Auto&Design didn't ask F.M., but which I would have asked him, is this:
F.M. have you lost track or forgotten that the Iconas have fronts with an anthropomorphic effect and they are by far, and by a huge margin, the best designs you've produced so far since 2018?

 

In fact, he considers that what dates a car and makes it not age well are the headlights ( and he s right ).
Hence the objective of making them disappear as much as possible, since it is now forbidden to make pop-ups, which remains an ideal (the SP3 pursues this objective of semi-pop-ups).

 

They all said that it induced immense emotions while driving it. Stop associating driving emotions just with sound. They also said that it sounds amazing inside, which is still besides the point, as sound is just one of the many factors that make a driving experience emotional.

 

I suspect that these black bars will age far less gracefully than, say, the 458's headlights. Which still look quite fresh, and will always look beautiful to my eyes.

Futurism rarely ages well.

I'd prefer he stick with the "typical aesthetic conics of cars" than seek inspiration from sources unrelated to Ferrari's heritage.

 

As far as sound goes. The Ferrari V12 is the iconic sound. The V8 is fine, but really it is the V12 howling that inviscerates everything else. So, if you’re going to complain about sound and losing “soul” (whatever the heck that means) then complain about V12 not being in every model. That is the heart of the issue. If it is not a V12, it is not a proper Ferrari.

 

I agree. What truly makes it a shame to me beyond the immediate aesthetic, is that I've driven home in the dark with 458s, 488s, LaFs in the rear view mirror and it left no doubt in my mind what was sneaking up on me - gives you a rush in the stomach waiting for them to pass. Seeing the new non-characteristic blackbarred headlights, I don't think I'd get it right within the first 5 guesses.

 

You're right, we're going to delete the whole history of music, from classical to pop rock, because ultimately music doesn't provide any emotions...and even less when you're the conductor yourself with the left and right steering wheel paddles instead of drumsticks...
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For whatever its worth, my own take it the sound is sadly a victim of the regulations. This has happened in the past as well. And that put the owners of these Ferraris in a position of having to modify them in some way or other, or live with the quiet exhaust. Compare a stock 250 GT ("SWB") to a stock 550 Maranello. Both front engine V12. By comparison the 550 is very quiet. And power to weight is probably not far off despite the 550 having considerably more power. Also, if you drive a 275 (Im picking this because of the independent rear suspension) against a 550, you might be surprised at just how modern the 275 feels in its handling/ or how the 550 doesn't seem like much progress was made in suspension technology in 30 years....

We were just lucky to live through a true golden age of automobiles- I will submit to you all, that while the 1950s-60s was truly golden, with the 70s and 80s being a real low point as a general rule (there were some amazing exceptions during these years); I would say from about 2005 through about 2019 was a true golden era, where all the stars aligned between engineeing, sound, styling, quality, drivability and livability.

We are now in the modern version of the 197s0-1980s; but, at least we are not having to live with cars that drive so much worse, as was the case then, including with considerably less power. Sadly, as has been the case when they went turbo, the sound has been sacrificed. And @REALZEUS , I think you are saying sound is not the only thing, to which I agree, but also sound is still important, as it has been noted many times before, put most succinctly by our very own @Traveller . Ferraris are about emotion, so they can't afford to lose the sound. And to that end, they have done an overall fantastic job on the 296 models. There is something about the V8s, though, that makes it difficult for them to obtain, at least for me, what I'd call a pleasant and engaging sound. This started with the 488, it's just a bit monotone, again, at least to me.

@MDEL Mario, I remember reading that interview, you might have been the one to originally post it, I have a little bit of a different point of view. I don't see Mr. Manzoni's words as saying he hates the "anthropomorphic effect", but rather, that he is moving on. That's what I mean when I say artists like to move forward, and push the boundaries. I also think his mission is to oversee a larger portfolio of cars, it's no longer 4 models and a supercar every decade. It used to be V8 GT, V8 Sports (Mid engine), V12 GT (4 seater) V12 sports, and the supercar. Now it's V8 GT (Amalfi), V6 mid engine, V8 mid engine, V12 4 seater, V12 sports (12 Cilindri), Icona, and the supercar. He's got to make it work amoung all of them. And I wonder how much input he has with the race cars. It seems like a lot to manage.

@day355 that makes perfect sense but if you disappear the headlights, then you are creating a look that, as @NGooding points out, will also be associated with this era, so isn't it too dated. The reality is they had to move past the look of the 458 era. And they do have Icona to be romantic- and they should! Note, I think they did continue this with the Roma, but also, my opinion, regrettably, moved past it on the Amalfi, which I really don't care for, though I have not seen it in person.

I am just a guy who loves cars, Ferrari, in particular, and even though I dont love everything Mr. Manzoni and his team have done, to me, overall, I think they've done a great job.

 

You totally distorted the meaning of my post. First of all, and this is of the utmost importance, we are talking about driving emotions here, not music. You want to listen to music? Go to a music hall or buy a high-end stereo. Secondly, even within the context of driving, I said that sound is one of the many parameters that may induce emotions. If you think that cars are all about the sound and nothing else, you are an audiophile, not a petrolhead.

I agree that sound is a factor (for some people more important than others), but as you agreed it is not the only one. At any rate, Ferrari channels the engine sound inside the cabin, thus the auditory experience has not been totally lost (might even be louder than in the old days). The problem is when people hear a car from the outside and say that Ferraris (or any other new car) are emotionless nowadays. What an uninformed statement that is. Even if they were much quieter inside (which is debatable about how much they are), there would still be a myriad of reasons to get emotional whilst driving (the actual art of harnessing the dynamic attributes of a self-propelled machine). Unless one does not actually like driving, but is only interested in making vroom-vroom sounds to grab the attention of bystanders...

 

That’s not true. 308 GT4 looks fabulous these days, as does Lotus Esprit, Lamborghini Countach and the latest Ford GT to name a few. Countach succeeded Miura and gave an ideal example of the point. The Miura was a stunning design but the Countach made more poster walls, endures in terms of both beauty and presence and serves as a far more iconic shape that has come to define Lamborghini for four generations and counting. As with the others it is ageing beautifully. So will F80.

 

Sound is an important element of a car’s appeal but you have to have it in the right context. Static rev matches are not what most owners globally really care about unless they are just buyers for show. “Look! My car sounds great when it’s not going anywhere.” When the throttle is open and the engine fully under load then you can hear what it’s all about. Spectators rarely get to hear that properly, even on a racetrack. In car sound in F1 is completely different to exterior sound.

It’s certainly true that the 812 SF, for example, sounds way better than a Pista. Not necessarily louder from the driver’s seat but sweeter and far more sonorous against the Pista’s brutalist tone. We recently went to Croatia for a drive. The mileage was not high because the cars were transported there and back, so it meant we could use a more mileage-sensitive car. The choice was Comp or XX. I absolutely love the Comp, probably my favourite of our cars. Yet we took the XX and squeezed into it with a week’s worth of luggage too! Why did I put up with such an inconvenience to drive a lesser-sounding car? Because on mountain roads the XX is a blast to drive. And that takes into account sound, linked to handling response, linked to power delivery etc. On those roads I would have missed the more wieldy, mid-engined XX if we had taken the Comp.

Quality of sound is much more important than quantity. Plus, the one who pays the now very large entry fee for one of these things is who designers should concentrate on. Valkyrie sounds great outside but a mess inside. Fail. The appeal to owner-drivers is how the sound makes you feel engaged with the car. Exhaust is what happens after the event, induction is part of the event itself and is therefore at least as important. Something heard by the driver more than the onlooker and unaffected materially by the EU regulations. We have a Spyder RS. I have never once pressed the sports exhaust button because I wouldn’t ever hear it. The induction is so loud inside the car and it sounds epic, an incredible sounding machine.

When you’re 12, static rev matches are fun. When you’re privileged enough to be able to drive one, that just isn’t what is going to justify the expense. Someone said the turbos are quieter (true) but Pista is an absolutely brilliant driving tool. Well worth the entry price and far ahead of the standard 458 which many would say ‘sounds’ better. To drive, and to smile broadly while doing it, don’t ever choose the 458 Italia over a Pista.

I am no fan of EU regulations but sometimes they have a point. I know things are socially different in the US but here in Europe, it has started to feel very uncomfortable to drive quickly and deafen everyone while doing it. Ferrari is a European car. Buy American if you want massive noise because it is one regulation that is not going to reverse. In that context, 849 Testarossa is bound to sound milder than its probable future XX version. As for the current SF90 XX, it sounds great, not outstanding in terms of volume but very engaging in terms of driving, especially the gear changes which are oh-so aggressive. But it will win only one rev match. With an EV.

Judging sound on a YouTube or instagram video is completely pointless. It tells you precisely nothing about what you feel when you’re driving these things. And that’s when the real magic happens.

 

Jerry, the latest Ferraris were intentionally designed to avoid anthropomorphism, with Mr. Manzoni explicitly stating that he wanted to prevent the eye-like headlights and the mouth-like grille. However, this in itself doesn't have to be a negative thing, as throughout the history of automotive design, the sports cars that are among the most beautiful of all time were characterized by being the least anthropomorphic of their era. I'm thinking of the fronts of the E-type and the Miura, where the round headlights are the only thing one might associate with humans (the led slim front strip headlights weren't invented yet).
I recognize that art is something that matures, and that artists like F.M. develop their own unique style, often influenced by the artistic movement of their time. However, whether with or without more anthropomorphism, I think that in the end, it all comes down to one thing - the quality of the design.
For my personal taste, F.M.'s latest creations, with front black visors to purposely force anti-anthropomorphism, don't appeal to me at all. Looking at the SP3's more anthropomorphic front design, I still think it's by far F.M.'s best creation in recent years.