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1988 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe. Stunning, Very Rare Example. No Reserve! on 2040-cars

US $65,000.00
Year:1988 Mileage:26060
Location:

United States

United States
Advertising:

1988.5 FERRARI TESTAROSSA COUPE.  Classic Red over Camel Hides.  Very low mileage, well-maintained example. 

 

This is a spectacular opportunity to acquire an incredible example of one of the world’s iconic Italian supercars in superb condition.  A rapidly appreciating Testarossa, specifically a 1988 mid-year model when the wheels and many other upgrades were introduced, this special example features the ideal Ferrari livery combination: Red, Tan, Black (obviously standard Testarossa dashes were chocolate brown).  Years ago, the current owner spent three years seeking out this ideal combination worldwide until finding the ideal, well-maintained vehicle to add to his/her collection.

This Testarossa is owned by a significant private collector in the Mid-Atlantic and has been his principal driving classic for years.

As is obvious in the photos (all of which were taken in advance of this listing on June 28, 2014), the car is in extraordinarily straight condition.  It has been aggressively maintained without concern at expense throughout the owner’s tenure. 

As you would expect:  The vehicle starts instantly and performs flawlessly.  The leather headliner is perfect, the high performance tires have ca. 90% remaining: Note tire nobs still visible in the photos.

No hangar queen, this vehicle is driven biweekly and has never been on a track for any reason to the seller’s knowledge. 

Despite the vehicle’s amazing condition, seller classifies it as technically a driver given ever slight signs of age of the vehicle, evidenced in the photography.  Among items, the car does have things like flawlessly matched road chips, very minor wheel scuffs, and leather scuffs/dash edging that betray to a judge or collector it’s not a 2014 model.  That said, all photos in this listing were taken on an unforgiving sunny afternoon to betray any flaws.  Obviously they are few and hard to identify. 

The car is stunning and is photographed at almost every stop light by adjacent drivers.   It is far and away the most attention grabbing automobile, Ferrari or otherwise, that seller has ever owned.

Should prospective buyers wish to see or inspect the vehicle, seller can arrange for the vehicle’s transport and mechanical inspection (fully at the prospect’s sole expense) in the care of one of America’s very few Factory-authorized Ferrari Master Mechanics.  Because the vehicle is currently at a secure, second home private location with armed security, there will be no inspection on other terms.  As a policy, seller does not allow test drives of any collection vehicle.  Thank you for your interest.

Of course this vehicle includes Ferrari tools, books, and records to include original window sticker copy from Walnut Creek Ferrari, California ($135, 050.00 USD).

WHY THIS CAR?

This car model is an extraordinary piece of automotive history.  It is an iconic, stunning design with shapes and curves that still stop the seller in his tracks years into his ownership.  The side grills, feeding separate engine banks, still amaze and their graceful slope make the car smoother and smoother as the car speeds up.  Kids and folk in the forties and fifties still ask if they can take their photo with the seller at every fuel stop.  For some reason, this car model has come to embody the supercar of the 1980s, without the ergonomic and mechanical baggage that many of us have experienced with other Italian supercars of the same period. 

The Testarossa market is indeed showing life and this vehicle likely well represents a credible opportunity to secure a position in that rising market.  Unlike the early and later eight cylinders, the Testarossa remains the most affordable largely handcrafted twelve cylinder Ferraris.  With a tubular frame, it is also a relatively advanced and straightforward design with modern adaptations beyond the achievements of the Boxer Series.  This example will flourish and allow the next owner to enjoy and drive the vehicle a great deal during this appreciation phase before exiting, in many years, with a still-low mileage, clean and perfectly optioned example.

SERVICE STATUS:

The car has been aggressively maintained by the current owner by factory trained mechanics throughout his tenure.  An experienced Ferrari collector, the vehicle has been maintained constantly without price being an object.  In preparation for the listing, the vehicle had a typical annual service and what he refers to as biannual private sorting, e.g. perfect fresh battery, fresh dual window switches, fluid services, etc…  (Done by Competizione’s Master Ferrari Mechanics the week of 23 June 2014).

As mentioned above, the vehicle is driven usually at least biweekly and has no storage/idling issues common to virtually every other Ferrari that is only stored, polished and shown.  It is driven and used and in tremendous mechanical repair as a result.

Of course the vehicle had a full engine out (30k service) and clutch replacement service at Ferrari of Washington at 20560 miles (5500 miles ago).  Seller is aware of no outstanding service needs.  As obvious in the photos, the engine bay is extremely straight and clean.  (Note that the original flaking foam deck lid insulation is long gone.  Lid lighting cables have been wrapped and protected in aviation grade heat sheathing.

Seller would embark instantly on a coast to coast drive in this vehicle from the garage without either hesitation or preparation of any kind to the vehicle.

TERMS:

This is indeed a NO RESERVE AUCTION.  Seller intends fully to honor any authentic bids made. 

To prevent any misunderstandings:  Please ask any questions in advance.  Seller is a very private party and not a car dealer;  Unfortunately please ask any and all questions before bidding as any deal is fortunate, but final.  Assume there is nothing beyond the photographed.  Buyer must provide for a significant deposit within 48 hours and payment in full by cashier check, certified funds or wire transfer within seven calendar days.  If you cannot afford the vehicle, please do not bid.  If the successful bidder fails to meet any term, seller will immediately issue a second offer to the next fortunate bidder.

This will be an extraordinary addition to any collection.  There are lots of clean, strange colored TRs on the market or others that were inappropriately cared for during their lives.  If you know the market and these cars well, you’ve likely already realized this is a special vehicle.

Heartfelt thanks for your interest.  Best of luck in your own auto pursuits and adventures….whatever they may be!

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2016 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix recap: another wild show on and off track

Mon, Apr 18 2016

Normally we use this space to provide a lengthy recap of the weekend's Formula 1 race, but we're going to try something different since most folks reading this know what happened at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday. Instead, we'll alight on what we saw as the big issues in and around the race. Let us know what you think in Comments. Proper qualifying is back. Thank goodness. It only took a month of embarrassment to fix it. And so is passing! For the third race in a row, big performance improvements at the ten teams behind Mercedes-AMG Petronas and a wider tire selection at this race graced us with opening stints filled with dicing cars. Seeing the McLarens on screen doesn't make us cringe. Manor doesn't only make the global feed when it's being lapped. We've been complaining about parade races for so long that we forgot excitement was possible without rain or wholesale regulation changes. Yes, Mercedes is still the king of the jungle, but there are some other proper midfield beasts on the hunt, too. Malfunctions up and down the grid did help the show in Shanghai, like Lewis Hamilton suffering perpetual troubles, Nico Hulkenberg's runaway front wheel which red-flagged Q2, and Sebastian Vettel's and Kimi Raikkonen's flubbed hot laps in Q3 that let Daniel Ricciardo slip by into second on the grid. Come race day things went all Grand Theft Auto at Turn 1 on the opening lap, sending some of the best cars to the pits. Then came Ricciardo's puncture while leading, then came the Safety Car – all by Lap 5. Nico Rosberg got 38 seconds of airtime on the way to victory – at the start and the finish, and that happened to be his margin of victory, too – otherwise he was a ghost. Everyone else was struggling and juggling. Rosberg's win at the Bahrain Grand Prix put the German at five consecutive victories going back to last year's Mexican Grand Prix. The history books show that any driver who's won five straight contests has gone on to win the championship. With his triumph in China, the German has won the season's first three races, the history books again show that the other nine drivers who've pulled that off have gone on to win the championship. Rosberg, 36 points ahead of his teammate in the standings, is having none of it. He said of the other victors, "But they didn't have Lewis Hamilton as their team-mate." Perhaps Mercedes was right not to make an engine deal with Red Bull last season.

Weekly Recap: Ferrari plans to gradually increase production by 2019

Sat, Oct 17 2015

Ferrari has long been known for the exclusivity of its performance machines. It's on a different level than Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes. But as it transitions to a new era of independence from Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari is going to get a little less exclusive. It's by design, and it means a subtle, slow ramp-up of production – a move Ferrari believes will ensure its future by meeting growing demand in new markets. The strategy was detailed in SEC documents filed this month as part of the company's pending stock offering. The files reveal Ferrari will gradually increase shipments to about 9,000 units per year by 2019. This is a reversal of Ferrari's 2013 plans to cap production at 7,000 cars annually, which it hit on the nose that year. Ferrari shipments inched up to 7,255 in 2014, though that's down from 2012's record tally of 7,405. Ferrari is a vastly different operation than it was in 2013. Longtime chairman Luca di Montezemolo stepped down last fall, and FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne has been overseeing the company since then. Its IPO has attracted high levels of attention from enthusiasts and investors. As expected, demand has reportedly outstripped the availability of the stock, which has an estimated offering price of $48 to $52 a share. Speaking of more Ferraris, the company revealed a limited-edition model this week called the F12tdf (shown above). Based on the F12 Berlinetta, the car is a salute to the Tour de France endurance auto race that Ferrari dominated in the 1950s and '60s. The V12 engine's output increases to 769 horsepower, while weight is cut by 243 pounds – allowing for a sprint to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Dramatic carbon-fiber elements and a radical redesign of the body panels give the F12 a more dramatic look. It will be limited to 799 units over the life of the car. If this is how Ferrari is increasing production, we're more than okay with the company's new strategy. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Tesla software unlocks Autopilot features Tesla released the latest version of its software for the Model S this week, which allows the all-electric sedan to drive in a semi-autonomous state called Autopilot. Tesla Version 7.0 enables the Model S to maintain lane position, change lanes by touching the turn signal, and manage the car's speed using an advanced, traffic-sensing cruise control. It also has a parallel parking feature, which searches for open spots and then parks your Tesla.

1990 Riva 32 speedboat is a 780 hp seagoing Ferrari

Tue, May 3 2016

This is a 1990 Riva Ferrari 32, and it's going up for auction later this month in Monaco. The vessel resulted from a collaboration between the automaker and Italian shipyard Riva – which has also provided the basis for classic wooden speedboats for the founder of Lamborghini and the designer of McLarens. The Ferrari-influenced craft measures 32 feet in length with a pair of V8 engines under the aft deck capable of propelling it up to 60 miles per hour. Rather than make a marine version of one of its road-going engines, as Lamborghini has, the Riva Ferrari was powered by Vulcano 400 marine engines each displacing 8.0 liters and good for 390 horsepower. Only 40 examples were ever made, of which this is the 28th. RM Sotheby's anticipates it will fetch upwards of $200,000 when the gavel drops at Le Sporting in Monte Carlo, which is about what you'd pay for a California T these days. Matching red Wayfarers and gold Rolex not included. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1990 Riva Ferrari 32 View 20 Photos News Source: RM Sotheby'sImage Credit: Cymon Taylor / RM Sotheby's Ferrari Auctions boat RM Sotheby's