This 1987 Ferrari Testarossa has an unusual and documented history: it served Ferrari as a display vehicle at the Dutch RAI Automobil Motor Show in 1987, supported by an extensive large-format photographic record of the event. The car has been part of the current consignor’s collection for 23 years and has a documented mileage of just 30,141 kilometers. The combination of red bodywork and red leather interior is supported by the available documentation; this is complemented by a documented service history and a major service including a timing belt replacement approximately four years ago.
Few sports cars embody the automotive design language of their era as directly as the Ferrari Testarossa. Its wide, low-slung body, pronounced side strakes and strongly horizontal rear end made it one of the most visually distinctive Ferraris of its generation. The spectacular appearance was paired with a classic Ferrari drivetrain concept: twelve cylinders, a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.
For this example, 4,943 cm³ displacement, twelve cylinders and 390 hp (287 kW) are documented. Power is transmitted through a manual five-speed gearbox. The car is left-hand drive and combines Ferrari’s grand touring concept with the mechanical directness that makes the Testarossa appealing to collectors today.
The bodywork is finished in red. The extensive photographic documentation shows the characteristic low front end, wide flanks with their horizontal strakes and the distinctive rear design. The overall visual impression is notably cohesive and authentic.
The paint history is particularly relevant: the former Dutch owner described the car as being in its original paint. This statement was reviewed as part of the available documentation. The car’s accident-free status has likewise been confirmed. The combination of red bodywork and red interior is documented.
Another distinctive detail concerns its appearance at the 1987 motor show. According to the verified history, Ferrari reportedly lowered the car by a few millimeters specifically for the RAI Automobil Motor Show. Given the unusual nature of this modification, it is regarded as a historically documented feature of this particular vehicle rather than a general characteristic of the Testarossa.
The interior continues the striking color scheme throughout: the seats, door panels and significant portions of the cockpit are trimmed in red leather. Combined with the red exterior, this creates a particularly confident and period-correct specification.
According to the former Dutch owner, no other Testarossa existed in precisely this red-on-red configuration. Even after reviewing the vehicle documentation, however, this statement should not be regarded as a reliable production statistic, as the available data provides no independent evidence of total production by color combination. The distinctive color specification of this particular car itself is, however, documented.
The Testarossa is powered by a 4,943 cm³ twelve-cylinder engine producing 390 hp (287 kW). Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a manual transmission. The chassis number is listed as ZFFAA17B000067557, with engine number 00114.
Approximately four years ago, the car underwent a major service with a comprehensive inspection, including a timing belt replacement. A test drive followed before the Ferrari was returned to storage. According to the seller, the engine was last started approximately three years ago and ran smoothly without issue.
Given the time elapsed since the last maintenance, another service is expressly recommended before the car is returned to regular use; the battery should also be replaced. The vehicle is currently listed as unregistered and not roadworthy. Matching Numbers have not been confirmed in the vehicle documentation and are therefore not warranted.
The provenance of this example sets it apart from an ordinary 1987 Testarossa. The car was presented as a Ferrari display vehicle at the Dutch RAI Automobil Motor Show 1987. An extensive large-format photographic record documenting the show appearance is present and has been reviewed.
The Testarossa has now been part of the current consignor’s collection for 23 years. As another Testarossa was kept in the same collection for several decades, this particular car was driven very little. The current odometer reading of 30,141 kilometers is supported by the available history and documentation.
The vehicle comes with Dutch vehicle documents as well as an Austrian individual approval certificate, which according to the vehicle description remains without entries. The documentation also includes the historical RAI photographic record, service invoices and a rare original, multi-color Ferrari Testarossa color catalog.
The vehicle documentation has been reviewed. It has also been confirmed that an appraisal report is present. Regardless, the recommended renewed service remains relevant before the vehicle is returned to use, given the time that has elapsed since the previous maintenance.
A Testarossa hardly needs an additional story to stand out. This example nevertheless has one: a RAI display vehicle in 1987, red over red leather, a documented mileage of just 30,141 kilometers and now 23 years in the same collection. Added to this are extensive historical documentation and a traceable service history.
From a collector’s perspective, the appeal lies less in an abstract claim of uniqueness than in the concrete provenance of this particular car. Its motor show appearance is documented, its long period in the collection is traceable and its mileage is supported by documentation. Although the Ferrari requires further technical attention before its next outing, the combination of low mileage, long-term ownership and a distinctive exhibition history gives this Testarossa a remarkably individual profile.
A red Testarossa is already a statement. A red Testarossa with red leather that stood at the RAI for Ferrari in 1987 is something else: a piece of an era when restraint apparently wasn’t part of the design brief. What I particularly like is that this history is not based solely on stories, but is supported by photographs and documentation. After 23 years in a collection, it deserves one thing above all: a thorough service before twelve cylinders are allowed to speak again.
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