One to Buy: rare Argento 1987 Ferrari Testarossa
Although often cited as big supercar rivals during the second half of the 1980s, the Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach were quite different from one another.
Despite its outlandish slatted side intakes and tail fascia which were somewhat out of character for the Pininfarina studio, the Testarossa was very much in the mould of a comfortable mid-engined Gran Turismo and actually practical enough for day-to-day use.
By contrast, the wild Countach with its brutish controls, poor outward visibility and un-matched difficulty to reverse was more akin to a toy for high speed trips to the race track or nightclub.
During this era of conspicuous consumption, most Testarossas were ordered in the ubiquitous Rosso Corsa. However, the Flat 12 Ferrari was undoubtedly at its striking best in more subdued shades.
Currently on offer at the Schaltkulisse showroom in Munich is just such an example.
Completed in early 1987 and thus equipped with twin exterior mirrors and desirable centre-lock wheels, chassis 69877 was supplied to the domestic market via Garage Parise of Vicenza and configured in the highly desirable colour scheme of Argento with Cream upholstery.
It has today covered a little over 63,000km and comes with a fully documented history to include the original stamped service book.
Reprinted below is Schaltkulisse’s description:
Year: 1987
Price: €172,000 – Taxes paid
Rare and desirable Monodado example
Finished in Argento over Crema
Over 25,000 EUR invested recently
Comes with its original service book
Introduced to the public at the Paris Motor Show in 1984, the Testarossa was an instant hit, thanks to its smooth, creamy flat-12 engine, and a unique angular design signed by Pininfarina. The success of Ferrari’s new flagship at the time meant that for the first time in its history, the company’s production numbers for the year 1987 exceeded the 1,000 units mark.
More than thirty years later, the Testarossa is still an icon among car enthusiasts and instantly recognisable as a symbol of 1980s decadence and excess.
Between 1984 and 1991, 7,177 Testarossa’s left the factory, excluding the later 512TR and 512M iterations. Within this relatively large production run, the so called ‘Monodado’ or ‘Single Bolt’, characterised by its center-lock magnesium wheels and two side mirrors, is one of the most desirable and rarest variants.
Our example is one of those few early Monodado version, the second iteration of the Testarossa, which sports the iconic center-lock wheels and both side mirrors, as opposed to the Monospecchio specification with a single side mirror.
It is finished in the elegant specification of Argento over a Crema leather interior, and it was delivered through Garage PARISE in Vicenza, Italy, in March of 1987 to its first owner, also resident in the city of Vicenza.
The Testarossa was serviced by official Ferrari workshops around Vicenza and Verona in the first few years, showing that our car accumulated most of its miles in the first six years of its life.
More recently, over 25,000 EUR was invoiced by Schaltkulisse Engineering for servicing and preparing the silver Ferrari, making sure that the car performed flawlessly after a long period of storage in a French collection.
The engine benefited from a full service including belts, fluids, and spark plugs, and the braking system was completely overhauled, as well as the suspension elements to eliminate any play during driving. The bonnet struts were replaced, new tyres were mounted, and the seats were retrimmed in the original leather and color to the exact factory specification.
Totalling just under 63,300km today, our Testarossa comes with its original stamped service book, pouch with owner’s manual, car cover, toolkit, and a cancelled French “Carte Grise” document.
