Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Review: Does It Live Up to the Name?

The Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider takes its full name seriously, and each part of it means something. Spider is a nod to the large-wheeled, open-air, horse-drawn carriages of the 1800s. The numbers 849 announce the V8 configuration, with the 49 referring to the swept volume of each of the eight cylinders rather than the car's actual 3.9-litre engine size. Testarossa itself means "red head," a reference to the red-painted, go-faster engine cam covers fitted to Ferrari's race cars of the 1950s.

The original Testarossa was, in Vicki's words, the ultimate pin-up of its era, with a wedge-shaped design and slatted sides that still make people stop and stare today. It went on to star in The Wolf of Wall Street and became one of the defining cars of the 1980s Miami Vice television series. The 849 Testarossa Spider carries that legacy forward as Ferrari's first production convertible to wear the name.

What makes the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider special:

• First production convertible in Ferrari's history to carry the Testarossa name
• V8 twin-turbo plug-in hybrid powertrain producing 1,050hp and 842Nm of combined torque
• Fitted with the biggest turbochargers ever fitted to a Ferrari road car
• Retractable hard top that can be raised or lowered on the move at speeds up to 30mph in 14 seconds
• Twin-tail rear design directly inspired by Ferrari's 1970 512 S racing prototype
• Electric-only stealth mode offering up to 15 miles of silent, front-wheel-drive running
• Fiorano lap time quicker than the SF90 Stradale it replaces
• Track-focused Assetto Fiorano version available for an even more aggressive specification

What Does the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Look Like?

The 849 Testarossa Spider combines a 1980s-inspired wide front end with a 1970s-inspired rear, and Vicki notes shades of the current halo hypercar, the F80, worked into the design as well. Ferrari's chief design officer Flavio Manzoni and his in-house team built the car around the best power-to-weight ratio of any Ferrari Spider to date, with modern motorsport aerodynamic knowledge shaping every scoop, swoosh, flick and fin on the body.

The rear is where the design earns its most interesting details. The twin-tail treatment is directly inspired by Ferrari's 1970 512 S racing prototype and is genuinely impressive up close. Buyers who select the track-focused Assetto Fiorano pack get an even more aggressive specification. Vicki is candid in her assessment of the overall design, noting that even with this exotic rear end, the car does not quite match the visual impact of the original Testarossa, and that it lacks the cohesive beauty of older Pininfarina-penned Ferrari supercars. It remains a striking car in its own right, just a different kind of striking to the icon it borrows its name from.

How Does the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Drive?

Performance and Powertrain

The V8 at the heart of the 849 Testarossa Spider is fitted with the biggest turbochargers Ferrari has ever put in a road car, working alongside a hybrid system with two electric motors at the front axle and one at the rear, three in total. Combined output reaches 1,050hp and 842Nm of torque, more than double the 390hp the original V12-powered Testarossa produced. That combination gives what Vicki describes as a ridiculous amount of straight-line aggression, all the way to 205mph where conditions permit, with 0-62mph arriving in 2.3 seconds aided by launch control that she found genuinely idiot-proof to use.

The 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is, in Vicki's words, always a joy to work through the paddles, with the limiter set at 8,300rpm. The car's Fiorano lap time beats its SF90 Stradale predecessor, a meaningful improvement given the outgoing car's own reputation for outright pace.

Drive Modes

The 849 Testarossa Spider offers four power-focused drive modes. EV mode uses only the front-axle electric motors, running the car in temporary front-wheel drive for up to 15 miles of silent, zero-emission driving, enough to cross central London on electric power alone. Hybrid mode keeps the engine off until the battery or a gearchange demands a boost, or the driver simply asks for it with their right foot. Performance mode draws on the engine and both the front and rear motors while keeping the battery topped up for efficiency, and Vicki rates it as the best all-round setting. Qualifying mode drops that efficiency priority entirely, delivering everything the car has from every source at once.

Handling is governed separately through the manettino, offering Wet, Sport, Race, CT Off and Everything Off settings, giving a wide spread of control from cautious wet-road driving through to a fully unassisted track setting.

Handling and Braking

The 849 Testarossa Spider carries Ferrari's most advanced electronic control system, constantly monitoring the car's speed and angles to fine-tune stability and traction in real time. The ABS Evo brake-by-wire setup delivers genuinely strong pedal feel in all conditions, backed by a further layer of technology Ferrari calls FIVE, the Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator. Vicki also praises the suspension, noting the damping quality and the continued presence of the bumpy road button, activated via the manettino to smooth out rough surfaces, which she rates as one of the best buttons fitted to any car. Small shift lights on the steering wheel provide a visual cue to change gear, working alongside the engine note itself. Vicki sums up the overall character as intimate as a sports car with the savagery of a supercar, a combination that comes through clearly on both road and track settings.

What Is the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Interior Like?

The retractable hard top is the main event inside this car, and more specifically, the ability to remove it from the equation entirely. It drops or raises on the move at speeds up to 30mph in 14 seconds, at the cost of a 90kg weight penalty over the fixed-roof berlinetta version, roughly the weight of a Cotswold sheep, as Vicki notes. A new wind-catcher system sends air in a C-shape around the front seats, working alongside a glass slide screen positioned between the two seats to manage cabin turbulence with the roof down. Ferrari's Roma Spider uses a similar system, and DriverReviews' review of that car is worth a look for anyone comparing the two.

Seats and Personalisation

Buyers can specify either carbon fibre racing seats or comfort seats, both sculpted to suit the majority of body shapes and sizes. Ferrari's Personalisation Department can create, construct and colour-match almost anything a buyer wants, making every 849 Testarossa Spider genuinely capable of being one of a kind.

Cabin Layout and Controls

The cabin layout will feel familiar to existing Ferrari owners, as this car has not yet adopted the fully electric Luce interior concept. There is a welcome emphasis on physical, pushable buttons throughout, rather than the haptic sliding controls Ferrari has used elsewhere, though haptic control remains in place for the door mirror adjustment. As ever, the steering wheel carries the most important controls, with dedicated buttons for the car's power delivery modes and the manettino handling settings positioned for quick access while driving.

Practicality

For buyers wanting to take off for a night away, there is a 74-litre frunk. Vicki is direct about how much luggage that actually allows for: not a great deal, but enough for the essentials on a short trip.

What Wheels and Tyres Does the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Have?

The Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider is fitted with Pirelli P Zero R tyres, developed specifically in collaboration with Ferrari for this car. This bespoke development is confirmed by an "F" marking on the tyre sidewall, indicating a Ferrari-specific fitment tuned to the car's particular performance and handling requirements.

Tyre options:

• Pirelli P Zero R: Ferrari-specific fitment, marked with an "F" on the sidewall

How Does the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Compare to Rivals?

Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider vs Lamborghini Revuelto Roadster

The Lamborghini Revuelto Roadster is the closest rival in concept, combining a hybrid V12 powertrain with open-top drama and a price point in a similar bracket. The Revuelto leans on the theatre of a naturally aspirated V12 backed by electric motors, while the 849 Testarossa Spider takes a twin-turbo V8 hybrid approach with a stronger focus on outright straight-line pace. Buyers who want the emotional pull of a V12 soundtrack will lean toward the Lamborghini; those who prioritise the sharper 0-62mph time and Ferrari's road-going pedigree will find the Testarossa Spider the more focused choice.

Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider vs Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet

The Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet costs considerably less and offers a more usable everyday proposition, with a smaller footprint and a more forgiving ride for daily driving. It cannot match the 849 Testarossa Spider's power output or outright performance, but it counters with Porsche's renowned everyday usability and a more discreet ownership experience. Buyers who want supercar performance with genuine daily usability will find the Porsche the more practical choice; those chasing the outright numbers and the weight of the Testarossa name will find the Ferrari the more special occasion.

Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider vs Ferrari 296 GTS

Perhaps the most interesting rival to the 849 Testarossa Spider is Ferrari's own 296 GTS. Vicki raises this comparison directly in her review: for the same money as one 849 Testarossa Spider, a buyer could purchase the more practical 296 GTS and still have roughly £200,000 left over, enough to buy a genuine 1980s Testarossa outright. It is a genuinely difficult case to argue against on paper, though the 849 Testarossa Spider offers a great deal more performance and a car that is, unlike an original Testarossa, ready to be driven hard every day.

Is the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider Worth Buying?

The Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider starts from £442,467, with the Assetto Fiorano pack and Ferrari's extensive Personalisation Department options able to push that figure considerably higher.

The case for the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider:

• 1,050hp combined output and a 2.3-second 0-62mph time make it Ferrari's most powerful convertible to date
• First production convertible ever to carry the Testarossa name, a genuinely historic moment for the badge
• Fiorano lap time quicker than the SF90 Stradale it replaces
• Retractable hard top operable on the move at speeds up to 30mph
• Up to 15 miles of silent electric-only running for quiet, zero-emission city driving
• Best power-to-weight ratio of any Ferrari Spider built to date

Before you buy:

• Vicki feels the styling lacks the cohesive beauty of older Pininfarina-penned Ferrari supercars
• Does not match the outright visual impact of the original 1980s Testarossa
• A 90kg weight penalty applies over the fixed-roof berlinetta version
• The frunk offers only 74 litres, enough for the essentials rather than genuine touring luggage
• The Ferrari 296 GTS offers a more practical alternative for considerably less outlay