Ferrari Testarossa: From Bedroom Poster to Serious Investment Asset
Few cars are as instantly recognizable as the Ferrari Testarossa. In the 1990s, it was everywhere—on posters, magazine covers, and bedroom walls of kids who dreamed of excess, speed, and Italian flair. Wide, dramatic, unapologetically bold. A true symbol of its era.
And yet, for a very long time, the Testarossa was not considered a valuable classic.
Despite its V12 engine, iconic design, and cultural relevance, it spent years in an odd limbo—too modern to be vintage, too old to be contemporary, and often dismissed as an over-the-top relic of the 1980s. Prices stagnated while other Ferraris climbed.
That perception has finally changed.
A Near-New 1989 Example
The 1989 Ferrari Testarossa currently on the market stands out for one simple reason: mileage. With just over 13,000 miles, this car is as close to “new” as a 35-year-old Ferrari realistically gets.
This isn’t a tired driver or a restoration project. It’s a car that has been preserved rather than consumed by time. Examples like this are becoming exceptionally hard to find, especially as collectors increasingly chase originality, low mileage, and documented history.
In collector terms, this is the sweet spot.
$170,000 — And Probably Not for Long
At the moment, the car is sitting around $170,000. To some, that still feels expensive—after all, there was a time when Testarossas traded hands for far less.
But the market has shifted.
Over the past two years, the Testarossa has begun to be taken seriously as an investment-grade classic. The reasons are obvious if you zoom out:
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The generation that grew up idolizing this car now has buying power
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Naturally aspirated, analog V12 Ferraris are disappearing
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Design like this will never be repeated
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Truly low-mileage cars are vanishing fast
And then there’s the elephant in the room.
Ferrari’s “New” Testarossa Problem
Ferrari has recently decided to revive the Testarossa name.
Unfortunately, what they’ve produced barely resembles what made the original legendary. For many enthusiasts, the modern interpretation doesn’t look like a Ferrari at all—let alone a Testarossa.
Ironically, this works in favor of the original.
When manufacturers dilute an iconic name with something that lacks soul, proportion, or identity, the market reacts by doubling down on authenticity. The original suddenly becomes more desirable, more “pure,” more final.
There will never be another car like the classic Testarossa. And Ferrari itself just confirmed that.
A Bold Prediction — But a Logical One
Given the mileage, condition, timing, and broader market trends, it’s not unreasonable to say this:
In two years, this car could easily be worth twice its current price.
Low-mileage, original Testarossas are no longer just nostalgia pieces. They are scarce assets sitting at the intersection of design, culture, and mechanical purity.
The Testarossa Has Finally Arrived
For decades, the Ferrari Testarossa was underestimated—too common, too flashy, too “poster car.” Today, it’s finally being recognized for what it always was:
A true Ferrari icon.
And if history has taught us anything, it’s that icons don’t stay undervalued forever.
