For a whole generation of car lovers, the Ferrari Testarossa was the car on the bedroom wall. Wide, low and unmistakably red, it was the supercar of the 1980s. This spring, a 1989 Testarossa arrived at the Benefit AutoKlassika workshop for a targeted partial restoration and detail refresh.
A design that defined a decade
Introduced in 1984 and styled by Pininfarina, the Testarossa took over from the Berlinetta Boxer as Ferrari's flagship. Its name means "red head" and refers to the red-painted cam covers of its 4.9-litre flat-12 engine. The famous side strakes weren't only for show: they channelled air to radiators mounted ahead of the rear wheels, which gave the car its signature wide rear stance.
What this car needed
This Testarossa was a well-kept example, but almost four decades leave their mark on any car. Our goal was to deal with age-related wear and hidden issues while keeping the car's original character intact. The work focused on four areas:
- Original Cromodora mirrors. The factory side mirrors had cracked and lifting paint. We stripped them, repaired them, primed them and refinished them, bringing back both their smooth finish and their structural integrity.
- Exterior trim. Over the years the black aluminium trim and accents had faded. Our team stripped, refinished and repainted them in the correct matte/satin finish to restore their sharp, contrasting look.
- Rust repair. Corrosion had appeared on the lower section of the right door. We cut out the affected metal, shaped a clean replacement section and treated the inner panel for lasting protection.
- Paint retouching and finishing. After the metal and trim work, we carried out precise paint retouching and blending across the repaired areas and polished the body for an even, glass-like finish on every panel.
Why targeted work makes sense
Not every classic needs a full nut-and-bolt restoration. On an original, well-preserved car, the right approach is often to fix exactly what needs fixing and leave the rest untouched. That keeps the car's originality, which matters to owners and collectors alike, while still making it look and feel right.
With its trim refreshed and its bodywork corrected, this Testarossa has left our workshop ready to turn heads again.
See more photos of this project in our restorations gallery. Planning work on your own classic? Get in touch with us.
