The Ferrari Testarossa name carries a lot of weight. Not only is it one of the most iconic Ferrari sports cars ever built, but it also cemented its place in pop culture with its starring role in Miami Vice. So when Ferrari revived the Testarossa earlier this year as a modern supercar that looked nothing like the original, we were more than a little perplexed.
Granted, the new 849 Testarossa sounds pretty damn impressive on paper. It produces more than 1,000 horsepower from a hybrid V-8 and rockets to speeds north of 200 miles per hour. Visually, though, the bigger question remains: Does the 849 actually live up to the Testarossa name?
A ‘Better’ Testarossa
Ferrari Testarossa Rendering by Luca Serafini
Photo by: Luca Serafini | Instagram
If you ask Italian visual artist and designer Luca Serafini, the new Testarossa could have done a better job of channeling the look of the original. That’s why he teamed up with fellow artist Aldo Russo to imagine an entirely different take on a modern Testarossa—and the result is stunning.
It’s worth noting that this rendering is a purely independent and hypothetical design study, with no affiliation to Ferrari. With that out of the way, we spoke with Serafini about the project and why he felt compelled to reinterpret the Testarossa for the modern era.
“The Testarossa is one of the purest icons of the 1980s, a car that defined an era of excess, drama, and geometric purity,” Serafini tells Motor1. “Its long front overhang, short rear, extreme horizontal proportions, and distinctive graphic identity make it a dream subject for any designer.”
“I’ve always been fascinated by its boldness and the way it refused to be subtle,” he continues. “Reimagining it was a way to explore heritage with a contemporary attitude and reconnect with the emotional roots of automotive design.”
Photo by: Luca Serafini | Instagram
‘The Testarossa is one of the purest icons of the 1980s, a car that defined an era of excess, drama, and geometric purity.’
Compared to Ferrari’s own 849, Serafini’s concept wears its Testarossa inspiration more clearly. Despite its modern supercar proportions, elements like the subtle side strakes, two-tone paintwork, and sharpened front end are unmistakable callbacks to the original. According to Serafini, many of these details were “non-negotiable”—especially the side strakes.
“Rather than copying them 1:1, I reinterpreted the strakes as integrated functional lamellas,” he explains. “The thin slats blend into an upper intake, similar in spirit to the SF90, then transform into a descending blade toward the door. It echoes the original Testarossa’s belt line while remaining credible from an aerodynamic and packaging standpoint. The goal wasn’t aesthetic mimicry, but updating the logic so it could exist as a real car today.”
The concept began as a simple sketch before evolving into a 3D mockup. Serafini then partnered with Aldo Russo, who modeled the surfaces in Alias Automotive. The final render was completed in Blender and set against a cinematic, 1980s-inspired backdrop.
Why the Testarossa?
Photo by: Luca Serafini | Instagram
So what makes the Testarossa—and Ferrari design as a whole—so special? Serafini puts it simply.
“Ferrari doesn’t just design objects; Ferrari shapes attitude. The Testarossa, in particular, wasn’t afraid to be graphic, architectural, and extravagant. It was a fusion of purity and provocation—bold surfaces, perfect proportions, and a confidence many modern cars have lost.”
“Designing around that spirit doesn’t mean softening the character, but amplifying it with discipline,” he adds. “Even as I explore sharper, modern cues, I remain deeply nostalgic for curvaceous proportions and classic soft surfaces. That timeless elegance still guides me when I reinterpret car icons, even just for fun.”
Serafini’s Testarossa is a lovely reminder of what made the original so unforgettable. In an era where supercar designs feel flatter and fussier than ever, maybe Ferrari should take notes.
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