Photo: dm_jon/instagram
While the Ferrari Testarossa perfectly encapsulates the effervescence of the 1980s, the decade when it was introduced, the Prancing Horse wasn't alone in its effort to shape the spirit of the time into mid-engined form. And, as strange as the rendering we have here might seem, this is linked to Honda's way of handling the matter.
To start with, this pixel effort takes the Testarossa and gifts it with a host of elements borrowed from the Nissan Silvia S13 - many Americans know this as the first-generation 240SX. Despite sharing its tech side with the JDM sportscar, the 240SX features a slopping nose with pop-up headlights, a feature also found on the said Fezza.
However, digital artist Jon Pumfrey, the Aussie aficionado who came up with the pixel portrait sitting on the screen, decided to use the Silvia, with its "standard" front end, for this mélange, so the visual transformation goes deeper. And, at least to these eyes, the mix seems to be rather stable.
Looking past the front end of the Silvia, we find this isn't a Testarossa in factory state, but rather a Koenigg Special, as indicated by the "plain" side intakes and the wheels, as well as by other bits. Note that we're talking about the work of a German aftermarket developer that made it big back in the 1980s and it's worth noting that Japan ended up becoming its most important market.
"But, but... the Silvia is front-engined!" I hear you saying. Well, that's true, but the original S13, which landed in 1988, followed the MID4 and MID4 II concepts (these were obviously midship) released earlier in the decade, making for one of the first production models to feature the multi-link rear suspension and the HICAS four-wheel steering introduced by the said show cars (among other bits of cutting-edge tech).
However, digital artist Jon Pumfrey, the Aussie aficionado who came up with the pixel portrait sitting on the screen, decided to use the Silvia, with its "standard" front end, for this mélange, so the visual transformation goes deeper. And, at least to these eyes, the mix seems to be rather stable.
Looking past the front end of the Silvia, we find this isn't a Testarossa in factory state, but rather a Koenigg Special, as indicated by the "plain" side intakes and the wheels, as well as by other bits. Note that we're talking about the work of a German aftermarket developer that made it big back in the 1980s and it's worth noting that Japan ended up becoming its most important market.
"But, but... the Silvia is front-engined!" I hear you saying. Well, that's true, but the original S13, which landed in 1988, followed the MID4 and MID4 II concepts (these were obviously midship) released earlier in the decade, making for one of the first production models to feature the multi-link rear suspension and the HICAS four-wheel steering introduced by the said show cars (among other bits of cutting-edge tech).
Google News