Some examples of the epic 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa are now valued at tens of millions of dollars at auctions. And the bidding wars sometimes extend to the Prancing Horse’ kiddie car companions as well. So, Ferrari decided to do something about that.
Born no less than 64 years ago, it is safe to say that Ferrari’s 250 Testa Rossa occupies a special place in racing history. The general one, not necessarily the Prancing Horse one. With victories all over the world – from the 24 Hours of Le Mans to Targa Florio and the 1000 Km Buenos Aires – nothing was stopping these wonders back in the day.
Nowadays their pedigree and inherent scarcity have ensured a special place in auction history as well. And Ferrari knows that very well, so it has decided to reinvent the 250 into a special project called Testa Rossa J. The final letter comes from “Junior,” as we are dealing with something “that gives Ferrari enthusiasts of all ages the opportunity to experience the thrill of driving an automotive legend.”
That would be the company’s all-new, highly collectible, limited-edition electric-powered scale replica. It comes at 75% of the size and a fraction of the cost for the real deal. Being an official endeavor, of course, we have a “faithful reproduction” of the original 250 Testa Rossa from 1957. Just 299 vehicles will be produced, but that’s still a much wider availability compared to its epic ancestor.
Not to mention the affordability. While a starting price of €93,000 ($109,304 at the current exchange rates) might sound like a lot for a junior car, it’s a bargain as far as Ferraris – of any age – are concerned. Sure, it’s not going to win any races with the maximum speed of 60 kph / 37 mph.
But it’s also emissions-free, and the electric motor is fed by three batteries for a total range of around 56 miles (90 km). Additionally, it can be enjoyed by Ferrari Tifosi of many ages, thanks to its embedded Novice (1 kW / 20 kph or 12.4 mph), Comfort (4 kW / 45 kph or 28 mph), Sport, and Race (over 60 kph / 37 mph) modes.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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