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Fancy a Testarossa with Mansell pedigree after reading our cover feature? Sam Dawson has found another
Admittedly, unlike the example on our front cover, Nigel Mansell didn’t actually own this Ferrari Testarossa personally. However, the two cars may have once shared showroom space following Mansell’s retirement announcement in June 1990, and the selling-off of his Ferrari company cars. This Testarossa is a 1990 car, originally sold through Nigel Mansell Sports Cars of Blandford Forum in Dorset, and as Rardley Motors’ professionally presented ring-bound service history file attests, it has been very well looked after ever since. There’s a continuous set of service stamps, initially from Mansell’s service department, then Emblem once it took the franchise back from him, and Kent High Performance Cars and Meridien Modena after that.
Aside from routine maintenance, any concerns over the years have been minor electrical issues. Graypaul in Nottingham rewired the headlights and overhauled the electronic fuel injection system in 1998/99, Shiltech replaced the electric window switches in 2004, and The Ferrari Centre fixed the brake lights at the same time as replacing the clutch in 2013. Overall, this is a lightly-used and largely trouble-free prospect for the next owner, and its 15,700 miles are backed up by a continuous service and MoT history.
The condition of the bodywork reflects this. It’s genuinely faultless, with only a couple of tiny stonechips on the front splitter attesting to it having been driven at all. It’s almost as good inside too, with just some light scuffs on the sill plates, creased leather on the seat squabs, and tired-looking leather around the perforations in the footwell speaker grilles. But this really is nitpicking – there’s nothing of concern here. Importantly, all the electrics work, including the windows, and those rewired pop-up headlights.
It starts eagerly on the key, and settles quickly to a quiet idle. Once warmed, the coolant sits at a steady 195°F, and the oil a healthy 90psi and 170°F. Even when cold, the gearbox isn’t too baulky, and once on the road and up to temperature it shifts cleanly and easily. Steering is as tactile and accurate as it’s meant to be, the correct Michelin Pilot Sports look fairly new, and there are no creaks or rattles from the suspension when negotiating ruts and speed bumps. It accelerates cleanly and quickly on demand, the engine is in good voice, the exhausts are in excellent condition, and the brakes haul it up straight and abruptly.
The asking price is on the high side for a Testarossa, but when you take into account its condition and attributes – right-hand drive, Mansell’s name in the logbook albeit as a dealer, continuous history, no periods of laid-up neglect and barely run-in mileage from a life of sparing use – it starts to make more sense. This is also a last-of-the-line car, with two door mirrors and Mansell-revised suspension for improved handling. If you’re after a Testarossa, you’d be hardpressed to find a better example.
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