A 1988 Ferrari Testarossa is the pick of today’s Bring a Trailer auction

• This mint 1988 Testarossa has just over 5,000 miles, all of which have been accumulated by the 390 hp 4.9L flat 12 engine. The auction will end on Tuesday, November 29.

If you spend as much time scrolling through Bring a Trailer dreams as I do, you now know that a huge number of exotic and vintage vehicles can easily go together unless you’re looking for something specific. If I had a penny for every time I saw a Ferrari Testarossa at auction, I felt like I would have enough to actually afford it. However, the 1988 example currently listed at BaT, which – how Car and driver— is part of Hearst Autos, made me stop for a gorgeous retro photo shoot.

There’s something about the purple and gold background in the photos of the Testarossa that vividly evokes the atmosphere of the 1980s, a decade when cars were as important characters on American TV shows as the actors who drove them. Who can forget KITT, a black custom 1982 Pontiac Trans Am Knight rideror the red Ferrari 308GTS Quattrovalvole driven by a mustachioed Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I? And of course, another ride that epitomizes the 80s is the Testarossa, like the white one driven by Don Johnson’s character Sonny Crockett Miami Vice.

All that automotive nostalgia stirred in me when I scrolled past the listing for the ’88 Testarossa, and I was compelled to investigate further because I wasn’t even sure what color it was. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that it had what Ferrari calls Oro Chiaro Metallizzato (translated: Clear Gold Metallic Light Blue Green). It certainly wouldn’t be my first choice. Then again, what could be more appropriate to reflect the style of the 1980s than a gold supercar?

For those of you who don’t mind my incessant nostalgia, I’m happy to note that this particular Testarossa has just over 5,000 miles on it. Whether those were easy miles or hard miles, we’ll never know. However, judging by the photos, this Ferrari looks pretty nice from above, inside and out. It is currently bid at $112,000 and the auction is set to end on Tuesday, November 29th.

Its Nero Connolly (read: black) leather interior looks immaculate and wear-free, although the color combination is a sad choice in my humble opinion. I think the seats look like they were pulled from the bumper of a car and the center console is a distracting mess of buttons. However, I only wish I could grip the wheel of a Ferrari with three spokes in a thin rim and to ring the gearshift lever is exposed through it gate. Did I mention this car comes with matching luggage? It’s so bring.

Last but not least, the 1988 Ferrari Testarossa has a 4.9 liter flat 12 engine. By today’s standards, its factory output of 380 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque won’t even impress people with a Ford Explorer ST in the driveway. If Car and driver tested a 1985 Testarossa, it took 5.0 seconds to hit 60 mph and 13.3 seconds at 107 mph to complete the quarter mile. Again, a 1,087 pounds heavier, the 400-horsepower Explorer ST is within tenths of both scores.

Still, it should be clear in this admittedly random Ford vs. Ferrari comparison that when it comes to the Testarossa, it’s never about the numbers. It’s one of the most recognizable cars on the planet, making you feel like a tanned Sonny Crockett chasing coke dealers through the streets of 1980s Miami.

This content is imported from a survey. You may be able to find the same content in a different format, or you may be able to find more information on their website.

This content is imported from a survey. You may be able to find the same content in a different format, or you may be able to find more information on their website.