Highlights

9,300 miles from new

The ultimate flat-12-powered flagship Ferrari and the rarest Testarossa model by far, with only 501 built

Comprehensive service history, predominantly with Official Ferrari Service Centres

One of the 41 right-hand-drive F512 Ms delivered new to the United Kingdom

Accompanied by its original factory user manuals, warranty cards, tool kit and spare key

A scintillating all-round package finally befitting Pininfarina’s seminal Testarossa design

A car genuinely worthy of every great Ferrari collection

Right-hand drive and delivered new to the United Kingdom, where it is still road-registered today

A nod to the old and the new

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ From a design point of view, there are countless arguments to support this. Take the Fender Stratocaster, the Eames Lounge Chair and the Hermés Birkin bag, for example. In the car world, too… just look at the Porsche 911. Back in the 1980s, though, the 911 – and just about every other red-blooded sports car – was overshadowed by another: the Ferrari Testarossa. For us, it’s the poster car of the era, that straked Pininfarina design capturing the collective imagination so vividly.

Ferrari clearly comprehended the value of the Testarossa’s aesthetic appeal. So much so that it built two subsequent iterations retaining Pininfarina’s fundamental design, the 512 TR and the F512 M, and produced them until 1996 – a whopping 12 years after the original Testarossa was introduced in 1984. With the F512 M accounting for only 501 of the circa-10,000 Testarossa models built in total, it is by far the rarest and thus most desirable.

The production numbers are just the start, though, when it comes to the F512 M (denoting Modificata). In extensively modernising the car, both from technological and aerodynamic perspectives, Ferrari finally built a package truly worthy of the Testarossa’s revered design.

While the soul-stirring flat-12 engine’s power increase to 440HP and the introduction of a gas-filled suspension system did wonders to transform the driving experience, it was the myriad upgrades with a view to enhancing the refinement of the car that made the greatest difference. The air-conditioning, fixed homofocal headlights, F355 seats and the clever ABS braking system, for example, were worth far more than the sum of their parts.

Chassis no. 101899

The United Kingdom’s flagship Ferrari dealer Maranello Concessionaires delivered this F512 M to its first owner in November of 1995. One of only 41 right-hand-drive examples destined for the British market, chassis no. 101899 is finished in the timeless colour combination of Rosso Corsa over a Crema interior with contrasting Rosso carpets.

The 19 years that followed tell a story of infrequent use and fastidious maintenance, as evidenced in the five accompanying history binders charting chassis no. 101899’s life. Having always remained in the United Kingdom, this F512 M’s handful of subsequent owners have covered a mere 9,289 miles to date. Between 1999 and 2015, maintenance of this car was handled exclusively by the Midlands-based Official Ferrari Service Centre Graypaul. And as you would expect from such diligent owners, the complete Ferrari and original factory tool kit and leather documents pouch (including the all-important warranty card) and spare key remain with the car.

With regards to servicing, August of 2024 saw chassis no. 101899 have a raft of major components replaced, including the fuel tanks, fuel pumps, complete clutch, cam cover gaskets and exhaust silencer and gaskets. In addition, the brake calipers and the bonnet struts were overhauled.

Further, in November, the Official Ferrari Service Centre JCT600 treated all the cabin’s plastic switchgear, which is known to go sticky with age, and conolised the sumptuous Crema leather upholstery. Needless to say, this F512 M presents in a manner commensurate with its story.

The condition is top-tier, with only a handful of near-imperceptible imperfections to the paintwork and a tiny spot of delamination to the windscreen surround, while the interior shows only minor signs of wear to the upholstery, as you’d envisage from a car that’s covered fewer than 10,000 miles.

With rarity on its side, a core design that can’t help but bring out your inner 10-year-old, and a driving experience that retains the thrill of the original Testarossa, yet is firmly in the modern age in terms of refinement, the F512 M is a curious blend of history, charm and technology. In fact, we think it’s a car worthy of every great Ferrari collection.

As clichéd as it sounds, chassis no. 101899 is a car you need to see in the metal to truly appreciate its excellent condition. It’s currently located here at our Oxfordshire headquarters and is available for viewings on appointment.

Price: £349,950 (GBP)

Service History

13 November 1996 – Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 1,500 miles

16 January 1998 – Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 3,118 miles

10 June 1998 – Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 3,423 miles

5 January 1999 – Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 4,602 miles

20 January 2000 – Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 5,504 miles

15 January 2001 – Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 6,411 miles

17 May 2002 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 6,720 miles

14 March 2002 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 6,792 miles

10 March 2006 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 8,762 miles

2 April 2007 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 8,918 miles

17 March 2008 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,021 miles

25 February 2009 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,163 miles

19 April 2010 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,213 miles

12 April 2011 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,223 miles

23 March 2012 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,230 miles

28 February 2013 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,236 miles

8 April 2014 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,236 miles

10 March 2015 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,250 miles

30 July 2018 - Service by Official Ferrari Service Centre – Mileage noted as 9,269 miles

6 August 2024 – Service by Ferrari marque specialist – Mileage noted as 9,270 miles