The year was 1984, and Paris was buzzing. Yes, Paris is always buzzing – its historical Haussmann buildings and iconic monuments are the perfect stage for a faint chime of champagne glasses clinking and the distant thump of a new-age synth beat. But even more than usual, Paris was alive on October 2nd, 1984. The Lido nightclub at the Champs Élysées was the place to be, especially if you wanted to catch a glimpse of the latest Prancing Horse straight from Maranello on the eve of the Paris Motor Show. It was a moment lucky attendees wouldn’t forget in a hurry, the way every launch of a brand new Ferrari should be.
Those who had started on the cocktails a little sooner than planned may have slightly more hazy memories of the night and many of us not old enough to be around during this magical era can only stare in amazement at the grainy film camera images capturing the debut of Ferrari’s wedge-shaped V12 sportscar surrounded by sparely clad dancers. Designed by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti, the Testarossa was a game-changer in terms of automotive style, becoming the archetypal poster car of the 1980s and influencing the shape of cars for years to come.
Now what would you say if we told you October 3rd 2024 would also mark a night to remember for Ferrari? Well, that’s exactly what happened last night. 40 years later, using the very same first production car, the glamorous Lido was lit up once again with the shimmer of the Ferrari Testarossa’s metallic paint. Thanks to our friends from the Dutch collector car dealership Real Art on Wheels and Tonnie van der Velden who threw this anniversary party to remember, chassis number one was reunited with the third Testarossa to ever leave the factory, marking a momentous occasion to unify two cars that hadn’t been parked alongside each other in years.
The aforementioned first chassis car – which is part of the Ferrari collection ’The First’ in the Netherlands – was one of five pre-series cars and the very first Ferrari Testarossa shown to the public. It also appeared at the Paris Show, heading to the UK at the NEC in Birmingham, and making a statement at the Ferrari stand in Torino. Meanwhile, chassis three was the Lido Show Car, as well as the Pininfarina Paris Salon car, before heading to the Turin Motor show. Later, it made its way to Asia and Japan, where it made a prominent appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show. The first owner was Sokichi Shikiba, a well-known Japanese racing driver.
Built from 1984 to 1996, the Ferrari Testarossa is considered to be one of the greatest hits from Maranello – and last night’s event felt like the perfect tribute to this icon of automotive design, performance, engineering and craftsmanship. After all, the evening offered the VIP guests and collectors an immersive journey through the legacy that made the Testarossa one of the most coveted sports cars in history. "The Ferrari Testarossa is a timeless icon," says Bodie Hage, owner of Real Art on Wheels. "And for its 40th anniversary it deserved to be honored just like it was when it first hit the road."
