Ferrari has finally entered the electric-powertrain domain with its Luce sports car, which some adore while others absolutely hate. The controversial performance car is the Italian marque’s maiden venture into clean, responsible transition, designed in collaboration with Johnny Ive. While the names involved are larger than life, I hope they have some vehicle planned for the near future that lands everyone on the same page.
While the world is busy dissecting what’s right and what’s sheerly comical about the new prancing horse on the block, a retro-futuristic Ferrari concept takes us away from all the noise and into a realm where performance cars are minimalist and purely revealing. Meet the Ferrari TESTaZERO, which feels more Ferrari than the Luce for good measure!
Designer: Antonio Pavento
What defines the concept is its pure geometric design language, which cliches the usual Ferrari territory, yet it manages to adapt the core Ferrari DNA in a very unassuming manner. That DNA comes from the Pininfarina-designed Testarossa, preserving the 12-cylinder mid-engine sports car’s skeletal. The side stakes and width are more synthetic in their adaptation, while the side profile and the front and rear sections of the body give off PlayStation vibes.
The body has a very low-slung presence with the skirtings hugging the tarmac, barely having a paper-thin distance between. Knee up, and you have everything chopped off literally. The body above the wheels, forged by Spanish firm Llagos Design, simply doesn’t exist, giving new meaning to open-air roadster fun on a cozy tropical evening drive. Those five-spoke wheels are inspired by the Maranello Sport Prototypes of the late 1960s, and they matter ever so much more in this concept as they are the focal point.
The rear-wheel-drive TESTaZERO accommodates the V6 engine in a see-through compartment on the flat rear. Flush in the middle is the space for the two riders who nestle in the minimalist interior of the vehicle. The contoured shape of the unified cabin section is ergonomically designed for comfort as one takes this radical Ferrari on a spin. There are no unnecessary dashboard elements or dials, just the ones necessary for the thrill of driving. The yoke-style steering wheel carries the same minimalist design language.
On the whole, the sports car is designed for the thrill of driving, although the aerodynamics might take a backseat due to the open shell configuration and the layered design of the front grille and the sidepods. The headlights and the tail lights are neatly fused into this layered architecture, which also conceals the rear diffusers, which could have done with a more full-bodied approach. In customary Ferrari style, the scissor doors add flair to the whole experience. I just hope the riders don’t take it out when the weather is unforgiving!
