The 512 M was launched in October 1994 at the Paris Salon as the ultimate and final Testarossa. It was also the last of the ageing flat-12 Ferraris which first came on the scene in 1973 with the 365 GT4 BB.
The result of constant evolution, the 512 M shared almost all of its engineering from the 512 TR that came before it. Most of the changes were limited to slight body upgrades that many consider ruin the lines of the original design.
At the front a new F355-style front bumper was used with fixed headlights to replace the heavier popup style. At the rear, the rather garish matt black grille from the TR was reduced and limited to space between the rear lights. Of course the signature side strakes that made the Testarossa so popular in the first place were retained for its ‘Miami Vice’ street creds.
Inside the familiar interior was retained, but a new steering wheel and adjustable pedals were included. On the performance end, horsepower was up 12 bhp to 440 bhp at 6750rpm. This was good enough for zero to sixty in sixty 4.7 seconds and top speed of 195mph. By the time production ceased in 1996, only 500 examples were completed, which made the 512 M especially coveted among Testarossa enthusiasts and Ferrari collectors.
Photo Source: RM Sotheby’s
