Ferrari 849 Testarossa Redesign Brings Back Retro Pop-Up Headlights

Key Takeaways

• Independent designer Khyzyl Saleem created a Ferrari Testarossa concept with retro pop-up headlights.
• The design blends retro elements with modern Ferrari proportions.
• The project was largely praised by fans.
• The concept is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and three electric motors.
• The combined output is 1,035 horsepower (772 kW) through all four wheels.

What Inspired the Redesign?

Ferrari brought back the Testarossa name for the SF90’s successor, but fans wanted the new car to lean harder into the ’80s original.

Khyzyl Saleem built his own version to close that gap, handing the car the retro styling cues many people think Maranello should have committed to.

Design Changes

The digital study starts with the Ferrari 849 Testarossa and reskins almost every panel.

The pieces that survive the redesign come down to two: the greenhouse and the rear window that doubles as an engine cover.

Retro Pop-Up Headlights

Up front, the designer brought back the pop-up headlights that Maranello’s own designers chased for the 849 before homologation rules killed the idea.

The cutouts sit cleanly in the fenders on either side of a flat, vented hood.

Interior and Performance

The concept would be powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and three electric motors, delivering a combined 1,035 horsepower (772 kW) through all four wheels.

Since the underpinnings would theoretically be shared with the roadgoing 849 Testarossa, the performance specs would likely be similar.

Reception and Future Possibilities

Response across Facebook and Instagram has been heavily positive, with fans latching onto the retro cues.

Saleem’s concept will almost certainly stay digital, though Ferrari’s Special Projects division has never been shy about building a coachbuilt one-off when a client’s pockets run deep enough to ask.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What inspired Khyzyl Saleem to redesign the Ferrari 849 Testarossa?

Saleem was inspired by the fact that Ferrari brought back the Testarossa name, but fans wanted the new car to lean harder into the ’80s original.

Q: What are the key design changes in the redesign?

The key design changes include the retro pop-up headlights, a flat, vented hood, and a significantly deeper and more dramatic reinterpretation of the signature side strakes.

Q: What is the power output of the concept?

The concept is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and three electric motors, delivering a combined 1,035 horsepower (772 kW) through all four wheels.