Ferrari faces a self-created challenge. When a road car can sprint from 0-200km/h in 6.5 seconds, faster than a Bugatti Veyron, extra speed no longer adds real excitement on public roads. The figures turn into talking points instead of usable traits.

The Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider addresses this issue directly by dropping the roof. While the coupe may be lighter and more focused, the Spider delivers something tangible even at 60km/h that elevates the experience. This includes open air and sunlight plus a clearer link to the twin-turbo V8 behind the seats.

At this price point, drama outweighs shaving another tenth off a lap time. Years ago a car hitting 100km/h in 6.5 seconds counted as very quick. The 849 Testarossa Spider reaches twice that speed in the same period, yet its standout trait is not its raw pace.

It is how calm and composed it feels when drivers stay below full 772kW output.

The press launch route on Tenerife left the coast and headed into the volcanic highlands, mixing tight bends, rough pavement, flowing curves and steep drops.

The 849 stretches more than 2.3 metres across, weighs 1660kg dry in its lightest form and generates acceleration that can unsettle passengers. From the driver seat it feels far more manageable than its size, power or styling imply.

An earlier drive of the 849 Testarossa coupe happened in heavy rain near Seville and showed how well Ferrari electronics manage over 1000 horsepower on a wet track.

Tenerife supplied dry pavement to explore the rest of the car. What sets the 849 apart from the replaced SF90 goes beyond an extra 50cv. It is the way the powertrain, steering, suspension, brakes and electronics now work together as one unit instead of separate advanced parts.

The Spider was not created by simply removing the roof from the coupe. Ferrari developed both versions side by side, sharing roughly 90 per cent of components while the rest is unique to the open model.

The company views the coupe as the track-focused option for enthusiasts, whereas the Spider targets buyers who want similar performance but value open-air motoring, comfort and sharing the drive.

Ferrari Australia anticipates the Spider will take most local 849 Testarossa orders. After sampling both, that outlook appears logical.

How much does the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider cost?

The 849 Testarossa Spider starts at $1,015,589 before on-road costs, which is $82,941 above the coupe price.

Model	Price before on-road costs
Ferrari 849 Testarossa	$932,648
Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider	$1,015,589
Spider premium	$82,941

Australian deliveries should begin in the first quarter of 2027, about six months after the coupe arrives.

The final price on a Ferrari order form rarely matches the delivered amount.

A well-optioned 849 Testarossa Spider is expected to land around $1.2-$1.3 million on the road. This remains an estimate because option pricing for the launch car was unavailable and state charges differ.

The Argento Nürburgring test car carried many extras.

Its build sheet included a black two-tone finish, Rosso Giudecca full-leather trim, full-electric ventilated Daytona seats, neck warmers, adaptive cruise control, a suspension lifter, forged diamond wheels, black exhaust tips, Scuderia shields, titanium wheel bolts, premium sound and extensive carbon-fibre elements.

The carbon extended to the engine bay, rear bonnet, wheel-arch trim, front spoiler, rear diffuser, doors, sills, dashboard, central tunnel, steering wheel and driver zone.

Without itemised pricing it is hard to give an exact as-tested cost. A car like the test example would clearly exceed the base price by a wide margin.

This raises the same resale question noted for the coupe. Ferrari hybrid systems are proven with strong long-term battery support, yet buyers spending well over $1 million should still consider the emerging used market for hybrid supercars.

What is the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider like on the outside?

The Testarossa name can suggest a direct update of the 1984 model, yet that reading is inaccurate.

This is not a modern reinterpretation of the side-straked 1984 Testarossa, nor was it created by updating that design for today.

The badge carries older roots. Ferrari first applied the Testa Rossa name to the 500 TR in 1956 to highlight red cam covers on key racing engines. The well-known road Testarossa arrived only in 1984.

Lead designer Jason Furtado noted the styling direction was set before the team decided on the Testarossa name.

The starting point was an aero-focused brief drawn from Ferrari sports-prototype racers of the 1970s, especially the 512 S and 512 M.

Those cars shifted from the rounded Ferraris of the 1960s toward more angular, purposeful shapes. Cooling needs increased, intakes grew larger and bodywork visibly addressed aerodynamics rather than simply covering the mechanics.

That approach shows throughout the 849.

The door stands out as a technical highlight. Instead of a simple convex panel, its surface moves from positive to deeply negative and back, forming the large channel that directs air rearward.

Ferrari states the full door outer is made from one aluminium alloy pressing despite its complex shape. It forms part of an aero package that feeds 30 per cent more air to the intercoolers than the SF90 Spider.

The vertical black section behind the door is functional. It adds another intake and breaks up the long body side visually. Furtado compared the effect to a corset that narrows the waist and makes the doors and side profile look shorter and lighter.

Bodywork rises into wide rear shoulders while the cabin sits within the car rather than on top. This helps the 849 appear lower and more exotic than the SF90 despite a similar basic layout.

At the front, slim lighting units sit within a full-width black fascia meant to recall pop-up headlights without using them.

Current pedestrian and lighting rules make true pop-ups impractical, so Ferrari recreates the look of a closed headlight cover.

The rear is defined by twin tails, another nod to the 512 S. On the coupe they blend into the roof, but with the Spider hardtop lowered they become the main visual feature.

They are not just styling. Ferrari says the twin tails produce 10 per cent of rear downforce, working with an active spoiler that shifts between low-drag and high-downforce settings in under one second.

In high-downforce mode the active element adds up to 100kg at 250km/h. Total downforce reaches 415kg at that speed, 25kg more than the SF90 Spider.

The shape gains greatly from being viewed in person. Some angles look difficult in photos, yet the scale of the intakes, door depth and cabin-to-body relationship make more sense in three dimensions.

Furtado told CarExpert that setting a new trend matters more than staying safe.

We agree, though the Argento Nürburgring car may have been too subtle for the task.

The silver finish highlights the surface detail, yet this car suits a brighter shade such as Rosso Fiammante, Giallo Ambra, a strong blue or something bolder via Ferrari personalisation.

A million-dollar Spider with this visual complexity should not be understated.

How does the roof work?

The two-piece retractable hardtop opens or closes in 14 seconds and works at speeds up to 45km/h.

It uses the same basic roof layout and hydraulics as the SF90 Spider, though geometry, outer surfaces, interior trim, control unit and rear glass position were adjusted for the 849 body and aero needs.

The glass rear screen can also be lowered on its own.

This proves more practical than it first appears. On a hot day the roof can stay closed while the rear glass drops to bring more engine sound into the cabin without hours of direct sun.

Ferrari developed a patented wind-management system for the Spider. Openings behind the seats catch high-energy air above the side windows and release it through lower vents near the seat bases, cutting turbulence around the occupants and tunnel.

The system worked well enough to keep the roof down all morning without the cabin becoming uncomfortable.

With the roof closed, a bridge across the rear tonneau directs air toward the engine cover and active spoiler. Ferrari says this lets the Spider keep downforce levels close to the coupe.

The roof and extra structure add roughly 90kg over the coupe.

That number needs context. The SF90 showed a coupe-to-Spider gap of about 100kg, yet Ferrari notes the apparent 10kg improvement for the 849 comes mainly because its newer adjustable lightweight carbon-fibre seat can now be fitted to the Spider.

In short, the roof mechanism itself has not lost 10kg. Ferrari can simply quote the Spider with a lighter seating option than before. The test car used full-electric ventilated comfort seats that were not the lightest choice.

What is the Ferrari 849 Testarossa Spider like on the inside?

Ferrari is moving away from touch-sensitive steering wheel controls, which is welcome.

The 849 returns most key functions to physical buttons, including the engine start. Indicators, lights, wipers, Manettino and common driving controls sit where they can be used without looking away from the road.

The digital eManettino stays in the wheel centre and gives access to the four hybrid modes: eDrive, Hybrid, Performance and Qualify.

The layout makes sense. Everyday driving items are mechanical while the hybrid powertrain modes stay digital.

The drive selector is another strong point. Inspired by the F80, it sits high on a sculptural aluminium sail rising from the centre console and gives the cabin a hint of the open gate from older manual Ferraris.

It does not alter how the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission works, but it adds ceremony missing from some of Ferrari recent more clinical cabins.

The interior mixes a wide horizontal dashboard with more enclosed single-seater elements around the driver. The upper dash appears to float above a contrasting band while aluminium-framed C-shaped air vents sit at each end.