Private school plaything: $150,000 junior electric Ferrari Testa Rossa
Just when parents thought they were spoiling their child with an hour of TV and a doughnut, along comes a $150,000 junior-sized electric Ferrari to remind everything’s relative.
Pandemic financial crisis? We’re all in this global Covid struggle together? Yeah, right.
With prices starting from 93,000 Euros ($150,000), these 75% scale replicas of a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa are the ideal four-wheeled gift for little darlings to come home to when boarding school breaks for holidays.
Attention to detail
They may be the reserve of the seriously entitled, but there’s no question these Ferrari Testa Rossa J electric cars by the UK’s The Little Car Company are exquisite creations.
Not only is there that evocative body but it rolls on re-proportioned hand-made 12-inch wire wheels, based on original Borrani rims. These are shod in Pirelli Cinturato tyres, while the driver enjoys control through a Nardi steering wheel.
It’s quick, too. Top speed is quoted at over 60km/h from the electric motor, which should give quite the buzz in an open-top junior classic that’s 3.1-metres long, 1.1-metres wide and just 70cm high.
The fact the company plans to produce 299 of them – at that price – illustrates there are plenty of people still doing alright in these times of turmoil.
The original Testa Rossas were built by Ferrari between 1957 and 1961 and are one of its most successful sports racing cars. It won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1958, 1960 and 1961, snaring the World Sports Car Championship constructor’s titles the same years.
Only 33 were built in period, and today are some of the most valuable vehicles in existence. Reckon on one with decent race history setting you back over $50million, so maybe $150k for a little one isn’t too obscene after all.
Things have not been done by halves. The lines of the 250 Testa Rossa in the original Scaglietti-designed barchetta version have been reproduced using traditional methods: hand-beaten aluminium.
The paint is the same as applied to Ferrari’s present road car range, as is the insignia on the front.
For the chassis, the original paper drawings from the Ferrari Classiche Department were scanned and digitally recreated. Incredibly, the same steering and suspension geometry are used on the 75% car to “give it authentic handling to match its original appearance.”
Performance and range
There’s no soulful Ferrari Colombo V12 powering the scaled-down version. That job’s covered by a front-mounted electric motor powered by three batteries.
Range is a claimed 90km, although it depends on Junior’s driving style. Batteries are charged where the original car’s fuel cap lived.
Inside, a ‘Manettino’ dial offers four driving modes. Novice mode gives 1kW and 20km/h performance; Comfort ups this to 4kW and 45km/h, while Sport and Race modes give ” instantly responsive acceleration and increased maximum speeds.” Over 60km/h is quoted.
The cabin’s battery and motor temperature gauges use the original design and fonts of the real thing’s oil and water gauges, while the fuel gauge is now the battery gauge and the tachometer has become a speedo. A power gauge shows the level of regenerative braking.
Those with mini-Shcumachers as offspring would do well to option the roll-bar that anchors to the chassis. On the safety front, the car’s metal side panels have been reinforced, while Brembo disc brakes (really) are way more advanced than the Le Mans-winning originals’ drums.
Big names also cover the suspension. The Testa Rossa J uses Bilstein coilovers and custom springs which were fine-tuned and signed off by Ferrari’s test divers at Maranello’s Fiorano test track.
Starting to realise why these cost so much?
Cost options (of course)
It’s designed for those aged over 14 years, but The Little Car Company reminds it’s not homologated for road use. But if Daddy’s estate is large enough this shouldn’t prevent too many obstacles to opening up the electrified plaything.
The single seat should accomodate an adult as well, we’re promised. Well, why let the kids have all the fun?
Taking a leaf out of the real Ferrari’s book, you’re welcome to spend plenty more on options. The Ferrari Classiche department has helped create an online car configurator to choose between 14 historical racing liveries, 53 bodywork colours and additional personalised racing liveries.
Authentic Borrani wheels are also available as an option. Of course they are.
But is a Ferrari too garish for your little ones? The Little Car Company also offers junior Aston Martin DB5s, 1926 Bugatti Baby, and even a Tamiya Wild One buggy.
Actually, why not have one of each?
