Ferrari Testarossa Structure

The Testarossa series was made from a variety of materials to appropriately maximize its functional form. Apart from the galvanized steel roof and doors, and various glass fiber pieces, the body panels were crafted entirely from strong but light aluminum. The Testarossa chassis consisted of square section steel tubes arranged in a strong matrix, like a racing car. This was Ferrari's normal practice in chassis construction until the late 1990's.

The Testarossa had a full tube-steel chassis with a removable rear sub-frame containing the low-mounted drivetrain and rear suspension. This gave the heavy rear of the car a double layer of support and simplified mechanical service. Vertical bulkheads at either end of the passenger cabin were of strengthened galvanized steel. The floorpan and front luggage bin were semi-monocoques bolted to the tubular chassis. The result was a passenger cabin with unsurpassed safety and an extremely rigid platform for a car with superlative performance.

The 1991-94 512 TR had a floor pan strengthened at high stress points by chromium-molybdenum steel. New welding techniques strengthened joints. The drivetrain and rear suspension of the 512 TR were directly mounted on the full rear frame. These changes contributed to substantially increased torsional rigidity and decreased weight. The chassis of the 1995-96 F512M was further revised.