With its characteristic design with elongated cooling inlets on the side interrupted by longitudinal bars and the wide tail, the Testarossa and its descendants polarize like few other Ferrari vehicles. Hardly anyone would have predicted in 1984 that this spectacular sports car would be built more or less unchanged for twelve years. In 1996, after around 8,000 units, the mid-engine was discontinued; the successor, called the 550 Maranello, had the twelve-cylinder installed at the front. This means that the Ferrari 512M - apart from the few super sports cars such as La Ferrari, Enzo, etc. - was the last 12-cylinder mid-engine sports car built by Ferrari that was produced in series. Let that sink in. The Ferrari Testarossa was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1984. Its design took over many aspects from its predecessor, the 512 BBi, but improved on some. Visually, there were hardly any similarities between the 512 BBi and the Testarossa. The Ferrari, designed by Sergio Pininfarina and Leonardo Fioravanti, shaped sports car design until the 1990s. With a width of almost two meters, it set a new record and, together with a height of just 1.13 meters, it formed the basis for an extremely flat-looking car that looked fast even when standing still. The design of the side air intakes was based on the water coolers, which were positioned on the outside, similar to a Formula 1 car. With an original 390 hp, the power of the still five-liter engine had increased again, and the aerodynamically favorable Testarossa ran at almost 300 km/h. In 1991, the Testarossa became the 512 TR, now with 428 hp and a few retouches to the body. In 1992 the interior was modified, further changes seemed unnecessary. In 1994 Ferrari announced the “F 512 M”. The “M” stood for “Modificata” and the mid-engine sports car had indeed been “modified” in many ways. Titanium connecting rods, a lighter crankshaft and forged aluminum pistons made it possible to increase the power of the twelve-cylinder engine to 440 hp in combination with an optimized combustion chamber design and a compression ratio increased to 10.4:1 (despite running on 95 octane). The power transmission was also adapted to the needs of 1990s sports car buyers with new synchronizer rings and reinforced gears in the gearbox as well as adjustments to the clutch. The new model was immediately recognizable from the outside. The pop-up headlights had disappeared and were replaced by ellipsoid lamps under glass covers. This gave the 512 M a touch of F40 flair. The characteristic crossbars were missing at the rear and instead of the rectangular light units there were now four round lamps, like the BB. Wide, multi-part 18-inch rims and tires almost 30 cm wide (at the rear) filled the wheel arches. Inside, only a newly designed steering wheel indicated the "Modificata". The changes were combined with a welcome reduction in weight; the manufacturer stated the curb weight for the "dry" sports car to be 1,455 kg. The "Modificata" cost 332,000 DM in 1995, no small sum. Compared to its predecessors, however, with around 380 units produced, it remained extremely rare, which is why the last word on value quotations has probably not yet been spoken, despite the polarizing design adjustments that were not appreciated by all Testarossa fans. The 512 M definitely has a special status, because it was the last of its kind. The successor, the 550 Maranello, carried the even more powerful twelve-cylinder engine over the front wheels and was more of a Gran Turismo than a road-going racing car. The seating position is right, and the steering, which is much smoother and more precise than its predecessors, the Testarossa and 512TR, pleasantly supports the turning of the beautifully designed steering wheel. The all-round visibility is better than you might expect and the width of almost two meters no longer scares anyone in the age of Q7s and the like. Once you've started the engine, you'll think you're in seventh heaven. There should be a warning about the risk of addiction... The example we're offering is accident-free and has a flawless history of origin and maintenance. The work on this 512M was largely carried out by a single Ferrari dealer. The last major inspection with replacement of the timing belt was carried out in September 2022 at 58,800 km, i.e. around 350 km ago. In conjunction with our conscientious inspection, the overall visual impression and the truly complete, transparent history, we are firmly convinced that you will hardly find a technically better conditioned 512M on the market. The current situation makes it extremely difficult to find this rare model.