A wide, red wedge appears in the rearview mirror—barely tall enough to meet your windowsill. In mere seconds, the 12-cylinder cacophony flies past; a quickly dissipating view of its distinctive rear fascia is the only evidence of your fleeting encounter with the Ferrari Testarossa.

The Testarossa is without question an icon of the Eighties; the visual impact it still commands from the unassuming driver, young car-crazy dreamer, or high-performance sports car aficionado has, quite remarkably, never wavered since the model’s introduction in 1984. An instant sensation when it debuted, the Ferrari Testarossa has become automotive shorthand for the flamboyant era that created it. And while the model evolved slightly over the course of its run, the Testarossa’s futuristic design never lost its edge—figuratively or literally—before production ceased in 1991.

The low-slung, Pininfarina body is effectively a raked wedge designed to punch through the air at high speeds, not unlike fighter jets of the same period. By a stroke of artistic genius, the design managed to be sinister and elegant at the same time, both forward-thinking and contemporary. Yet, the Testarossa was not only a step forward in terms of styling; it also improved on the performance and all-around livability of the outgoing 512 Berlinetta Boxer. The long side strakes that ran along the doors and into the quarter panels served a purpose, channeling fresh air toward the potent, red-headed 5.0-liter flat-12 engine.

This Rosso Corsa over Nero leather Testarossa has resided within the Terence E. Adderley collection for over 30 years. Chassis 63753 is a US-market car, which was completed at Maranello in April 1986 and subsequently acquired by Mr. Adderley in 1990.

Rather amazingly, the car’s distinctive, high-contrast Veglia Borletti instrumentation currently indicates just 3,600 miles at time of cataloguing. In preparation for sale, the car has been recently treated to an engine servicing performed by Cauley Ferrari of Detroit in West Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Early Testarossa specimens such as this are easily distinguished by a single driver’s side “flying” mirror, center-lug alloy wheels, and–particular for these 1986 US cars—a third brake light now housed within the rear engine cover shroud. As both the mirror and wheel hub designs changed in early 1987, these earliest cars are often considered to be the purest expression of the Pininfarina design, and likewise the most coveted of the Testarossa family.

Long considered by many to be one of the most dramatic and visually striking Ferraris ever made, the Testarossa is a preeminent “poster car” of its era. This singular example would be a tremendous acquisition for the discerning collector yet to experience the model’s loud aesthetic—and even louder exhaust note—for themselves.