Big Money And Big Orders For The Little Car Company
Images: Little Car Company
The Little Car Company has begun delivering their little Ferraris to customers around the world. Designed and built in collaboration with Ferrari themselves, the Ferrari Testa Rossa J is an electric, 75 percent scale replica of its famous namesake which won the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Developed and handcrafted using the original design drawings, supplied by Ferrari’s Classiche Department, the Testa Rossa J is limited to just 299 vehicles.
The first owners have now begun getting behind the wheel with two examples received by Mr. Grouwels, a collector in the Netherlands.
As with all cars designed and built by The Little Car Company, Mr. Grouwels’ Ferrari Testa Rossa Js are totally bespoke. One features raw unpainted aluminium bodywork, a stripped back specification that exposes and accentuates the carefully constructed bodywork, presenting the car in all its aerodynamic glory.
Mr. Grouwels’ second Testa Rossa J takes a vastly different aesthetic form. Visually striking, it has been painted in a stunning Rosso Mugello, blending beautifully with elegant Giallo Modena stripes.
The hand-crafted interior is made of a cioccolato frau leather, providing sublime comfort for both driver and passenger. Even its Borrani wheels, chosen specifically by Mr. Grouwels, hark back to the original and are re-proportioned for this reimagining.
Speaking about the new additions to his already impressive collection, Mr. Grouwels said: “The cars have been driving excellently and have been great additions to my collection. These liveries immediately stood out for me, and they both look outstanding. To own a unique Ferrari licensed model like this was an absolute must for my collection.”
Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company, said: “The commencement of Ferrari Testa Rossa J deliveries is a huge milestone for The Little Car Company, and we are pleased to see customers, like Mr. Grouwels, immediately enjoy them as intended.
“For our customers, we aim to make the specification process as exciting as possible, giving them the freedom to explore the options at their fingertips. As with everything we do at The Little Car Company, we pride ourselves on attention to detail and liaise closely with customers to offer them a personalised experience that results in the creation of a car that is truly unique to them.”
As an official Ferrari model, the Ferrari Testa Rossa J, is built to meet the highest of scale model automotive standards. The Little Car Company’s team of engineers claim to have taken inspiration from the craftsmanship of the original, using the same hand-beaten aluminium bodywork and hand-beating techniques.
The Testa Rossa J incorporates many features of the original, including the same steering and suspension geometry to give it truly authentic handling. The interior also showcases sublime attention to detail with the transmission tunnel removed to make space for seating to accommodate a driver and passenger.
Just like the original, the steering wheel is supplied by Nardi, which has the world’s smallest quick-release steering wheel system, developed to facilitate easy entry and exit. Similarly, the classic dials have been repurposed for their new role in an electric car, with one notable addition being a power gauge showing the level of regenerative braking being deployed.
Taking inspiration from the Ferrari 812 Superfast, a beautifully designed Manettino has been added. This switch allows the driver to alternate between the four driving modes, which have been carefully developed to make the driving experience as safe as possible:
Novice Mode: 1kW / 24km/h
Comfort Mode: 4kW / 40km/h
Sport Mode: 10kW / 80km/h
Race Mode: 12kW / 80km/h
The three batteries powering the electric engine are positioned at the front of the car, and provide approximately 90km of range, depending on driving conditions and style. The batteries are accessed under the front bonnet, while the car can also be charged where the fuel cap was previously situated.
Customers across the globe will continue to take delivery of their bespoke Ferrari Testa Rossa Js, with those lucky few getting their hands on one of the 299 limited pieces.