TR250 (75%) – For those moments, when the real thing is just too much

Looking down at the ‘miniaturised’ version of a classic Ferrari is missing the point, states Iain Robertson, when it is factory sanctioned, faithful to the endth degree and carries a Euros93,000 price tag for its strictly limited 299 units production run.

Collectibles come in all shapes and sizes. On a personal front, I own a collection of around 3,000 scale model cars, some of which were toys bought for me, when I was a lot younger than I am today. As a child visiting relatives in Scotland, in the early-1960s, I can recall commandeering my cousin’s somewhat larger Austin J40 pedal car and ‘driving’ it consistently from holiday arrival to departure, pleading with my father to acquire an example for me. If you search on the Internet, you will find them today, renovated and ‘race ready’ for Goodwood junior league competitors. The very best examples carry hefty price tags.

While the bulk of my collection is of 1/43^rd scale models, which happens to be the most popular size, I also have some 1/87^th, 1/18^th and even a handful of 1/12^th scale cars, representing race, rally and road replicas of many different makes, from the most mundane Lada, through Fords and Vauxhalls of all types, to classics that are among my most treasured. Having provided my research services to Corgi in the late-1980s, from which the toymaker produced entire series of collectible models, I also own some prototypes that are exceptionally rare.

Although my grandfather owned an actual Bugatti Type 35, which I recall was parked in the corner of a barn, covered in pigeon droppings and providing a home for a family of fieldmice, how I wish that its remains had been bequeathed to me, following his passing in 1964. Unable to reach the hand-crafted foot-pedals, I would sit behind the corded steering wheel and dream. When he owned that car, it was not burdened by a collectible status and was probably worth only a few hundred Pounds. I still have a total fascination for the products of Bugatti and relished the relationship I developed as the only UK motoring scribe to attend the extensive European launch tour of the EB110 full production supercar model in 1990. Trust me, I recognise how lucky I have been over the years.

Bugatti was renowned for its small production runs of its various numbered models and, although never named as the Type 52, a soubriquet reputedly gifted to it by famous British Bugattiste, the late Hugh Conway, the factory always referred to one of its most desirable models as the ‘Baby’. It was a half-scale version (1.8m long) of the utterly gorgeous Type 35 and around 500 examples were produced at the Molsheim factory for the well-heeled offspring of Bugatti’s elite customer base. The 52 was powered by a 12v electric motor, the polarity of which could be switched to provide a reverse gear. When any of these rarities do change hands, it is usually for a king’s ransom.

Now, Ferrari has joined the small car appreciation society with its Ferrari Testa Rossa J, a special project that provides Ferrari enthusiasts of all ages the opportunity to experience the thrill of driving an automotive legend that might otherwise be completely untouchable. Designated J for Junior, it is a faithful three-quarter scale evocation of the 1957 original and is powered by three batteries and an electric motor.

Unsurprisingly, Ferrari has led every aspect of the project, in collaboration with The Little Car Company, a British firm, based at Bicester Heritage, that specialises in the production of small scale replicars, such as the Type 52. Ferrari’s Styling Centre in Maranello oversaw every aspect of the proportions and various liveries, while the chassis and other components were created using original design drawings held by Ferrari’s Classiche department. Although it is not homologated for road use, the 250TR J is designed to be driven by anyone over 14 years of age.

An important circuit racing car in the 1950s and 1960s, the 250 Testa Rossa is one of the all-time great Ferraris, distinguished by a lengthy list of honours. In fact, it claimed some 18 victories in its history, with three championship titles in 1958, 1960 and 1961. It is also the only Ferrari racing car to have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race four times (1958, 1960, 1961 and in 1962, albeit in 330 TR form, the final evolution of the car). Creating a replica was almost a given.

The J reproduces meticulously the lines of the 250 Testa Rossa in the original Scaglietti-designed barchetta version, nicknamed ‘pontoon fender’. The attention to detail is painstaking; the body being constructed from hand-beaten aluminium, while the paint is the same as that applied to Ferrari’s present road car range, as is the insignia on its nose. The junior car retains the same steering and suspension geometry, affording it authentic handling to match its original appearance.

Ferrari designed a single seat, with enough space for an adult and a teen, that incorporates the piping motif of the original, albeit clad in modern Ferrari hide. The steering wheel is produced by Nardi, with a quick-release system to facilitate driver entry. The classic dials are remastered and repurposed for their new role in an electric car. Suspension is taken care of by Bilstein coil-over dampers and custom springs that were fine-tuned by Ferrari’s test drivers at the Fiorano test facility.

A ‘Manettino’ dial gives four driving modes: Novice (1kW/20kph) eases rookie drivers into the car; Comfort mode (4kW/45kph), Sport and Race modes that become progressively sportier, with responsive acceleration and increased maximum speeds (over 40mph). Safety was a priority throughout the car’s development: the metal side panels being reinforced and an optional roll-bar can be anchored to the chassis. Brembo disc brakes replace the original drum system to maximise braking performance, complemented by a hydraulic handbrake. Its steep price tag will still place the TR250 J out of the reach of normal mortals but, if you have a spare £100k available, you can be guaranteed a gilt-edged investment.