Yeah, I know: clickbait. Hands-up. This Ferrari isn’t a Ferrari per se. But it is an exact reproduction of the legendary Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa race car. So now that you’re here, let’s have a look.
The 250 repro is called “J” Just J. Built by The Little Car Company out of Bicester, England, the world’s first factory authorized, 100 percent battery-powered Ferrari is a 75 percent scale reproduction of a full-size 250 Testa Rossa. For real! The J was “developed and built from the original drawings kept in Ferrari Classiche.”
A scaled-down Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa is kinda funny – given the Italian automaker’s history of building automobiles for people who have no reason to live. For example, if you’re 6” or taller, my F360 is non-starter (which it might be anyway).
At some point in the last decade, Maranello decided to build cars suitable for tall ballers and professional athletes. Modern Ferraris are-more-than-somewhat capable of accomodating lofty and/or portly multi-millionaires.
The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa J, not so much. Silly rabbit! This trick is for kids!
Rediscover the icon of the past with Ferrari’s new Junior Car. Aimed to cultivate the passion of the most loyal customers and to share the dream with the young collectors of the future. The Ferrari Testa Rossa J pays homage to the car’s tremendous victories, courageous drivers and the brand’s constant search for perfection. Relive the story with a product designed to be enjoyed with parents and children, and friends or family.
testarossj.com
Ain’t gonna lie. That’s one cool looking EV, evoking all the glamor and a tiny fraction of the giddyap of the Ferrari 250.
Get this: unlike the “real” Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, the Testa Rossa J has a modern day manettino switch on the dashboard. How great is that?
Novice’ mode allows the user just 1kW of power and features a remote kill fob that also limits the range the vehicle can be from them. ‘Comfort’ mode will allow 4kW of power to be used and allow the driver to begin to explore the full potential of the vehicle up to 40km/h [24.85 mph]. ‘Sport’ mode delivers 10kW of power and allows the car to reach its top speed of 80km/h [Euro-limit of 49.71 mph]. The final mode ‘Race’ unleashes the full 12kW of power available in the Testa Rossa J’s fastest accelerating configuration.
testarossaj.com
The Little Car Company makes a big claim about the manettino: “With four driving modes to choose from, the car can be enjoyed safely, no matter how experienced the driver.”
Really? No matter how the power’s delivered, the possibility of a collision at 25 mph in a toy car raises the specter of a kiddy KSI (Killed or Serious Injured). A collision at fifty miles per hour? It doesn’t bear thinking about.
Seeking to forestall ambulance chasers in The Land of the Free and The Home of the Brave, The Little Car Company electronically limits U.S.-spec cars to 19 mph. So there is that. And this:
The Novice mode allows the owner to supervise younger drivers at safe speeds and retain full control of the vehicle from a distance. A removeable key ensures that the mode cannot be changed after it has been chosen by the supervisor.
testarossj.com
I don’t mean to be a killjoy. Wrapping kids up in ethically-sourced cotton wool doesn’t prepare them for life’s challenges (e.g., split infinitives). If kids crash their J, I say live and learn. Assuming they live.
Me? I would’ve given my right testicle to drive the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa J at the appropriate age – whatever that is. Oh wait. Turns out I’m still appropriate!
I reckon $100k is a pittance to pay to give a child faux Ferrari thrills and Beverly Hills bragging rights. More than that, the J brings new, depressingly facile meaning to the old British adage “start as you mean to finish.” Which I just did.
