Michael Jackson’s Custom Ferrari Testarossa Is Up for Sale

Speed demon Ferrari created for Pepsi commercial (no, not that one) is on the market. And you know it’s bad, really, really bad….

Do you remember the time, back in the 1980s, when Michael Jackson reigned supreme on the charts, and Pepsi was fighting the Cola Wars? The two decided they wanna be starting something, so they embarked on a very successful and lucrative partnership. The King of Pop collaborated with Pepsi on a series of memorable and iconic commercials that looked and felt more like cool films or music videos, replete with hot jams, and one very hot Ferrari. And now you can own this piece of pop culture and automotive history.

The Testarossa, for sale at Motor GT, was customized and modded for one of MJ’s Pepsi commercials, which was actually a five-part commercial series titled The Chase. In the spot titled “The Chopper,” Jackson drives the Ferrari in an attempt to tell the annoying paparazzi to beat it. With the press hounding him, Jacko runs offstage at a concert, goes to the roof, hops on a helicopter, ziplines down to the ground, and jumps in the Ferrari. After a high-speed chase and some smooth (criminal) maneuvering, Jackson shakes the paps, and shows off a sweet Italian supercar.

Motor Authority reported that to customize the Testarossa to perfection, Ferrari turned to well-known coachbuilder Richard Straman. Straman took the 1986 Ferrari and removed the top, added a convertible soft top, and moved the driver’s side mirror. The result was a badass Testarossa looking like a beast about to strike. Pepsi and MJ took one look at this beauty queen from a movie scene and just knew that this was the one.

But this classic build comes at a steep price — $799,900! Yes, it’s a thriller price tag, and one poster on the Classic Cars Journal summed it up nicely: “$800,000 for a sub $100,000 car? That’ll take the fizz out of your Pepsi. Buy a new Ferrari, MJ’s Greatest Hits on iTunes, a case of Coke, and invest the rest in Bitcoin. LOL!”

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S.J. Bryan

Longtime automotive journalist S.J. Bryan has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is an editor with Ford Truck Enthusiasts and regular contributor to F-150 Online, Harley-Davidson Forums, and The Mustang Source, among other popular auto sites.

Bryan first discovered her passion for all things automotive while riding in her parent's 1968 Ford Mustang. The automotive expert cut her teeth growing up riding on Harleys, and her first car was a Chevy Nova. Despite her lead foot, Bryan has yet to receive a speeding ticket.

The award-winning former playwright was first published at age 18. She has worked extensively as a writer and editor for a number of lifestyle and pop culture publications. The diehard gearhead is a big fan of American muscle cars, sixth-gen Ford trucks, and Oxford commas.

S.J. can be reached at sherryjbry@gmail.com.