The powertrain is a plug-in hybrid built around a thoroughly revised 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-plane-crank V8 engine. The internal combustion engine alone delivers 830 metric horsepower (CV) at 7,500 rpm and 842 Nm of torque, utilizing 10% larger turbochargers than the SF90. 

This engine is paired with three electric motors—two on the front axle providing independent torque vectoring and one axial-flux motor mounted between the V8 and the 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Combined system output is 1,050 CV (1,035 bhp), making it the most powerful series-production car Ferrari has built.

Power is routed through an e4WD system, executing 0-100 km/h in 2.25 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 6.3 seconds, and a top speed exceeding 330 km/h. A 7.45 kWh lithium-ion battery pack allows for up to 25 km of pure electric driving in front-wheel-drive eDrive mode, and the car laps the Fiorano test track in 1 minute, 17.5 seconds.

The cabin layout shifts away from the touch-only interfaces found in recent Ferraris. In response to widespread driver complaints, Ferrari removed the capacitive touchpads from the steering wheel, replacing them with physical, tactile buttons, a mechanical Manettino dial, and a hard engine-start button.

The cabin uses a distinct dual-cockpit layout where the passenger and driver seats are isolated by a tall, carbon-fibre-wrapped center console containing a floating gate-style gear selector. 

There is no central infotainment touchscreen; instead, all navigation, media, and telemetry are housed in a 16-inch curved digital instrument cluster for the driver, while the passenger gets a separate 9-inch widescreen display. Indian-spec models include a standard 7-speaker audio system, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, but practical storage is minimal, limited to a 74-litre front trunk.

The exterior design abandons the styling language of the SF90, drawing heavy inspiration from the late 1960s and early 1970s 512S and 512M sports prototype racers. This is visible in the prominent "twin tail" rear architecture and deeply sculpted side flanks featuring vertical air intakes designed to feed the intercoolers. 

The front fascia uses an L-shaped LED headlight layout connected by a distinct black trim piece that visually nods to the pop-up headlights of the 1980s original.

Ferrari offers the car as both a Coupe and a Spider variant, the latter using a retractable hardtop (RHT) that cycles open or closed in 14 seconds at speeds up to 45 km/h. 

If ordered with the track-focused Assetto Fiorano package, the car swaps standard body panels for lightweight carbon-fibre pieces, adds a fixed rear wing setup, and modifies the underbody vortex generators to produce 415 kg of downforce at 250 km/h.

The 849 Testarossa relies heavily on an updated electronic architecture to handle its power on public roads. 

It features Side Slip Control (SSC) 9.0, traction control, and an electronic differential integrated with a new system called FIVE (Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator), which calculates real-time vehicle speed and yaw angles to adjust torque distribution instantly. 

Stopping power is managed by a brake-by-wire system connected to Brembo carbon-ceramic discs measuring 410mm at the front and 372mm at the rear, managed by Ferrari's ABS Evo system to achieve a 100-0 km/h stopping distance of 28.5 meters. 

The vehicle is equipped with 6 airbags, a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and a dedicated suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) configured for high-speed stabilization. For Indian road conditions, configuring the optional front-axle lift system is standard practice to clear speed bumps.

The primary competitor for the 849 Testarossa in the Indian exotic space is the Lamborghini Revuelto, which is priced closely at ₹8.89 Crore ex-showroom; the Lamborghini retains a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine alongside its three-motor hybrid setup, offering a more traditional exhaust note compared to the Ferrari's twin-turbo V8. 

Other cross-shopped vehicles in the multi-crore segment include the front-engined Aston Martin Vanquish (which uses a twin-turbo V12 making 835 hp) and the plug-in hybrid McLaren Artura or upcoming hypercars, though the 849 Testarossa specifically competes with mid-engine hybrid flagships utilizing torque-vectoring all-wheel drive.