Niels van Roij Design is taking on the not-quite-OutRun custom build. But is Ferrari secretly fuming?

If you follow these pages regularly, you might well have heard of a coachbuilder called Niels van Roij Design. It’s the firm that’s responsible for the Ferrari 550-based ‘Breadvan Hommage’, a convertible Land Rover Defender 90 and a two-door Range Rover.

It also recently revealed a restomodded Fiat Panda 4×4, and now it’s working on another Italian classic. Yep, it’s a Ferrari Testarossa.

This isn’t just going to be any old restoration job though. Niels van Roij has decided to give the iconic V12 a targa top roof. Brave.

Interestingly though, it would seem that the coachbuilder isn’t sure whether Ferrari would like its work. Not once does it mention the words ‘Ferrari’ or ‘Testarossa’ in its press release, preferring to refer to the car as “a 1987 12-cylinder mid-engined sports car” and, rather snappily, “a two-door coupe that first graced the automotive world at the 1984 Paris Auto Show”.

Anyway, we reckon it could be a very cool thing indeed. Apparently the project was initiated by a British expat and Ferrari fan who’s currently living in Andorra, and the whole build can be followed on Niels van Roij Design’s social media channels.

“This project exemplifies our dedication to pushing the boundaries of automotive design while paying homage to the rich history of this iconic sports car,” said Niels van Roij himself.

“The Targa conversion not only enhances the driving experience – just listen to that V12 – but also celebrates the spirit of individuality and passion for bespoke automobiles.”