1989 Ferrari F40

F40. Just mentioning the name instills the perfect balance of excitement and fear! It is barely possible not to get carried away with superlatives that the era defining supercar justifiably deserves and has been awarded over the years. Hardened journalists get misty eyed when remembering its launch, though incredibly it still ranks in the top of their ‘wish lists’ some 25 years later!!

One of Pininfarina’s most recognizable shapes ever penned, the F40 was presented in 1987 to celebrate Enzo Ferrari’s 40 years of car production. Poignantly the last ever car he showed before his passing some 14 months later. Developed from the limited-production 288GTO, the F40 was a two-seater, mid-engined coupé that mounted its V8 power unit longitudinally in the chassis (rather than transversely like the 308/ 328) a layout that greatly simplified the accommodation of the twin water-cooled IHI turbochargers. Enlarged from the 288GTO’s 2,855cc to 2,936cc for the F40, the four-cam, 32-valve motor produced 478bhp at 7,000rpm, some 20 percent up on the 288 which propelled the F40 to break the magical 200 mph. 

Whilst the GTO had pioneered the use of composite panels, the F40 was the first whose bodywork was constructed entirely from such materials. Comprising eleven panels made from Nomex, Kevlar and Carbon composite with a heavily ventilated Plexiglas rear windscreen.

Owned by one very lucky Italian gentleman from new until 2014 this F40 is regarded as the purist’s favourite specification. An early non-cat, non-adjust example, it has enjoyed the most cosseted existence all of its life. Supplied new in December 1989 via the official dealer in Rome Sa.Mo.Car SpA the long-term owner looked after his pride and joy meticulously with regular servicing carried out by the same garage. The car still has the original seat fabric which is hardly worn and the bodywork shows excellent weave and is in exceptional condition throughout. With only 14,000 kms from new it is not only supplied with Ferrari certification it even has its original Schedoni fitted luggage!