Rated by many as the ultimate road-going Ferrari, the F40 was the final car commissioned by Enzo Ferrari. The twin-turbocharged, V8 supercar was produced to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Ferrari road car production. Many believe that Ferrari produced the F40 as a counter punch to the Porsche 959.
Introduced in 1987, the 2.9-litre mid-engined V8 that’s develops 478bhp can reach 200mph thanks to its twin-turbo chargers and the low weight of just 1100kg. It features a dramatic ultra-lightweight body designed by Pininfarina made from a mix of carbon-fibre and Kevlar as well as plastic. The looks and performance were nothing short of phenomenal. Indeed, the F40 was the world’s first 200mph production road car. Just 1,315 F40s were produced in Maranello between 1987 and 1992.
The F40 Project team was headed by designer Leonardo Fioravanti. Leonardo is now one of the most distinguished people in car design. Some of Mr. Fioravanti’s outstanding projects include the Ferrari Daytona, 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer, the 308 GTB and GTS as well as the 288 GTO and of course the legendary F40.
On the 25th anniversary of the F40’s launch there was a gathering of over 50 examples of the V8 supercar in Silverstone, England. Nigel Chiltern-Hunt of the Ferrari Owners Club of Great Britain said:
“Our original aim was to get at least 25 of these Ferraris together and, as I contacted owners, I have been gratified that so many wanted to be part of the celebration, so much so that we have more than 50 F40s registered for the event with more to come.”
Following on from the 288 GTO Evoluziones, the F40 took the concept of a powerful engine in a lightweight body a stage further. With a power to weight ratio of over 400bhp/ton the F40 set new standards of performance - eclipsing even the Porsche 959 with its 200mph top speed and brutal acceleration.
