The F40 was commissioned to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary. Nicola Materazzi led development; Pininfarina styled it. It was the last Ferrari Enzo personally authorised before his death in August 1988.
Ferrari planned to build 400 cars. Demand pushed final production to 1,311 between 1987 and 1992 — a waiting list that committed before the final specification was published. Nigel Mansell's car became the first F40 to cross £1 million at private sale in 1990. Values have climbed consistently; pristine examples traded above €1.5 million by 2024.
Tubular steel spaceframe clad with Kevlar and carbon-fibre. Dry weight: 1,100 kg. Ferrari’s F120A 2.9-litre V8 with twin IHI turbochargers. Output: 478 PS. Top speed: 324 km/h — the first production car to officially exceed 200 mph.
No power steering. No ABS. No traction control. No carpet in early cars. 0 to 100 km/h: 4.1 seconds.
The F40 supplanted the Countach as the poster car of its generation. Its silhouette — red, rear wing, louvres — anchored bedroom walls and workshop calendars through the 1990s.
A capped supply, Enzo’s death, and an expanding collector base drove sustained appreciation. The F40 defined the format that the McLaren F1 and Porsche Carrera GT worked within.
The F40 is a production racing car with road registration.
Before you buy. Full documented service history with Ferrari-authorised specialists is non-negotiable.
Critical faults. Fuel-system degradation presents a genuine fire hazard if neglected. Turbocharger seals leak oil. Clutch lifespan shortens under spirited use.
Service intervals. Oil every 5,000 km. Cam belt every 30,000 km or three years.
The F40 arrived fully formed. These photographs document the prototype presentations, the early production cars, and the grand-prix paddocks where the F40 became the last word on road-going performance in its era.
Red is not a colour choice in this archive. It is a signature.
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Ferrari · Scuderia Ferrari