4 Things You Need to Know about the Iconic Ferrari F40
Ferrari is one of the most well-known luxury sports car manufacturers in the world. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939, the company built its first vehicle the following year and has since released dozens of iconic models, including the GT4, Testarossa, Berlinetta Boxer, 488, and LaFerrari. Ferrari is also among the most successful engine manufacturers in Formula One with 15 Drivers’ Championships and more than 240 race victories.
Many classic Ferrari road models were built with similar specifications as those vehicles designed for the racetrack. The Ferrari F40, produced from 1987 to 1992, is a shining example of this, as it was the world’s fastest and most powerful car when first released. As evidenced by sale prices at luxury auctions, it remains a favorite among automobile enthusiasts.
First 200 MPH Production Car
Among other distinguishing features, the Ferrari F40 was the first-ever production car capable of achieving a speed of 200 miles per hour. Even by modern standards, the vehicle has impressive performance figures, including 426 pound-foot of torque and 471 horsepower generated by a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. Some experts, however, suggest the F40 exceeded 500 hp. The vehicle has a 0–60 mph time of 3.1 seconds, a top speed of 229 mph, and can travel 1 kilometer in 20.9 seconds.
The F40 handles well for a vehicle with such power. It has 17-inch 245/45 and 17-inch 335/35 tires in the front and rear, respectively, along with vented disc brakes.
“This is an expert’s car. It begs to be put on a racetrack, where you can work up to its limits gradually,” wrote Rich Ceppos in a review of the F40 for the February 1991 issue of Car and Drive. “The F40’s massive power, sudden boost, and incredible grip make various things happen very suddenly on the road. The gold-chain set isn’t ready for this car.”
Ferrari did experiment with the F40 in racing. The company built a more powerful and aerodynamic F40 LM, which was raced by drivers like Jean Alesi, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, and Hurley Haywood in International Motor Sports Association events. The F40 LM was the first-place vehicle in the 4 Hours of Vallelunga in 1994.
The Interior
The simplistic interior of the vehicle is similar to that of Ferrari race cars of the era and harkens back to the dual-purpose Ferrari 250 GTO from the early 1960s. The driver and passenger side doors, as well as the floor, are covered with black and tan Kevlar, while the dash is relatively bare with minimal distractions. There’s also a starter button as opposed to an ignition system, further lending to its credibility as a high-performance racing vehicle.
Last Vehicle Approved by Enzo Ferrari
Not only was it the first production car capable of achieving 200 mph speeds, the F40 stands out as the last vehicle personally approved by company founder Enzo Ferrari and was named as such in honor of the luxury automaker’s 40th anniversary. A small team of designers began working on the vehicle in 1984. Two years later, Enzo decided to adapt several 288 GTO Evoluzione racing models for the road. These were used to design the body of the F40.
The vehicle was in showrooms by 1987. Ferrari produced 1,311 models during the F40’s five-year production run and 213 of those were shipped to the United States. Enzo died in 1988 at 90 years old.
Average Sale Price Exceeding $1 Million
At the time of its release in 1987, the F40 had a record-setting sticker price of $399,150. The high-performance vehicle was already in high demand by 1990, with Car and Driver reporting that dealers were selling the F40 for as much as $900,000. Buyers received a free trip to the Ferrari factory in Italy to learn how to safely and effectively drive the vehicle. Automobile insurance for the F40 was about $30,000 per year during its production run.
Formula One driver Nigel Mansell sold his F40 for $1.5 million in 1990. This record-breaking sale held up until the 2010s and, now, the F40 is being sold for more than $2 million at auction. A modified 1989 F40, rebuilt for the track by Cavallino Tuning’s Peter van Erp, sold for a whopping $2.75 million at a Barrett-Jackson auction in January 2023. The car was raced for several seasons during the 1990s and received several mechanical upgrades. It can be tuned to achieve 1,000 hp, which is double its original output.
Another F40 was sold for $3.97 million at a Gooding & Company Pebble Beach auction in 2022. Kept in pristine condition, the vehicle had just 2,948 kilometers on the odometer and won multiple prizes, including the Coppa GT and 100-Point Platinum Award at the 2021 FCA Annual Experience. As of June 2023, the duPont Registry had two low-mileage F40s for sale, one of which was a 1990 model listed at $3 million.
