It’s hard to believe that the Ferrari F40 just turned 30 years old. Unveiled on 21 July 1987 at the-then Civic Center in Maranello, Italy (now the Ferrari Museum) in time for the Italian sportscar maker’s 40th birthday, the F40 reamins one of the most iconic Ferraris to this day.
An evolution of the 308 GTB and the 288 GTO,Evoluzione, the Ferrari F40 employed both high-tech and back-to-basics engineering that combined to make it one of the most cutting-edge cars of its day. It was, as Ferrari notes, a racing car for the road. In order to execute this, engineers worked with designers to make the car lightweight and slippery at the same time.
Developed within a short (for a motor car) 13 months, the lightweight materials consisted of bits like magnesium for the oil sump intake manifolds, cylinder head covers, and gearbox bell housing. The tubular steel frame utilized strong yet light Kevlar reinforced panels, while carbon fiber doors, trunk, and other body panels also helped cut curb weight. Finally, plastic windows helped achieve a 1,100kg mass.
With a 2.9-liter bi-turbo V8 putting out 478kph, coursed through a 5-speed manual, the Ferrari F40 could do the 0-100kph sprint in just 4 seconds before hitting a 322kph top speed. In 1987, such figures were definitely supercar territory.
Beyond the slippery, Pininfarina-designed lines and lightweight chassis and construction, the F40 was significant since it was the last Ferrari created with inputs from Enzo Ferrari, who passed away in 1988 It was, as many say, his final legacy. To this day, one can obtain this rare gem (only 1,300 units were made from 1987 to 1992) for as much as $1 million.
Of course, mere mortals like us can build one using Lego kits or admire one via scale models. Either way, it is a great way to celebrate 30 years of a motoring masterpiece.
