Ferrari F40 (1990)

Ferrari's 201mph F40 is the definitive supercar and has a formidable reputation alongside the 250 GTO as possibly the best road Ferrari built to date. With the F40 Pininfarina produced an era defining creation, one that even today is instantly recognisable by old and young enthusiasts alike. F40's were closely derived from the experimental GTO Evoluzione's and the road 288 GTO (that the F40 replaced). The design features a tubular steel chassis with bonded composite inserts, most notably around the sills and floor pan, The 2936cc motor produces approximately 500bhp at 7000rpm with the help of two water-cooled IHI turbochargers running 1.1bar of boost - at 1,202kg the F40 had a and still has a phenomenal power-to-weight ratio. Shatteringly fast by any comparison (especially for 1988), the F40 can sprint from 0-60mph in just 4.4 seconds and hit 201mph flat out making it the first production car to surpass this mystical boundary.

Whilst the GTO had pioneered the use of composite panels, the F40 was the first whose bodywork was constructed entirely from such materials. Comprising of eleven panels made from Nomex, Kevlar and Carbon composite with a heavily ventilated Plexiglas rear windscreen. The F40 was a landmark not just on account of its crushing performance and stunning looks, but it was fittingly the last ever car presented by Enzo Ferrari, this taking place at Maranello in June 1987, 14 months before the great man's death. From 1991 onwards cars were fitted with catalytic convertors to meet ever-tightening legislation and at this time adjustable suspension became an option.

Production was discontinued in 1992 after 1,311 examples had been completed in five years (600 or so being bound for the USA and being noticeably different to their lighter and faster European cousins), the F40 was only ever available from Ferrari in left-hand drive and presented in Rosso Corsa. We have sold close to 200 examples and our workshops have maintained approximately 100 different examples at various points in their life over the past twenty-five years. With this we are generally acknowledged as the leading F40 specialists in the world.

This superb example is an extremely sought after and rare opportunity. It was delivered new on the 29th March 1990 to Ligure Leasing of Savona. It is the collector's preference specification being both "Non Cat" and "Non Adjust" and is equipped with the very rarely seen Lexan sliding windows.

The car spent a long period of time during its middle life in long term storage being placed there in 1994, where it would remain until a thorough recommissioning service was carried out by a marque specialist in 2008. At that time the car had covered just 9,600 km.

We first saw this car in 2010, supplying it to its third owner and as part of that sale carrying out a major service including belts and tanks. We would also go on to service the car the following year by which time it had covered just 11,080 km. With one owner to follow, the car was purchased by its current and fifth documented owner in 2014.

Bob Houghton meticulously cared for the car on behalf of the previous owner with tanks and belts most recently being changed in 2017, and an annual service in late 2019.

In February 2020, we sold the car to its current owner and since then, the car has covered just 50 kms.

Today, the car is presented with just 18,200 kms and presents in extremely good order. With a well-documented history file corroborating the mileage and ownership and the desirable Ferrari Classiche ‘Red Book’ Certification, this example is available to view at our showrooms just outside London immediately.