A celebration of Ferrari

At Ferrari Swindon we always look out for special and unique Ferrari’s to bring into our stock and recently we have had something particularly eye-catching to showcase. We are delighted to offer this ‘Cat and Adjust’ Ferrari F40 with just 2,800km and a fascinating provenance.

Built to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ferrari, the F40 was designed by Pininfarina and many still consider it one of the greatest Ferrari’s of all time. As with all cars, it is good to know the history when making a purchase, and the story behind this F40 certainly does not disappoint.

This desirable example retains a number of its original features such as Speedline branding and Ferrari sizing etching to the wheels. The original Goodyear Eagle windscreen sticker is present and is clearly displayed in perfect condition. Under the bonnet the headlamp motors are finished in the factory crackle paint. Moving to the interior this example features unmarked, tight material to the headlining and seats. The thin paintwork is impeccable and the Kevlar composite ‘weave’ is clearly visible across the car.

An impressive family tree

The F40s roots can be traced back to the mid eighties when Ferrari was developing the 288 GTO Evoluzione, a homologation special created to compete in the FIA Group B series against the likes of the Porsche 959. Racing plans were short lived however, as the FIA cancelled the series. Rather than cancel the development programme Ferrari used the five initial GTO prototypes as the basis for a new road car, and the F40 was born.

The F40 model title was derived from “F” for Ferrari and 40 represented the fortieth anniversary of Ferrari car production. It was also the last new model presentation attended by Enzo Ferrari before his death in 1988.

A road legal race car

Despite being destined for the road, the F40 still used the latest racing technology to give the driver the ultimate thrill. The race-developed tube-frame chassis with four-wheel double-wishbone independent suspension, coil-over Koni shock absorbers, and four-caliper ventilated disc brakes were pioneering at the time and made for an unforgettable drive.

Not only did the F40 drive like a racer, the radical body styling was crafted from the latest lightweight materials. Woven Kevlar and carbon fibre were commonplace on Alain Prost’s F1 car of the time, but to find them on a road car all added to the glamour.

Bespoke power

The F40 is powered by a 90-degree V-8 engine that had powered its predecessor and features twin IHI turbochargers teamed with Weber-Marelli electronic fuel injection. As the F40 is so bespoke, power figures can vary between examples, but in excess of 470 horsepower and a torque rating north of 425lb ft at 4000rpm is common. The staggering engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and Brembo brakes sit behind the 17-inch Speedline split wheels.

With production hitting nearly five times more than the GTO, it was plain to see that the F40 was a hit. What’s more the F40 did return to it’s initial racing roots and enjoyed successes in European GT racing with LM and GT-E racing versions. Today is widely regarded as one of the most significant models of all time and is proudly included in the Ferrari ‘Famous Five’ that consists of 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari.

Racing and the F40 go hand-in-hand so it’s apt that this particular F40 was supplied new in September 1992 to Georg Loos of GeLo Racing in Germany. A highly successful racer and team owner Loos and GeLo racing enjoyed success in a wide variety of championships such as DTM and Interserie, the European equivalent of the Can-Am Series as well as being the only privateer team to win the daunting Nurburgring 1000kms three times.

If you would like to be the next owner of this classic Ferrari F40 and write its next chapter, then please contact Richard Hatton on 01793 615 000 to discuss this very special Ferrari in further detail.