The Ferrari F40 was the last car born under the supervision of Enzo Ferrari

This fantastic Gran Turismo was born in 1987, a milestone in the evolution of Ferrari supercars, celebrating the epic story of the turbocharger, a key player in Formula 1 and also in series production. Ferrari himself wanted it, following the positive experience of the 288 GTO. He wanted an even more extreme car, one that exploited little or nothing of the current production line but that would embark on a new path. His engineers presented him with a project that broke with the past and provided indications for the future. Thus, on the company's fortieth anniversary (F40 is in fact the acronym for Ferrari 40 years), one of the most innovative cars produced in Maranello was created, with 478 hp (and the "engineer" would have wanted at least 500) and a top speed of 324 km/h.
Initially intended for limited production, it defied expectations, far exceeding the 1,000-unit mark, becoming the forbidden dream of sports enthusiasts and collectors around the world and even the subject of market speculation. During this period, the company was a veritable industry, producing 3,902 cars a year, with 1,773 employees. While the engine began with an 8-cylinder, completely revised and transformed with the adoption of two Japanese turbos, the rest was the result of extensive research into structures, materials, aerodynamics, and the transfer of Formula | techniques to production.

The result: a "berlinetta" designed by Pininfarina, a milestone in the evolution of Ferraris and sports cars in general. The F40 is dominated by its large rear wing, providing downforce and stabilization at speed, ensuring the transfer of its exaggerated power to the ground and also demonstrating the meticulous aerodynamic design of the flat underbody, which, thanks to the depression created, creates a "ground effect" that is crucial for the vehicle's grip and stability. The F40's dimensions are quite compact: 4,358 mm long and 1,970 mm wide. "An exceptional car" was how everyone who worked on it, with complete freedom in identifying the solutions, described it. Designed and built in just 13 months, with two other prototypes presented in July 1987, it is a "road-oriented" racing car, a global sports car, and for this reason it is refined down to the smallest details.
The chassis follows essentially the same design as the 288 GTO, with a tubular metal structure in the Ferrari tradition, with composite stiffening panels for a total weight of 117 kg. The suspension features double wishbones, three-way adjustable shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars. The engine further refines the GTO layout with a better-cooled and more powerful nearly three-liter V8, featuring four valves and two small Japanese turbos with large horizontal intercoolers. This mechanical unit is a source of considerable heat, and therefore requires air intakes and vents in the bodywork and even in the rear window, which covers all the mechanicals.