The Ferrari F40 is the spiritual successor to the Ferrari 288 GTO, and was also intended to mark the celebration of Ferrari’s 40th anniversary. It is also the last Ferrari automobile to have been personally approved by founder Enzo Ferrari. Even with technical details aside, this car was destined to be something very special on these merits alone.
When it made its debut in 1987, the Ferrari F40 was the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive production car to come by the renowned Italian marque. The car made no apologies for it being a solely-purposed performance machine with its twin-turbocharged V8 producing a formidable 471 horsepower that helped accelerate the car from 0-60 mph in only 3.8 seconds.
Although initially not intended for competition, French Ferrari importer Charles Pozzi SA’s managing director, Daniel Marin, encouraged Ferrari to allow Michelotto—a renowned Ferrari service center—to build a limited series of F40 LMs for IMSA racing in the U.S. Nineteen of these racing versions were produced.
The F40 LM received significant upgrades, including larger twin IHI turbochargers, enhanced Weber-Marelli fuel injection, and extensive weight reduction to 1,050 kg. With over 700 bhp, a reinforced chassis, race-spec transmission, and advanced aerodynamics, the F40 LM achieved remarkable track performance, reaching 0-60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and topping out at 229 mph.
Photo Source: RM Sotheby’s