Ferrari F40

[Tom8]

Many threads on here about best car/cool car etc always have people going on about greatness of F40s.

How many of these people have owned/used/tried them? How many people judge it by what others say about them?

Personally I think they look like MR2 kit cars and think ownership must be like owning a genuine cobra whereby the first question will always be, "is that a kit?"

So question is, are they really great or are they just great in people's minds? (rarity doesn't mean good).

[Dave Hedgehog]

you should look at the build of the one being converted to a LM version, there shockingly built for a kit car lol

supposed to be very special to drive thou, i will just have to take peoples word for it, they are an iconic car of my era thou

[Tom8]

Certainly iconic, although not as much a poster car as the Testarossa was. Was it the hitting 200mph thing that made it great?

[fatboy69]

That is the first, and hopefully only time, that i hear of this iconic car being compared to an MR2 kit car...

For the record, the F40 is quite probably the greatest supercar ever built. Simple yet awesomely quick.

IMO it is the daddy of all supercars. Better even than the McLaren F1.

Stunning to drive, great to look at and a proper drivers car.

The best. End of.

[jdw1234]

I have ridden passenger in one. Some people on here own them.

When the turbos kick in the acceleration is simply staggering.

[Stig]

fatboy69 said:

That is the first, and hopefully only time, that i hear of this iconic car being compared to an MR2 kit car...

For the record, the F40 is quite probably the greatest supercar ever built. Simple yet awesomely quick.

IMO it is the daddy of all supercars. Better even than the McLaren F1.

Stunning to drive, great to look at and a proper drivers car.

The best. End of.

So you've driven one then?

Sorry, had to ask. Personally I share the view that they look like a fairly poorly executed kit car - but beauty is in the eye of the beerholder and all that.

[DubZeus]

Never driven one but sat in one, seemed as basic as a proper mini but it all seemed purposeful. Would love to drive one but it could be the case of never meet your heroes. Chris Harris seemed to like it though.

[northwest monkey]

I prefer the F50 personally. Just "looks" a better car (to my eyes anyway).

[JDMDrifter]

From following one down some winding lanes I cant stress how epic they are. Hearing an F40 on overrun is

[Drek]

Stig said:

Personally I share the view that they look like a fairly poorly executed kit car - but beauty is in the eye of the beerholder and all that.

+1.

Sound bloody epic though. Looks? Meh.

[Bennet]

If you're in doubt, watch the fairly recent Harris video of the F40 and F50.

[fatboy69]

Stig said:

fatboy69 said:

That is the first, and hopefully only time, that i hear of this iconic car being compared to an MR2 kit car...

For the record, the F40 is quite probably the greatest supercar ever built. Simple yet awesomely quick.

IMO it is the daddy of all supercars. Better even than the McLaren F1.

Stunning to drive, great to look at and a proper drivers car.

The best. End of.

So you've driven one then?

Sorry, had to ask. Personally I share the view that they look like a fairly poorly executed kit car - but beauty is in the eye of the beerholder and all that.

Yes, i have driven an F40. Absolutely awesome car to drive. You hit the throttle and then........

The turbo's kick in.

Epic stuff designed by people who didnt care too much about anything apart from building a real car. Granted, the interior isnt the most luxurious however who cares?

The visible welds in the car, the carbon fibre weave visible through the paintwork. All part of the charm imo.

As i said, its an awesome car & in no way can it be compared to a kit car.

If you want a 'luxury' supercar take a 959 or a 288GTO!

[CRA2Y]

Always thought they were pretty ugly. With 308, 288 looking lovely, and the F40 continuing the evolution, the last one seemed to be a bit rushed and unrefined, and 'beauty' not required.

[viggyp]

I'd never call the F40 beautiful, just aggressively purposeful with hints of beauty such as the 328 windscreen, roof, etc. saying that, it's my lotto win car for sure. I've been a passenger in one and it goes..........I mean seriously goes.

[Fantuzzi]

If you can get a copy, actually I think it might be on evo's website, but they did an analogue supercar test, and I believe 2 of them out of the group of journos weren't really that smitten with the f40, seems a few people don't like them IIRC they just aren't that keen on - the throttle and power delivery, heavy control weights, not that feelsome.


So they aren't universally adored.

[Muzzer79]

The ultimate.

I've only ever seen one in the metal (Kevlar?) driving past me but it was the Ferrari that was on my wall when I was a boy so it's the one I'll always desire.

They don't look like a kit car, they look awesome.

If I had the means, I'd have two:
LM for the track
Standard for spirited road use

I don't care that I haven't driven one. I will one day, and it will rule

[KarlMac]

I always liked it because it was a 'zero fks given' supercar. Even down to the mesh on rear end.

Just about going really fast.

[J4CKO]

I like it as it is atypical for Ferrari, I generally find them a bit gauche and chintzy, obviously desirable but there is something I find a bit off putting, hard to put my finger on it but the F40 is just so far the other way, it cannot be the car of a clueless showoff ponce that uses it for fannying round London (Not saying all Ferrari drivers are that, but some are), it is so purposeful and a bit evil.

Funny to think a Nissan GTR is as quick these days, still a very fast car though and probably feels faster.

[PaulG40]

It's a race car for the road. I think it's the sheer sense of occasion when just seeing one that everyones jaw just drops, conversations cut short, wives ignored just to get a glimspe of one.

They are everything you adore and dream and cars.

[Limpet]

It is one of my favourite cars of all time from what I still believe was a golden era for car design. Fuelling and forced induction were advanced enough to deliver big power and decent reliability, but you didn't yet have the burden of all the regulatory guff that modern car designers have to contend with.

I love the single-mindedness of it and the way that it is a drivers car in a way a modern supercar could never be. A storming engine, two seats, a carbon tub, and loads of visible glue and screw heads. And most importantly, no electronic safety nets. Can you imagine any manufacturer trying to do the same today?