Thursday 21st July 2005

Ferrari F40 celebrates its birthday

Born in 1987, the iconic supercar still cuts it

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Ferrari F40

It's the F40's birthday today -- it was launched on 21 July, 17 years ago. In a ceremony commemorating his company's 40th year, Enzo Ferrari unveiled the F40 at the Maranello plant in 1987. It wsa pretty much a swansong for the old man, who wanted to go out with a great car.

Speaking through an interpreter during the ceremony, the 89-year-old Ferrari said: "A little more than a year ago, I expressed my wish to the engineers. Build a car to be the best in the world. And now the car is here."

Ferrari's engineers had designed the F40 to be the fastest road vehicle ever built. They viewed the Porsche 959 as their major competition but, while the Porsche was equipped with luxury amenities, the F40 was to be all nuts and bolts. Every spoiler on the F40 played a vital role in keeping the car on the ground at speed; every vent was essential to keep the brakes and engine cool. The F40 came with no floor mats, no stereo, ABS, power locks or windows. Its only frill was a vanity window displaying its engine, but this too was a part of the remarkably light composite body, moulded of plastic, ceramic, and metal.

As a result, it weighed just 1,100Kg and it was propelled by its twin-turbocharged, 2.9-litre V8 with power of 478bhp. It was capable of 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds and could hold a top speed of 201mph, making the F40 the first production sports car to top the 200mph barrier.

The brakes were gigantic 13-inch discs, ventilated and cross-drilled, nestling in l0-inch wide front and 13-inch wide rear wheels, with massive Pirelli tyres.

Only 1,311 examples were made and the car has now reached iconic status. As a result, examples are changing hands for huge amounts of money -- £275,000 is typical.

[danhay]

£275,000 seems a bit steep when there's 1 in the classifieds for 'only' £147,000.

Perhaps they mean $275,000?

[will ferrari]

STOP DOING THESE ARTICLES!!!!

My entire life is based on getting one of these before I am 30 years old. As I was given a 1:18 BBURAGO one on my 10th birthday and its the only damn reason I even like cars. I've seen 3 in my life, but never sat in one, oooh how I'd love to drive one, although I considered getting a replica, but then that would just show me up as a fraud and mean my life was a fake too and I would then end up with a silicon implanted woman too (hmm, heaven)

PEOPLE KNOWING THIS IS THE BEST CAR EVER ONLY PUSHES THE PRICES UP.

5 years until I take delivery and £275k to go!

>> Edited by will ferrari on Thursday 21st July 14:41

[klassiekerrally]

I remember when Bburago announced the F40 as a 1:18 scale model. Even the price of the model went 'sky' high!
It was that kind of impact this car had.
Love it. It's actually my favourite Ferrari of the last 20 years.
Carbon fibre weaving showing through paintjob. No artificial flavour in there. A true supercar.

[bunglist]

Out of all the Farrari's, I personally think that the 355 is the nicest.

Anyone else agree????

Although I would not say no to a F40, I quite like these as well.

[Nicol@]

If the car was launched in 1987, doesn't that make it 18?

But Happy Birthday to one of the best cars ever built.

[dinkel]

bunglist said:

Out of all the Farrari's, I personally think that the 355 is the nicest. Anyone else agree????

No

[klassiekerrally]

Ferrari has built a lot of gorgeous cars (especially in the sixties), but this is one of my all-time favourites. The F40 is my post-1980 favourite.
For travelling in style with the kids I'd take the underrated 400i.

Ah... dreams...

[bunglist]

dinkel said:

bunglist said: Out of all the Farrari's, I personally think that the 355 is the nicest. Anyone else agree???? No

OK, then its the best looking!!!!!!

[dinkel]

bunglist said:

. . . 355 . . . OK, then its the best looking!!!!!!

No this is . . .

. . . and this . . .

. . . wtf.

I'm a Lambo man btw . . .

[flamespitter]

Happy Birthday F40!
Still looking as awesome as the day you were born!
Still the benchmark for looks and performance 18 years on.
Will there ever be another?

[bunglist]

bunglist said:

dinkel said: bunglist said: Out of all the Farrari's, I personally think that the 355 is the nicest. Anyone else agree???? No OK, then its the best looking!!!!!!

Ok those pictures of others are very nice but I still prefer the 355, but then again I prefer TVR's a whole lot more.

[golem]

I'd say it's my favourite ferrari, because it looks menacing and beautiful, which I think many ferrari's miss. They often look beautiful but a little soft. The F40 has solidness and presence. Purpose.

Add to that it's light weight, I can only guess how fast it corners, a very handy amount of power, lovely tune... maybe if I drove the various cars, the newer ones would seem better, but I wonder if they'd ever come off as desirable.

I'm not a ferrari person at all, but I do like the F40.

[flamespitter]

That's the greatness of the F40 which transcends even the Marque...you don't have to like Ferraris to love the F40.Its looks and design are both timeless and not specific to a particular Marque.In the last twenty five years only the F40, XJ220, and of course the Mclaren F1 have left this legacy.

[chevy-stu]

golem said:

Add to that it's light weight, I can only guess how fast it corners, a very handy amount of power, lovely tune... maybe if I drove the various cars, the newer ones would seem better, but I wonder if they'd ever come off as desirable.

Good old Tiff did a Ferrari special on fifth gear a while back and drove a 360 and an F40 and it seemed while the F40 is a truly great car and has massive performance it's still a rough and ready road legal track car, while the 360 is a better road car. Still highly desirable and a benchmark car in performance styling and it's legacy..

>> Edited by chevy-stu on Saturday 23 July 11:50