Ferrari unveils One-Off tribute to 'legendary' F40
Accessing the 'highest expression' of Ferrari's personalisation service buys you a lot of rope...
The important thing to remember about Ferrari One-Off cars is that you definitely don’t have to like them. They are, after all, unique commissions intended to satisfy the whims of a single, preposterously moneyed client. We liked to think that Ferrari has some red lines when it came to matters of taste or how forcefully said clients could lean into its heritage - but the new SC40, revealed over the weekend, suggests that if there are red lines, they are supremely malleable.
We say that because in name, appearance and even material choice, the latest Special Projects car revealed to the public (plenty are not) is a ‘clear homage’ to Ferrari’s defining ‘80s supercar, the F40. Granted, the firm is careful to point out that it had no intention of creating ‘a literal reinterpretation’ of the final model to be personally approved by Enzo himself - yet you hardly need to be a brand devotee to know where Flavio Manzoni’s team drew its inspiration for the SC40’s ‘muscular, squared volumes’.
Of course, there’s a limit to how close the tribute act can get to the deliberately raw, steel-tubed original, not least because it must make do with the cutting-edge underpinnings of the 296 GTB. That means no twin-turbocharged V8 either, but rather the electrically-assisted V6 with its eight-speed F1 DCT and 830hp output, and with it the technical requirements for cooling and safety parameters. The F40, to quote Gordon Murray, felt like a ‘big go-kart with a plastic body on it’. Safe to assume the SC40 doesn’t.
What it does have is a suitably ‘long, low nose balanced by a short rear overhang and a high, fixed rear wing’. The latter is merged with the engine cover, which shows off the V6 to passersby through smoked Lexan (i.e. polycarbonate) louvres before their gaze runs into the central exhaust with its titanium and carbon fibre tips. Plenty of space has been found for some characteristic black mesh at the back, too, which is arguably more successful than the intercooler air intakes on the flanks, called out as a reinterpretation of the classic NACA ducts.
But the key to it all is at the front, where Ferrari has worked hard to mimic the F40’s distinctive headlight placement. It’s a shame the One-Off doesn’t get pop-ups, though the decision to integrate them into a black housing that spans the entire front bumper certainly gives the car a distinctive look— as does the special shade of white paint developed specially for the SC40. This sets off the lettering engraved on the side of the rear wing very nicely.
Inside, there’s no getting away from the 296’s layout, so the team has devoted itself to using a reinterpreted and redeveloped ‘carbon-Kevlar’ as widely as possible. This is used on the steering wheel, footwells, behind the seats, and even on parts of the floor mats, though it’s the engine bay that seems to get the most lavish cladding— appropriate for a car that’s likely to spend much of its time on display. Hopefully, we’re wrong about that, although if you’d like to get a sense of what the SC40 is like in the flesh, the car’s styling buck went on display at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello on Saturday. Another good reason for a visit - even if you don't like what you see...
I think it looks great. and the owner, Ferarri and myself are glad it exists.
I imagine it will look pretty good on the road, where it will never be seen. Given that this will surely only ever be housed in a collection somewhere, does it need to comply with any of the regulations?
I think it looks great. and the owner, Ferarri and myself are glad it exists.
Stop kowtowing to greedy shareholders, slow down development, and get Pininfarina/Touring Superleggera on board for some truly special cars.
This is s
tting on yourself Ferrari: you are killing the brand. I don't like the direction that Ferrari has gone in, but it isn't for me. I wish the bottom line wasn't so important, but it is and they will go where the profit lies.
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