1990 Ferrari F40

Playing with the F40 in our 70-mph society is like going deer hunting with a rocket launcher

by Steve Ahlgrim

Introduced in 1988 to celebrate Enzo Ferrari’s 40 years as a carmaker, the F40 was the last car with a design personally approved by the great man himself. With a top speed of 201 mph and 0-60 mph time of under four seconds, the F40 was the world’s fastest production automobile and the ultimate supercar of its day. A four-cam, 3-liter V8 was equipped with four valves per cylinder and employed twin turbochargers to generate 478 hp at 7,000 rpm and 426 lb-ft of torque. Of equal technical interest was the method of chassis construction, with the F40 drawing on Ferrari’s Formula One experience in its use of composites. A one-piece plastic molding, the body was bonded to the tubular steel chassis to create a lightweight structure of immense rigidity. The door, hood, trunk and other removable panels were carbon fiber. Pugnaciously styled by Pininfarina, the F40 incorporates the latest aerodynamic aids in the form of a dam-shaped nose and high rear airfoil, yet...