Photo: Will ainsworth · CC BY-SA 3.0
Production1987–1992
EngineV8
Power478 PS
Top speed324 km/h
Units built1311
Built starting in 1987, the F40 was created as the successor to the 288 GTO to mark Ferrari's 40th anniversary. It was the last Ferrari personally signed off by Enzo Ferrari, and at the time the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car in the lineup. Engineer Nicola Materazzi relied on motorsport technology, including body panels made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic; Pininfarina provided the styling. The twin-turbo V8 officially produced 478 PS. Originally, 400 units were planned, but production ultimately totaled 1311. An F40 owned by Nigel Mansell was sold in 1990 for a record price of one million pounds.
Summarized from the sources cited below; every figure in the text was automatically verified against the sources.
Good to know
- Nicola Materazzi developed the precursor, the 288 GTO Evoluzione, with a small team on Saturdays, as factory management only permitted the work outside normal working days.
- From the initial concept in June 1986 to the unveiling in the summer of 1987, Enzo Ferrari gave the team just eleven months.
- Ferrari officially quoted 478 PS at all times, but a test car was measured on the dyno at 530 PS.
- A top speed of 326.193 km/h was clocked, slightly higher than the quoted 324 km/h.
- In 2025, an F40 LM was sold at an auction in the USA for more than 11 million US dollars.
Learn moreFrom Group B project to road car · Raw and deliberately simple · Schedule and suppliers · Technical details and racing versions
From Group B project to road car
As early as 1984, Materazzi proposed using Group B to demonstrate the performance of new road cars that could no longer be safely driven by ordinary customers. Managing director Eugenio Alzati permitted the work only outside the normal work week. When the FIA canceled Group B, Enzo Ferrari was left with five Evoluzione development cars and no race series to enter them in. A test driver finally convinced him to develop the concept further into a pure road car.
Raw and deliberately simple
Critics dismissed the F40 as a cynical cash grab for speculators. The marketing department countered that it had been intended to be extremely fast, sporting, and spartan, as clients had begun to find Ferraris too comfortable. It was not conceived as a rolling laboratory for the future like the Porsche 959 and would have been built even without it. Its raw simplicity reflected Materazzi's racing background, which spanned the Stratos, the 126C, and the 288 GTO.
Schedule and suppliers
The project kicked off on June 10, 1986. Pietro Camardella penned the body under the direction of Aldo Brovarone at Pininfarina, with many styling cues drawn from the Evoluzione. Materazzi was granted full freedom to choose his engineering team. Portions of the development, including the bodywork, were handled by outside firms such as Michelotto Engineering. Because Enzo Ferrari wanted to unveil the car in the summer of 1987, little time was left for it all.
Technical details and racing versions
The twin-turbo V8 features an 82 mm bore and 69.5 mm stroke, dual IHI turbochargers with intercoolers, and dry-sump lubrication. The fuel tank is made of rubber filled with anti-slosh foam and holds 120 liters. Racing versions were developed by Michelotto in Padua and built from 1989 onward. According to Ferrari, around ten units of the F40 LM/Competizione were produced, featuring a dry weight of 1040 kg and 515 kW (700 PS).
Summarized from the cited sources; every figure was automatically verified against the sources.
Frequently asked questions about the Ferrari F40
When was the Ferrari F40 built?
The Ferrari F40 was built from 1987 to 1992.
How much power does the Ferrari F40 have?
Power of the Ferrari F40: 478 PS.
What engine does the Ferrari F40 have?
Engine of the Ferrari F40: 2936 cm³ twin-turbo Tipo F120A/F120D 90° V8. It sits behind the seats as a mid-engine.
How fast is the Ferrari F40?
Top speed of the Ferrari F40: 324 km/h.
How fast does the Ferrari F40 accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h?
The Ferrari F40 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.56 s.
How many Ferrari F40 were built?
1311 units of the Ferrari F40 were built.
Who designed the Ferrari F40?
Design of the Ferrari F40: Pietro Camardella under the direction of Aldo Brovarone at Pininfarina; Nicola Materazzi (Chief Engineer).
What are the predecessor and successor of the Ferrari F40?
Predecessor: Ferrari 288 GTO. Successor: Ferrari F50.
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