1990 Ferrari F40

Chassis No. ZFFGJ34B000084089
Engine No. 20860
"I expressed my wish to the engineers. Build a car to be best in the world. And now the car is here."
-Enzo Ferrari 1987
Most 40th birthdays, while a celebratory milestone, are usually full of prodding jokes, the pains of getting older, and a hint of melancholy, that is, until an F40 shaped present is unwrapped in the driveway. You see, Ferrari's birthday party in 1987 wasn't your typical 40th and the F40 was not a typical supercar.
In the mid-1980s there were high prices paid for spy photos of strange looking Ferraris on the streets of Maranello, Italy and sightings of these cars were frequent on Ferrari's Fiorano test track. What was speculated, but unknown at the time, was that these were prototypes created as the successor to the much loved 1984 288 GTO. It turns out they were partially right. The prototypes in question, called 288 GTO Evoluzione, were intended to be deployed as racecars but as the Group B race class was canceled during the Evoluzione's development process, approval was given to keep the concept alive and to make it roadworthy. The Evoluzione were now technological test beds for the yet unannounced F40. While not typically handsome, the Evoluzione are, in hindsight, just that, an interesting evolutionary blend of 288 GTO and F40.
All thought regarding the Evoluzione models was dropped when the F40 made its debut on 21 July 1987 in a hot and crowded civic center in the town of Maranello. Enzo Ferrari himself was in attendance and when the car was unveiled Car and Driver reported Il Commendatore himself said, "Bello, molto bello," with the reporter believing Ferrari's microphone had been inadvertently left on. An intentional bit of theater, sure, but Signor Ferrari wasn't wrong. Sure, it featured mostly composite panels, 11 to be exact, with large clamshells on either end providing easy access to the mechanicals, functional NACA ducts for cooling, and additional downforce from an integrated rear wing. Pininfarina had designed an achingly beautiful car, able to make the old man's heart flutter. What else needed to be said?
While the looks garnered all of the attention from the press and potential customers, there were some amazing things happening beneath the skin. For starters the F40 was, oddly, an exercise in restraint. It sounds peculiar, but it is apparent to anyone who has looked at, sat in, or had the good fortune to drive an F40 that there is absolutely nothing in the interior that shouldn't be there. Calling the interior “Spartan” is selling it short. It simply features red cloth-covered racing seats, a fabric headliner, felt-covered dash and center tunnel with Ferrari stating that, “there was no interior trim, only plain or composite material surfaces.” Technically, the F40 shared a similar engine architecture with the 288 GTO, with both cars featuring twin-turbo V8s of just under 3,000 cc. But small changes to capacity, compression, and turbo boost, among other adjustments, resulted in a significant increase in power and torque. Power output exceeded that of the 288 GTO by 83 hp with a claimed 478 hp transmitted to rear wheels via a five-speed, open gate manual shifter.
With the initial expectation and announcement of plans to produce 400 F40 supercars over just a few years, Ferrari finally ceased production in 1992 after about 1,315 total cars. According to original sales documentation in the voluminous history file this 1990 F40 was originally ordered via Maranello Concessionaires Ltd. Thorpe, UK on 9 June 1988 with an estimated delivery date of spring 1989. After a year's delay, J.S. Hurst accepted delivery of his new F40 on 5 April 1990 at the Ferrari factory in Maranello as recorded in the original stamped service book.
Mr. Hurst owned the car for over 15 years in both London and while traveling across the continent adding 28,661 kilometers to the odometer. While under Hurst's care it received multiple services with a 20,000 km service in 2001 and a cam belt service approximately a year before selling to a short-term owner Stephan Eriksson also based in England. The second owner held the car less than a year before Mr. Peter Reid acquired it on 12 August 2005. Mr. Reid was quite invested in his new purchase, approving another cam belt service and a rebuild of both turbos the day after purchase with fuel tank replacement a year later. While at Joe Macari for service work in 2008 the car was inspected for Ferrari Classiche Certification. It was duly granted with the Classiche binder included with the car. In preparation for sale in 2013, this F40 was sent back to Joe Macari for a full inspection, cam belt replacement, and an annual service among other items. Between 2013 and 2022 the car passed through two additional stewards each taking care to address issues as they appeared and keeping current with service work. In fact, this F40 was treated to four annual services between 2018 and 2021 before being imported into the USA by the consignor.
While there is certainly a premium to be paid for sports cars with “delivery miles” and in “as new condition” there is also the case to be made for a car with excellent ownership history from day one, consistent service history, and Classiche Certification, not to mention its original order forms, books, and tool kit. Much like the Porsche 959 offered elsewhere in this catalog, the Ferrari F40 is one of the great all-time supercars, and debates over which one is the best will surely continue on…for good reason! It is our privilege to offer two such exquisite examples of a class of sports car, the likes of which elicit unmatched levels of lust, esteem, and extreme devotion from true connoisseurs.