1989 Ferrari F40

Monegasque title
Chassis no. ZFFGJ34B000080761

- One owner, 13,284km from new
- The last Ferrari developed under the eye of Enzo Ferrari
- Meticulously used by its only owner
- Exceptional original condition

The F40 is known by enthusiasts as the last Ferrari designed and built under the direct supervision of Enzo Ferrari before he died. This radical car took up the concept of the Ferrari 288 GTO which, equipped with over 400 bhp and a very sporty chassis, was capable of over 300 km/h. This extraordinary machine, accessible to a lucky few, had made its mark in the realm of high performance cars and Ferrari was keen to keep this advantage over its competitors. 1987 was a good year to introduce a successor, being the 40th anniversary of Ferrari. And so this was the year that the F40 was presented to a group of 80 selected journalists, in the presence of Enzo Ferrari, Giovanni Battista Ruzelli (director general), engineer Materassi (project head) and Fioravanti (head of Pininfarina design and research). The name was chosen to mark the age of the enterprise. Ferrari poured all its resources into the F40 which was basically a race-car adapted for the road : its twin-turbo V8 developed 478 bhp at 7000 rpm, it had incredible suspension and a rigid, lightweight chassis made from composite materials that were also used for the boot, bonnet, doors and roof. In place of the standard five speed gearbox, the client could order a non-synchromesh racing version. Ground clearance could be set at three different heights: high, standard and high-speed. From 120 km/h the ground clearance reduced automatically, and could be re-set manually. In spite of ducts and cooling vents on the body for the twelve radiators (for the engine, turbos and transmission) and very wide tyres, it had an impressive drag coefficient of 0.34. The shape of the car, designed by Pininfarina, reflected the priority given to its function and aerodynamic efficiency, as seen in the large rear spoiler almost at roof level.
The F40 has a performance that is still breathtaking today. However in 1987, it was out of this world: the car had a top-speed of 324 km/h, and could cover a kilometre from a standing start in 21 seconds, a feat only achieved by a few hand-crafted cars. Originally, a production of 400 examples was planned, but driven by demand from buyers and investors, Ferrari built almost as many as the Daytona, some 1,300 examples. A year after the car was first presented, Enzo Ferrari passed away at the age of 90, having overseen the creation of his last uncompromising masterpiece, the F40.
Chassis no. 80761 entered production on 23 June 1989 and was completed on 6 July. For our collector from Monaco, it was the first supercar developed by Ferrari starting from a blank sheet. With a passion for the marque all his life, he ordered his F40 from the importer Charles Pozzi in Levallois. The car was delivered on 21 July 1989 and, like all F40s, it had 'Rosso Corsa' (FER 300/9) paintwork and matching bucket seats. He kept systematically to the same combination of colours for all the future supercars he ordered. The F40 was used scrupulously and was serviced by Ferrari in Monaco in 2015, when it had covered 13,219km. Today, it has covered a total of only 13,284km and is in exceptional condition. There are none of the usual signs of wear on the doorsills and the upholstery has been perfectly preserved, as has the bodywork. The car still has its tool kit and the wallet containing its manuals, with the exception of its service book; however, Ferrari has provided a summary of the work carried out. Kept for virtually all its life out of direct light and at a constant temperature, never used in the rain and always by the same careful driver, this F40 is certainly among the best preserved examples to be found.

Copyright Kevin Van Campenhout

https://www.artcurial.com/fr/lot-1989-ferrari-f40-4134-161