• An immaculate “non-cat, non-adjust” Ferrari F40; the ultimate analogue supercar
• Fully restored by marque specialists Carrozzeria Zanasi and Carrozzeria Bonfatti
• Retains its matching-numbers body, chassis, engine, and gearbox according to Ferrari Classiche certification secured in April 2022
• Accompanied by its coveted “Red Book”

Few cars have captured the imagination of a generation in quite the same way as the Ferrari F40. The final design signed off by Enzo Ferrari, this be-winged exercise in hedonism is the ultimate 1980s supercar.

Unveiled at the 1987 Frankfurt Motor Show, the F40 owed its existence to the 288 GTO Evoluzione that had been developed to compete in Group B at Le Mans. It was hoped that the Evoluzione would repeat the success of its forebears at the French classic, but a spate of accidents meant the Group B formula was axed. Rather than abandoning the project, however, Maranello engineers adapted the design for production. Launched to mark the firm’s 40th anniversary, the resultant F40 was among the greatest cars of the 20th Century.

An uncompromising racer for the road, the Ferrari dispensed with anything superfluous to driving pleasure—its ethos was closer to the 250 GTO than its contemporaries, the 328 and Testarossa. The fascia was trimmed in stark grey cloth, while many cockpit surfaces were left bare; there were no interior door handles, the seats were thinly upholstered, and early cars had polycarbonate windows. The F40 was born in an era of unashamed excess, yet was almost masochistically austere. But never has it been truer that less is more.

Clad in aluminium, carbon fibre, and Kevlar panels, the car shared its predecessor’s 2,450-mm wheelbase but extra bracing meant the tubular-steel chassis was stiffer than before. Attributed to Leonardo Fioravanti, the brutal bodywork, meanwhile, was the ultimate in pitlane chic. Honed in the wind tunnel, it was lightweight and aerodynamically efficient, and, with its vast wing, remains one of the most recognisable designs of all time.

Beneath the skin, the F40 continued the theme of a street-legal racer. Based on the 288 GTO unit, the dry-sump V-8 was stretched to 2,936 cc, while boost from the twin turbos was increased from 0.8 to 1.1 bar. Driving through a manual five-speed transaxle, the Tipo F120 040 engine was good for 478 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque—enough to propel the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. Top speed was a headline-grabbing 324 km/h, making the F40 the fastest car on earth. Driver aids were conspicuous by their absence.

One of only 1,315 F40s ever built, chassis 80763 is a hugely desirable “non-cat, non-adjust” European-market example that was completed on 27 July 1989. Despatched to Garage Francorchamps in Brussels, it was delivered to its first owner on 3 August. Notes in the history file indicate the Ferrari was used sparingly, covering scarcely 3,895 kilometres by October 1995, although regular servicing was undertaken during this time.

In 1997 the F40 went to the UK, where it remained until being recently acquired by the consigning seller. An exacting and painstaking restoration was then commissioned in Italy, with mechanical components and running gear returned to factory condition by renowned specialist Carrozzeria Zanasi of Maranello, and bodywork and paint being entrusted to Carrozzeria Bonfatti of Modena. Post-restoration, the car was given PPF treatment to protect its paintwork. It has since only covered around 1,500 kilometres.

Immediately after completion of the restoration, the Ferrari was registered in France in 2022, and in April of the same year it was awarded Ferrari Classiche certification that detailed its full matching-numbers condition, with no deviation from factory specification. The result of this considerable effort is a beautifully prepared and highly desirable F40 with an exceptional level of fit and finish. A photobook of the Ferrari undergoing restoration accompanies the car, in addition to a report by marque expert Marcel Massini that states that the car had previously been maintained by Ferrari dealer Motor Service of Modena and Graypaul Motors in England.

A wonderfully presented matching-numbers example displaying just 17,250 kilometres at the time of cataloguing, this remarkable F40 comes with its prized Ferrari Classiche certification and Certificato di Autenticità, as well as handbooks, tools, and a detailed photographic record of each stage of the restoration. Additionally, the car is offered with its original exhaust and seatbelts; a Tubi-style exhaust and harnesses are currently fitted. To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/ve23.