Ferrari F40 special part 1

Way back in 1987 I got a free copy of Autogids from my nephew, with a special about the all-new Ferrari F40 supercar. It would be the first ever supercar that got my attention, and now, 25 years later, it still sends shivers down my spine.

The Ferrari F40 was the fastest, most powerful car at that time, and the first one to have a top speed of over 200mph (albeit just, with a top of 201mph). Alas, it was also the most expensive car: the suggested price for an F40 was $400,000, but some customers have been reported to have paid in excess of $1,6 million!

Successor to the 288 GTO, the F40 was (and still is) a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door sports coupé. Originally only 400 Ferrari F40s were planned to be made (all painted Ferrari red), but in total 1,315 cars were produced.

One feature that really impressed me was the low ground clearance and the F40s ability to raise the vehicle's ground clearance when necessary. One particular anecdote, mentioned in the Autogids, tells the tale of a client who crossed a railroad at an excessively high speed, and lost the exhaust. His car only had a few 100 kilometers on the dial at the time (ough!).

Called "the greatest supercar the world has ever seen" by many, it still is as stunning now as it was 25 years ago, and I still love it. I hope you feel the same, as today I will post the first set of pictures of this gorgeous vehicle.