1992 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta
Coachwork by Pininfarina
Registration no. F1 LNG
Chassis no. ZFFGJ34B000094674
Engine no. 32024

'The take-up into the next gear is flawless and, with the turbos cranking hard, the blast of acceleration just goes on again and you seem to be in a blur of time conquering distance, gearshifts and noise. It has the tonal quality of an F1 engine, if not the sheer ferocity. From outside, if you stand and listen, you hear the frantic whoosh as the turbos start to drive oh-so-hard.' - Autocar magazine, May 1988. Introduced in 1988 to celebrate Enzo Ferrari's 40 years as a motor manufacturer, the 200mph F40 was the ultimate supercar. Inevitably, comparisons were made with the rival Porsche 959 but whereas its German rival represented a cutting-edge, technological tour de force, the F40 exemplified traditional Ferrari values. A relatively straightforward car, the F40 relied on enormous power, low weight, race-bred suspension, generously sized tyres and excellent aerodynamics to achieve a level of performance near-identical to that of the infinitely more complex 959. F40 owners though, had the satisfaction of knowing that their car was the slightly faster, boasting a top speed of 201mph to the 959's 197. A mid-engined, two-seater berlinetta, the F40 was a development of the limited-production 288GTO and like the latter - but unlike the preceding 308/328 series - mounted its power unit longitudinally rather than transversely. A four-cam 3-litre V8 with four valves per cylinder, the F40 engine employed twin IHI turbochargers to liberate 478bhp at 7,000rpm. For the seriously speed-addicted this could be boosted by 200bhp by means of a factory tuning kit. Of equal, if not greater, technical interest was the method of body/chassis construction, the F40 drawing on Ferrari's Formula 1 experience in its use of composite technology. A one-piece plastic moulding, the body was bonded to the tubular steel chassis to create a lightweight structure of immense rigidity superior to an all-metal structure. The doors, bonnet, boot lid and other removable panels were carbon fibre. Pugnaciously styled by Pininfarina, the wind tunnel-developed F40 incorporated the latest aerodynamic aids in the form of a dam-shaped nose and high rear aerofoil. Despite the need to generate considerable downforce - and with a top speed higher than the take-off speed of many light aircraft, the F40 needed all the downforce it could get - the result was a commendably low drag coefficient of just 0.34. The F40's interior reinforced its image as a thinly disguised race-car, with body-contoured seats, an absence of carpeting and trim, and sliding Plexiglas windows. When it came to actual competition, race-prepared F40s more than held their own and in the Global GT series proved quicker on many circuits than McLaren's F1 GTR. Autocar concluded its test thus: 'on a smooth road it is a scintillatingly fast car that is docile and charming in its nature; a car that is demanding but not difficult to drive, blessed as it is with massive grip and, even more importantly, superb balance and manners. You can use its performance - the closest any production carmaker has yet come to race car levels - and revel in it. ...there's little doubt it is the very personification of the term sports car.' Left-hand drive chassis number '94674' is one of the very last Ferrari F40s built and was first registered on 6th August 1992. It was delivered new to one Paolo Pazzaglia in Bologna and registered on local plates as 'BO G 12854' (copy registration document available). Currently in the hands of only its third owner, the car was purchased in 2012 from TV celebrity and presenter of the BBC's popular 'Flog It' series, Paul Martin. It should be noted that the original 'km/h' speedometer was changed after approximately 6,200 kilometres had been covered and an 'mph' unit fitted in its place. The current odometer reading is 22,000 miles making the total distance travelled from new circa 25,850 miles. A desirable 'non-catalyser' model, '94647' is finished in red with matching leather interior, while noteworthy features include adjustable suspension, roll down windows and an Alpine stereo system. The car comes with full service history: marque specialists Autofficina of Chessington, Surrey having carried out the most recent service, which included new timing belts and fuel tanks. Described by the vendor as in generally excellent original condition, this landmark Ferrari supercar is offered with all handbooks and tools, sundry invoices, current road fund licence, UK V5C registration document and the all important Ferrari Classiche certification.