The Ferrari F40 is a vehicle bred for the racetrack and barely disguised as a road car. Its spectacular presence and breathtaking performance still strikes awe in the hearts of car enthusiasts some three decades after being unveiled on July 21, 1987, at the Maranello Civic Centre. It is entirely fitting that this fantastic automobile was the final pet project of Enzo Ferrari before his passing on August 14, 1988.

The F40 began life as the 288 GTO Evoluzione, which was being developed to compete in the FIA Group B Rally class against its arch rival, the Porsche 959. When the FIA canceled the class, Maranello chose to reposition the Evoluzione’s development to create a transcendent road car to celebrate the marque’s 40th anniversary. Beginning with the race-bred, steel-tube chassis of the 288, Ferrari elected to go in an entirely different direction from Porsche and eschew sophisticated technology in favor of absolute simplicity, brutal power, superior braking and handling, and low weight at all cost.

The Leonardo Fioravanti-designed Scaglietti body was entirely constructed of Kevlar, carbon fiber, and Nomex, a first for any road car. The side and rear windows were Plexiglas. The backlight was slotted to allow heat to escape from its mid-mounted power unit. There were no power windows or even door mechanisms, just a wire pull cord to open the door. Inside, there was no leather or carpet, simply raw carbon fiber floors, cloth-covered composite shell seats and a felt-covered dash and tunnel. The driver was greeted by a simple leather over aluminum MOMO steering wheel and drilled aluminum pedals. Neither were power assisted. There was no radio, glove box, or arm rests, just that iconic gated shifter to command the five-speed transaxle.

The heart of the beast was a 2.9-liter dual overhead cam, twin-turbocharged, intercooled, fuel-injected V-8, producing 478 hp and 426 lbs./ft. of torque. Handling was accomplished through race-tuned four-wheel double-wishbone suspension with Koni shock absorbers. Braking was achieved with massive cross-drilled four-wheel disc brakes.

When it was introduced, the automotive press was astonished by the F40’s performance. Magazines reported 0–60 in 3.8 seconds, quarter miles in 11.8 seconds at 124.5 mph, skidpad numbers of 1.01 Gs, and 70–0 stopping distances of 218 feet. Meanwhile, Ferrari reported achieving a top speed of 201 mph, a first for any road car. As impressed as they were by the car’s performance, it was Ferrari’s minimalist approach and raw driving experience that truly won the day. Initially, Maranello planned to build 400 examples worldwide; however, demand was so great for the F40, 1,311 were built.

When Tustin, California-based Ferrari collector Donald L. Weber heard rumors of a possible Ferrari anniversary car, he began connecting with friends in Maranello to learn how to get on the list of customers who would receive one of these very special cars. Following years of correspondence, calls, and visits to Ferrari, Mr. Weber’s efforts were finally rewarded on October 25, 1991, when he received word from the factory that he could take delivery of his 1992 F40 in Italy. According to the Marcel Massini report, chassis 93518 was hand built between March 23 and April 17, 1992. As with all F40s, it was produced in Rosso Ferrari (Ferrari Red) with Stoffa Vigogna (Vicuna Cloth) interior. It was the 209th of only 213 cars built for the US, and one of just 22 examples produced for the 1992 model year.

Upon its eventual arrival in California in the fall of 1992, this F40 took its rightful place in Weber’s outstanding Ferrari collection, where it was meticulously pampered and lovingly maintained. The car is a virtual time capsule, displaying less than 2,500 miles from new. Fitted luggage, car cover, extensive correspondence and documentation, maintenance records, the Massini report, window sticker, and spare keys are all included in the sale. This opportunity to own a low-mileage, highly original, one-owner example of Ferrari’s outrageous birthday present to itself should not be missed. It must be a serious consideration for the devoted Ferrari collector.