Ferrari F40: Why It’s One of the
Most Important Ferraris Ever Built

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Quick Takeaways

  • 471 hp twin-turbo V8, 201 mph — the first production car to break 200 mph
  • 1,311 built between 1987 and 1992
  • Values run $2.5M–$4M, with exceptional cars well above that
  • The last Ferrari personally approved by Enzo Ferrari

Table of Contents

What Is the Ferrari F40?

The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine supercar built from 1987 to 1992 to mark Ferrari’s 40th anniversary. It was the last car personally approved by Enzo Ferrari, and the first production car to officially exceed 200 mph. A 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 471 hp with no driver aids of any kind.

It is the second car in Ferrari’s halo lineage, following the 288 GTO and preceding the F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80.

Specs and Performance

The F40 was built as a race car with license plates. Ferrari stripped it to 2,425 lb dry, gave it no traction control or ABS, and let the turbos do the rest.

Category Specification
Engine 2.9L Twin-Turbocharged V8
Horsepower 471 hp
Torque 426 lb-ft
Transmission 5-Speed Manual
0–60 mph ~4.1 seconds
Top Speed 201 mph
Fiorano Lap 1:29.6
Dry Weight 2,425 lb (1,100 kg)

The F40 is the most attainable of Ferrari's six halo cars, but condition varies more widely than any of them. Our specialists can help with sourcing inquiries.

What Makes the Ferrari F40 So Raw?

The F40 gives you nothing between your inputs and the car’s response. That was the point.

  • No ABS, traction control, or stability management
  • No carpeting, sound insulation, or door handles — just pull cords
  • Turbos that feel calm below 3,500 rpm, then arrive all at once

Steering, braking, and throttle all take real effort. Nothing is filtered, boosted, or corrected on your behalf. Every car Ferrari has built since has moved further away from this, which is exactly why the F40 is the one people talk about.

Price and Market Value (2026)

The F40 listed at $399,150 in the US in 1989. Enzo Ferrari’s death in 1988 turned it into a speculative asset almost overnight, and prices collapsed with the early-1990s market before recovering into the millions.

Category Value
Original MSRP (US, 1989) $399,150
Typical Market Range ~$2,500,000 – $4,000,000
Exceptional Examples ~$4,000,000 – $6,000,000+

Highest F40 Sale on Record

$11,005,000

A 1993 F40 LM — one of 24 competition cars built by Michelotto, upgraded to GTC specification and roughly 760 hp — sold at RM Sotheby's in August 2025.

Road cars trade well below that. The ex-Alain Prost F40 at $3,886,250 is the benchmark for a standard example with exceptional provenance.

If you own an F40 or another collector Ferrari, our specialists can value your car or discuss consignment.

ferrari f40 front left view

How Many Ferrari F40s Were Made?

Ferrari built 1,311 F40s between 1987 and 1992 — far more than any other car in the halo lineage, and the only one to pass a thousand units.

Variant Production
Road Cars 1,268
of which US-spec 213
F40 LM 24
F40 Competizione 19
Total Production 1,311

Demand was the reason. Ferrari planned 400, then kept building as orders arrived and speculators pushed deposits up. That volume is why the F40 is the most attainable of the six, and why it also has the widest condition spread — many were driven.

ferrari f40 engine

Ferrari F40 vs 288 GTO vs F50

The F40 sits between the car that invented the formula and the car that perfected it. The 288 GTO before it was the first Ferrari built to homologate a race car it never got to race. The F50 after it swapped turbos for a Formula 1-derived V12.

Feature Ferrari 288 GTO (1984–1987) Ferrari F40 (1987–1992) Ferrari F50 (1995–1997)
Engine 2.9L Twin-Turbo V8 2.9L Twin-Turbo V8 4.7L Naturally Aspirated V12
Horsepower 400 hp 471 hp 512 hp
Torque 366 lb-ft 426 lb-ft 347 lb-ft
Transmission 5-Speed Manual 5-Speed Manual 6-Speed Gated Manual
0–60 mph ~4.9 sec ~4.1 sec ~3.7 sec
Top Speed 189 mph 201 mph 202 mph
Fiorano Lap 1:36.0 1:29.6 1:27.0
Production 272 Units 1,311 Units 349 Units

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Fiorano shows the F40 as the biggest single leap in the lineage — 6.4 seconds faster than the 288 GTO, the largest generational gain across forty years. Nothing since has moved that much at once.

ferrari f40 tail lights
ferrari 40 rear open

FAQs About Ferrari F40

In 2026, Ferrari F40 prices typically range between $2.5 million and $4 million, depending on condition, mileage, and provenance. Exceptional, low-mileage examples with complete documentation have sold for $4M–$6M or more.

Ferrari produced approximately 1,311 F40 units between 1987 and 1992, including around 1,280–1,286 standard road cars along with a small number of rare LM, GT, GTE, and Competizione variants.

$399,150 when new in 1987. Ferrari planned 400 cars, then built 1,311 as demand and speculation drove deposits far above list.

Yes. The F40 was the last Ferrari personally approved by Enzo Ferrari before his death in 1988. It remains historically significant as his final vision for the brand.

The F40 uses a 471-hp twin-turbo V8 and a 5-speed manual; the F50 uses a 512-hp naturally aspirated V12 derived from Formula 1 with a 6-speed gated manual. The F40 is the rawer car, the F50 the rarer one — 1,311 built against 349.

The F40 uses a 2.9L twin-turbocharged V8 producing 471 hp and 426 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.

1:29.6 — 6.4 seconds faster than the 288 GTO it replaced, which remains the largest single generational gain in Ferrari’s halo-car history.

The F40 combines Enzo Ferrari’s final approved design, a fully analog driving experience, and the distinction of being the first production car to exceed 200 mph.

Yes. The F40 is widely credited as the first street-legal production car to officially exceed 200 mph, reaching a top speed of approximately 201 mph.

The Complete Ferrari Halo-Car Lineage

The F40 is the second chapter in one of automotive history’s most exclusive lineages. It follows the 288 GTO and precedes the F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, and F80.

It is also the one that set the template. Every flagship since has been a road car built from race-car thinking — and every one has been easier to drive than the F40.

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