The F40 is a Ferrari thoroughbred for the track, thinly disguised as a road car. Its spectacular visual presence and breathtaking performance still awe car enthusiasts 38 years after it was unveiled in Maranello on July 21, 1987. Fittingly, this sensational automobile was the final project overseen by Enzo Ferrari before his passing on August 14, 1988.

The F40 owes its existence to the 288 GTO Evoluzione, which was developed to compete in FIA Group B rallying against its archrival from Stuttgart, the Porsche 959. When the series was cancelled, Maranello chose to redirect the Evoluzione’s development toward the creation of a transcendent road-going supercar to celebrate the marque’s 40th anniversary. Ferrari elected to go in an entirely different direction from the state-of-the-art Porsche, eschewing avant-garde technology in favor of absolute simplicity, brute power, and weight savings at all costs.

The Leonardo Fioravanti-designed Scaglietti body was constructed entirely of Kevlar, carbon fiber, and Nomex – a first for any road car. The side and rear windows were Plexiglas and the engine cover was slotted to allow heat to escape from its mid-mounted power unit. It had no power windows, locks, or even door mechanisms, just a wire pull cord to open the door. Inside, there was no leather or carpet – just raw carbon fiber floors and cloth-covered composite shell seats with a felt-covered dash and tunnel. The driver was greeted by a simple three-spoke MOMO steering wheel and drilled aluminum pedals. Neither steering nor brakes were power assisted. It also had no radio, glove box, or armrests – just a traditional gated shifter to command the five-speed transaxle.

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

When the F40 was introduced, the automotive press was astonished by its performance. Magazines reported a 0–60 sprint in 3.8 seconds, elapsed quarter-mile times of 11.8 seconds at 124.5 mph, 1.01 g on the skidpad, 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 the F40’s minimalist approach and visceral driving experience that truly won the day. Initially, Ferrari planned to build 400 examples worldwide; however, demand was so great that 1,311 were built.

Completed in October 1990, this F40, chassis 86620, is the 53rd of just 213 examples built for the US market. In December 1990, this car was retailed through authorized dealer Shelton Ferrari in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and sold to its first owner, Dr. Phillip Marvin Brame Sr. of Ferguson, North Carolina.

Dr. Brame drove the F40 approximately 200 to 300 miles during his brief ownership and, in 1992, traded it to Ferrari of Walnut Creek for an original Daytona Spider. The F40 was then sold to Terry Jones of Newport Beach, California, who added approximately 500 miles to the odometer before selling it in December 1992 to a private collector. For the next two decades, the Ferrari was driven sparingly and shared garage space with other important classics, including a 288 GTO. When this long-term owner finally sold the F40 to Liberty Chevrolet in August 2012, it had covered just 991 miles.

In October 2012, the F40 was entrusted to noted marque specialist Independent Ferrari Service Inc. of South Easton, Massachusetts, who carried out an extensive recommissioning service at a cost of over $18,000, as documented by invoices on file. Soon after this work was performed, the Ferrari was sold to a North Carolina-based collection and later shipped to Dubai, where it was displayed in the museum exhibit – The Art of Ferrari – held at Galleria Ferrari within the extraordinary Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park.

In July 2014, the F40 returned to the US and, while showing just 1,003 miles on the odometer, was sent to Ferrari of Atlanta for service, which included the fitting of new tires and addressing a factory recall campaign for the lower suspension forks. At this time, the F40 was also inspected for Ferrari Classiche Certification and the accompanying Red Book and Certificato di Autenticità were issued in February 2015. A major service was carried out in July 2022 by authorized dealer Ferrari of Los Angeles at a cost of $29,550.

Under the current owner’s care and in preparation for the 2024 Ferrari Club of America Annual Meet and Concours, the F40 was the recipient of a major service and thorough cosmetic detailing, with invoices on file totaling $33,866. This work included the replacement of timing and accessory belts, camshaft seals, rebuilding the camshaft tensioners, and exchanging all fluids, as well as careful underside dry ice blasting and cosmetic detailing. Following this work, the car was exhibited at the 2024 FCA Annual Meet and Concours in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where it received a Platinum Award.

At the time of cataloguing, the odometer displayed just 1,253 miles, and the Ferrari presents in exceptional condition in all respects. The hallmark characteristics of a well-kept US-specification F40 are present, from the factory-original ID and data plates down to the country code markings that appear on the suspension arms. Furthermore, the Scaglietti body number (51) is present on the front and rear opening panels as well as both door hinges.

A blue-chip example in all respects, this F40 is offered with a proper Schedoni leather handbook folio – containing the original owner’s manual, warranty book, and dealer directory – as well as a tool kit and Ferrari Classiche Red Book. It is also accompanied by a file of documentation that includes a history report produced by Marcel Massini, service records from the past decade, and a CARFAX Vehicle History Report. An ultra-low-mileage example with a well-documented history, this outstanding US-specification F40 is among the most rare, exciting, and collectible sports cars of the modern era. Its impeccable credentials are sure to impress the most discerning collector.