This is the car Mr. Ferrari wanted his firm to build to mark his 40 years in the business.
The F40 is a modest little number, complete with perspex rear window-cum-engine-cover, famous Ferrari 8-cyl. twin turbo engine and a composite body with inbuilt toughness. What he also wanted was a top speed easily over the magic 200 mph, a feat no other production car had yet done, with handling to match and looks to stop the world. 0-62 mph came up in 3.9 seconds and the top speed was 202mph, step one was accomplished! Testers of the car suggested the power should only be turned on with the wheels pointing straight ahead, since flooring the accelerator sent the car off in a straight line irresrective of front wheel angle.
Based upon the race-prepaired Ferrari 288 the F40 design is very much a case of form following function. Intake ducts appear all over the car and it is a minor miracle that the Pininfarina body designers were able to create such an elegant car given the restrictions put upon them. Lightweight carbon-fiber/Kevlar/Nomex composite materials were used for the body shell and panels, Ferrari made best used of all there F1 technologies. With the design being honed by hours in the windtunnel the rear wing became not just a stabilising element for high speed running but also an instantly recognisable feature, standing it apart from any supercars that had preceded it. This visible feature of the aerodynamic study is nothing compared to the deign work needed underneath. Where possible undertrays smooth the air under the car and direct it to F1 style deffusers which aid stability and grip just as much as the wing does. After all the work in the wind tunnel the F40's cd was lowered to a very impressive 0.34!
In the cabin, no luxury was included. This was to be a drivers car, something to totally enjoy the art of speed in. Comfort was not even on the list of considerations. What was inside was high spec' racing equipment, 4 point harnesses on close fitting Kevlar seats, race styled steering and definitely no glove box!
Launched as a special edition of 400 Ferrari were so inundated with orders Ferrari ended up selling over 1000 F40s.
More Ferrari Special Edition stunners were to follow. The factory, now fully backed by FIAT, promised successive specials based on the rapturous response to the F40. The F50, the Enzo and the F70 are continuing this tradition.
1/24th scale kit.
Built by Rod.
Rod built this model in the late 1980s. It is straight from the box painted with brush applied Humbrol enamel paints.
Fujimi kits have always been good and this was no exception. What really stands out now is the inclusion of photoetch parts for grills, something Fujimi took a lead in doing almost as soon as the technology was revealled to the modelling world. Fujimis Ford GT40 was another kit of the period to include such nice touches.
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