Ferrari F40: Production & History

Although the production run was originally planned to be limited to 400 units, a total of 1,311 Ferrari F40 models were produced, with 213 arriving in the United States. The F40 may have been the successor to the 288 GTO, but the vehicle’s unique status commanded a higher price point: the Ferrari F40 price started around $400,000 in 1987.

The Ferrari F40 retail price set records, but so did its resale price. Formula One driver Nigel Mansell sold his F40 in 1990 for over $1.5 million, which held its record until the 2010s.

The F40 interior looks less like previous models than it does track-tested Ferrari race cars, and with good reason: the performance capabilities of the F40 demanded it.

Race-style seating is as much about form as function, with side bolsters designed to secure the driver through tight maneuvers. Built capable of hosting a three-point harness, the F40 interior was built around drivers who wanted to get the most out of their investment.

While the interior of the F40 has certainly become iconic, it is for its marriage of form and function. The floor is an uncarpeted, uncovered composite material, the dashboard is a simple gray, and the headliner is a perforated vinyl.

Once you’re behind the wheel of the F40, though, any concerns with the aesthetics dissolve away as it becomes clear this car was built for speed. The interior design was a smart move, allowing the driver to focus on the intuitively oriented dashboard and function as one with the car.

With such a unique interior, the Ferrari F40 engine needed to back up its performance specs and show its chops on the track. Regarded as the first 200-mph production car, the F40’s 2.9L twin-turbo V8 generated 471 hp and 426 lb-ft of torque. Although these were the official specs reported by Ferrari, many experts agreed that this was an underestimate, with claims that the Ferrari F40 easily broke 500 hp.

The F40 engine allowed it to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.1 seconds, let it clear 400 meters in 11.9 seconds and travel a kilometer in just 20.9 seconds.