F40

Enzo Ferrari was 89 years old when the F40 was unveiled at Maranello in July 1987. He wanted a car that embodied everything Ferrari stood for: raw speed, racing technology on the road, and zero compromise. The result was the most extreme road car of the 1980s.

The twin-turbocharged V8 produced 478 hp from just 2.9 liters, using two IHI turbochargers with water-to-air intercoolers. The body was constructed from carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass, with no sound deadening, no carpet in early cars, and pull-string door handles. It weighed just 1,100 kg.

The F40 was the first production car to break the 200 mph barrier, reaching 201 mph in period tests. Unlike the Porsche 959 with its advanced electronics, the F40 used no driver aids. No traction control, no ABS, no power steering. The message was clear: this is a race car with license plates.

Enzo Ferrari died on August 14, 1988, a year after the F40's launch. He never saw another new Ferrari. The F40 was his final statement, and it remains the purest expression of what a Ferrari should be.

Originally priced at $400,000, speculation drove values to over $1 million by 1990. Today, the F40 commands $2.5 million to $4 million at auction.