Footnotes

• 'The take-up into the next gear is flawless and, with the turbos cranking hard, the blast of acceleration just goes on again and you seem to be in a blur of time conquering distance, gearshifts and noise. It has the tonal quality of an F1 engine, if not the sheer ferocity. From outside, if you stand and listen, you hear the frantic whoosh as the turbos start to drive oh-so-hard.' - Autocar magazine, May 1988.
  Introduced in 1988 to celebrate Enzo Ferrari's 40 years as a motor manufacturer, the F40 was the ultimate supercar. A mid-engined, two-seater berlinetta, the F40 was a development of the limited-production 288GTO, and like the latter - but unlike the preceding 308 series - mounted its power unit longitudinally rather than transversely. A four-cam 3-litre V8 with four valves per cylinder, the F40 engine employed twin IHI turbochargers to liberate 478bhp (approximately 352kW) at 7,000rpm. For the seriously speed-addicted, this could be boosted by 200bhp by means of a factory tuning kit.
  Of equal, if not greater, technical interest was the method of body/chassis construction, the F40 drawing on Ferrari's Formula 1 experience in its use of composite technology. A one-piece plastic moulding, the body was bonded to the tubular steel chassis to create a lightweight structure of immense rigidity. The doors, bonnet, boot lid and other removable panels were carbon fibre. Pugnaciously styled by Pininfarina, the F40 incorporated the latest aerodynamic aids in the form of a dam-shaped nose and high rear aerofoil. Despite the need to generate considerable downforce - and with a top speed of 201mph, higher than the take-off speed of many light aircraft, the F40 needed all the downforce it could get - the result was a commendably low drag coefficient of just 0.34. The F40's interior re-enforced its image as a thinly disguised race-car, with body-contoured seats, an absence of carpeting and trim, and sliding Plexiglas windows. When it came to actual competition, race-prepared F40s more than held their own and in the Global GT series proved quicker on many circuits than McLaren's F1 GTR.
  Autocar concluded its test thus: 'on a smooth road it is a scintillatingly fast car that is docile and charming in its nature; a car that is demanding but not difficult to drive, blessed as it is with massive grip and, even more importantly, superb balance and manners. You can use its performance - the closest any production carmaker has yet come to race car levels - and revel in it. ...there's little doubt it is the very personification of the term sports car.'
  Chassis number '80774' was sold new through French importer Charles Pozzi SA in Levallois-Perret (Paris), France to the first owner Emile Balthazard and registered on French license plates '1742 YS 38'. The car was seen at the Ferrari Days at Spa-Francorchamps in May 1991 (with 12,641 kilometres on the odometer) and at various other events in France, Monaco and at Spa Francorchamps over the next few years (details available). In 1996, the F40 was driven by Balthazard during the Club Ferrari France meeting held at Pierre Bardinon's racetrack, Mas du Clos.
  The current (second) private owner purchased the Ferrari in September 2010 (at 53,960km) via marque specialists DK Engineering. DKE fitted an automatic fire extinguishing system at that time and fully serviced the car including fitting new cam belts and fuel bag tanks. Other noteworthy features include F40 LM turbochargers and wheels (invoice on file); up-rated and bias-adjustable Brembo brakes; Tubi exhaust system (fitted 2008) and new rear tyres (2012). Accompanying history includes a summary of regular servicing carried out by Pozzi between 1994 and 2008. There is also a reference to a complete repaint by ODS in April 2008.
  We are advised that there are no apparent front/rear body repairs and that the car is in generally good condition, having covered only some 2,000km since acquisition. This landmark and increasingly collectible Ferrari supercar is offered with a substantial quantity of Pozzi invoices, fully stamped service/warranty card, owner's handbook, wheel spanner, bag tank certificate (expires July 2015), Ferrari Owners Club GB dating letter, current MoT/tax and Swansea V5C document.
  

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Category: Motoring / Motor Cars

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