Eight Things You Didn't Know About the Ferrari F40

"Matt Kirsch" (makirsch) 03/06/2016 at 11:55 • Filed to: None

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While the new twin-turbo 488 GTB is all the rage these days, we must not forget about the last mid-engine twin-turbo Ferrari - the F40. The F40 features a 2.9L twin-turbo V8 and served as the successor to the 288 GTO, but you already knew that. Here are eight things you didn’t know about the Ferrari F40.

1. Most maintain that the F40 only ever left Maranello wearing one color - rossa corsa - and that examples sporting any other color were resprayed. However, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! seem confident that at least twelve F40s sported non rossa corsa colors from the factory. Diego Maradona’s black F40 was apparently ordered in black by Corrado Ferlaino who was president of Napoli FC at the time. Additionally, it is rumored that a few other black and at least nine yellow F40s left the floors of Maranello.

Notably, the iconic auto firm and F40 body designer, Pininfarina, was responsible for many of the non-factory resprays with most occurring immediately upon the car leaving the factory. Over the years, a number of other painters have gotten their hands on F40s to change colors to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , yellow, white, blue, and silver among others.

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Ferrari was tired of non-factory paint jobs and set out to limit them in the F40's successor by making the F50 available in rosso corsa (red), giallo modena (yellow), rosso barchetta (dark red), argento nurburgring (silver), and nero daytona (black).

2. Ferrari went to extreme lengths to reduce the weight of the F40. In fact, so little paint (some say a mere !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) was used on each car that the carbon kevlar weave can be seen through the paint.

3. The F40 is regarded as the first 200 mph production car with a claimed top speed of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! mph. While Car and Driver only managed !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! mph in their top speed run, Quattroruote reported !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in theirs. The F40's competitors, the Porsche 959 and Lamborghini Countach, managed 197 mph (Sport Model) and 192 mph (25th Anniversary Edition) respectively. The F40 LM could top out at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! mph.

4. The F40 has two fuel tanks - one on each side just forward of the rear wheel wells. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! have aluminum gas tanks, and European F40s have rubber fuel bladders encased in sponge. Unlike the aluminum gas tanks, the rubber bladders require replacement every seven to ten years. Fuel capacity totals a monstrous !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . EPA city/highway fuel economy was rated at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! which would not warrant such an exceptionally high volume. However, the F40's endurance racing beginnings undoubtedly would.

5. Many have called the F40 a race car for the street, and they would be absolutely correct. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! began their evolution of the 288 GTO as early as 1984 - a car designed to battle Porsche’s 959 in FIA Group B. Unfortunately, Group B was dismissed by the FIA in 1986 leaving Ferrari with five purpose-built 288 GTO Evoluziones - race cars that would go on to become the road-going F40.

The F40 was first officially raced in the Laguna Seca Raceway round of the IMSA as a contender in the GTO class in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . This particular car was an LM evolution model piloted by Jean Alesi. It finished third behind two four-wheel drive Audi 90s.

After another successful season, the F40 withdrew from IMSA. The F40 would go on to manage a victory in the 4 Hours of Vallelunga and the 4 Hours of Anderstorp among others and remained a popular choice for individuals to race in a number of domestic GT series like JGTC. 1996 would be the F40's last year in GT racing.

6. F40 ownership costs are understandably high, beginning with the cost of acquisition. The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for the F40 was $399,150 in 1990, though dealer markups brought pricing to somewhere between $700,000 and $900,000. Today, clean F40s can sell for upwards of $1 million. Annual fluid swaps cost $1,000. A minor belt services is recommended every three years at $3,000. A major service is recommended every ten years to replace items like belts, fuel lines, and water pumps at a cost of $15,000. European spec F40 rubber fuel bladders must be replaced every seven to ten years at a cost of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Tires should be replaced at least every 7 years (or less than 14,000 miles) for $2,000. A new windshield runs $8,000. Both lower side panels cost $26,000. The front clam goes for $35,000. The front crash box runs $24,000. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! owners wish their cars were this cheap.

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7. 200 production units of the F40 were required for it to compete in FIA Group B. At the time of its launch, it was said that no more than !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! examples would be made. In total, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (some say 1,315) F40s left Marnello due to its extreme popularity.

8. Not only was the F40 built to commemorate the forty year anniversary of Ferrari (hence the name), but it was also the last car to roll out of Maranello under Enzo’s supervision before his passing. At its launch, Enzo said, “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I expressed my wish to the engineers. Build a car to be best in the world. And now the car is here.” Ferrari marketing officer, Giovanni Perfetti, added, “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! saying our cars were becoming too plush and comfortable. The F40 is for the most enthusiastic of our owners who want nothing but sheer performance. It isn’t a laboratory for the future, as the 959 is. It is not Star Wars.” Double burn. The F40 was truly a race-bred driver’s car meant to scare anyone brave enough to pilot it. Enzo always said, “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! if the door gaps are straight. When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to shit his pants.” I wouldn’t be surprised if Enzo got his wish with the F40 and can guarantee he’d still be grinning over the ordeal.

From the 288 GTO-derived powerplant to the racing heritage, the F40 is truly something special. As we find ourselves in the midst of a twin-turbo supercar resurgence, let’s not forget about one of the all time greats - the Ferrari F40.

Photo Credit: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

RazoE > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 12:39

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Fuel bladders? This car was no joke! Great read!

Sneaky Pete > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 12:47

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This Matte Green one is a wrap.

CALUSA > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 13:13

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Today I learned 8 things about the F40, great read!

Roadster Man > Sneaky Pete 03/06/2016 at 13:20

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Good. That looks like BARF.

jjhats > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 13:27

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The veyron is still pricier. It requires the wheels be replaced every few thousand miles. No one has successfully explained why this is needed and I'm inclined to believe half the costs for the veyron are made up for legendary folklore status. Oil changes should never cost 20k for a car and bugatti can suck it because in 25 years people won't look at the veyron the same way people look at f40 today

Sam > jjhats 03/06/2016 at 15:01

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It’s already been 11 years, and lots of people still think the Veyron is impressive.

jjhats > Sam 03/06/2016 at 15:03

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Ok but there’s also a super large population that think the car is very very stupid. I can personally guarantee you there were no F40 haters back in the 80's.

doodon2whls > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 15:25

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9. Fredy Lienhard has one and it gets exercised regularly.

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/fredy-lienhard…

Great article. Thanks for sharing these tidbits.

Dsscats > Sneaky Pete 03/06/2016 at 20:05

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I like that WAY more than I should.

Nauraushaun > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 21:08

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Veyron owners wish their cars were this cheap.

And F40 owners wish their cars were as fast as a Veyron. Trade offs :) ·

Of course they probably don’t because if they have $1million and want pure speed they’ll just buy something else. The point is the Veyron is faster

Great read, I’m not sure I knew any of these :)

Why would you replace fuel lines on this car more than any other car? I mean, it’s an expensive high performance car and everything. But that aside, fuel lines are fuel lines, more or less.

thebigbossyboss > Matt Kirsch 03/06/2016 at 21:09

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I am an F40 fanatic, so I knew a few of these things, but good job I didn’t know all of them!

thebigbossyboss > jjhats 03/06/2016 at 21:09

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The...wheels? Why?

Nauraushaun > jjhats 03/06/2016 at 21:10

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He does say that:

Veyron owners wish their cars were this cheap.

In other words: Veyrons are not this cheap.

I think you’re right about the folklore status. Some people say that as soon as you use the top speed key the warranty is void. I firmly believe this isn’t true (because it’s dumb), and I haven’t been able to find evidence to the contrary.

jjhats > Nauraushaun 03/06/2016 at 22:02

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Wow I completely misread his statement. Yes the veyron owners do certainly wish they could pay F40 prices to maintain their cars.

DipodomysDeserti > jjhats 03/07/2016 at 00:46

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I don't think Veyron owners or F40 owners give a shit how much it costs to maintain their cars.

DipodomysDeserti > Nauraushaun 03/07/2016 at 00:48

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Engine heat an location. They may be in a spot which could ignite if one burst.

Nauraushaun > DipodomysDeserti 03/07/2016 at 00:55

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They probably own both lol

Nauraushaun > DipodomysDeserti 03/07/2016 at 00:55

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This is probably true of many cars. But perhaps that is the reason.

Aldairion > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:30

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I’m usually on top of these “stuff you didn’t know” articles; glad I got to learn some new stuff here! Definitely didn’t know about the fuel bladders, and it’s always interesting to see the sheer cost of maintaining these machines.

OnYour6 > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:40

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“The front clam goes for $35,000.”

That’s pretty conservative. The last remaining NEW F50 hood sold for $75,000 a couple of years ago.

g101010101 > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:40

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Learned a bunch of things here. For those interested in some great coverage of this and other great Ferraris

365Daytonafan > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:43

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As well as colour changes Pininfarina also converted around 5 cars to Right Hand Drive for the sultan of Brunei.

Re point 7 while the F40 is a follow on from the ‘288' GTO and the Evoluzione version it was never conceived for Group B (the GTO was) as Group B had already been canned before the F40 was launched.

DrScientist > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:48

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$1000 for an annual fluid swap sounds not too bad if you ask me. thats like 0.025% of the sticker price. which, comparatively, is better than what youre spending on your DD i’m sure. even with $19.99 oil changes at pep boys.

and $2000 for tires on a car like this is a bargain!!! i’ve spent nearly the same on a boring modern sports car.

Howie > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:48

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Absolutely sinister in black! Also going to see a friend in Italy this year if everything works out, gonna lift that 288 GTO at the museum when I get there. Wish me luck! Only a few logistical problems like treading water all the way across the Atlantic but if I can just keep the needle on the redline it should work.

MoparMap > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:50

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2. Ferrari went to extreme lengths to reduce the weight of the F40. In fact, so little paint (some say a mere 2 liters ) was used on each car that the carbon kevlar weave can be seen through the paint.

I’ m not sure it was for weight savings, but you can see the same thing on my mom’s 94 Viper if you look close enough. Guessing it was more because they were cheap.

MoparMap > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:52

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Enzo always said, “ I don’t care if the door gaps are straight. When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to shit his pants.”

This sums up so much of my taste in cars. I want something that looks acceptable, but no garage queens for me. Scratches and scuffs on the nose just show you enjoy driving. I don’t mind something that looks very nice, but I don’t want to be so worried about messing it up that I can’t enjoy it.

Mash_Tun > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:54

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I knew every one of those facts.

So, where’s my cookie?

(JK. I’m full of girl scout cookies already.)

More facts:

The F-40 was designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, the same PF designer responsible for the original Dino, the Daytona, 512 BB, 308 GTB, and 288 GTO, among other lesser known designs.

Not only does the F-40 have 2 fuel tanks, but two fuel caps: one on each side.

R.S.D. > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:55

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“ I don’t care if the door gaps are straight. When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to shit his pants.”

#COTD for Enzo.

DucFanDan > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:56

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Dang it. Was hoping for some juicy technical secrets that I didn’t already know.

Good primer for those who aren’t very familiar with the F40, but old hat for those of us who have been fanboys of this car for decades.

And Gas Monkey's bastardization of that car... SMH. Somebody needs to rescue that poor car and have it redone to factory spec.

JD2112 > Sneaky Pete 03/07/2016 at 10:56

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This one looks like it should be owned by a general in the Italian army. Perfect for when you need to get to the battlefield in a hurry...

SirUno > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:56

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I knew of the fuel bladders, and thin paint...those having been mentioned on Top Gear UK some years back.

As for the rest...thanks! Good read.

scribble > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 10:57

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The F40 is still one of the most incredible cars ever made. I still think it looks better than the F50, and a mid-ship twin-turbo V8 beats out a V12 for me any day of the week.

MTY19855 > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:07

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Running costs don’t really seem that absurd. Fluids for a thousand per year, the ten year maintenance breaks down to $1,500 per year, and $300 per year on tires. You’ll easily top that much on some out of warranty Euro barge.

Dr. Mantis Toboggan, M.D. > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:08

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Never realized until now, for some reason, how hideous that front “mustache” bumper is. Why in god’s name didn’t they at least paint it body color?

the 1969 Dodge Charger Guy > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:10

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Back when the F40 was introed, I saw one up close and personal at a Dallas car show. Talk about barebones—I’ve seen kit cars for less than a tenth of its cost that were more substantial.

Destructive Tester > DipodomysDeserti 03/07/2016 at 11:11

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It is a Ferrari after all...

I’ll show myself out.

damnthisburnershitsux > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:13

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and here’s one more thing* you didn’t know; I think the nose on these is ugly, it reminds me too much of a slant nose kit 911 except it slopes off to the sides, so glad we’ve moved on to more curvy front ends.

*also one thing you probably didn’t care to know

Destructive Tester > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 11:14

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I'm guessing that had more to do with the questionable quality control in 90's American auto makers...

Gonemad > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:17

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I consider this the ultimate coke dealer car. The guy must sell a lot of the thing to get one and keep it running.

Countach is a close second.

Pending Approval > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:17

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I used to prefer the F50, then the enzo over the F40, but with age come wisdom.

Every time I see a picture of one.

Wirenfeldt_Jr > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:18

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It’s always nice to see Mesut Özil behind the wheel..

raz-0 > CALUSA 03/07/2016 at 11:18

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I learned 4. A lot of this stuff wasn’t obscure if you were around and reading the car magazines while they drooled over the impending release of the sucker.

printerror > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 11:19

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If I can’t wear the back tires as fast as the fronts, I’m in the wrong car.

printerror > Pending Approval 03/07/2016 at 11:20

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I arrived at a detailing customer’s house one day to do his F360, and when he opened the garage door, his latest acquisition was next to it.. A MINT F40. I got to spend two glorious days detailing that F40, and I swear I pined over every single inch of it. What a masterpiece of engineering.

barreto > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:23

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“ Veyron owners wish their cars were this cheap.”

This is exactly what I was going to say. Most of the items listed in #6 seemed fairly reasonable for a $1M car.

Mojonaut > Howie 03/07/2016 at 11:26

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Going to the Lamborghini museum this year, but Modena is not far. My girlfriend thinks I'm pushing my luck by going to both.

Scootin159 > thebigbossyboss 03/07/2016 at 11:28

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I don’t know if this is the case with the Veyron, but I do know that many racing wheels have a rather short lifespan. This essentially just comes down to the wheels being so thin & light that they literally flex under cornering. This flexing leads to metal fatigue, which leads to failure. Better to replace them before they get to that point.

The actual lifespan varies, depending on both the budget of the racing team, and to what limit the wheels were designed. The extreme cases would be some recent F1 teams which had wheels so fragile that they couldn’t withstand the forces of debeading a tire, and were thus “single use only”. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if NASCAR wheels lasted the better part of a season. At the more amateur ranks I know I had two types of wheels for my car - one type that would only last about 2 sets of tires, or another type that would last about 7 seasons. The difference between them was about 10% in weight.

AdmiralAkbar > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:29

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My only hypothetical lottery-winning plans are:

1) Buy a huge garage.

2) Buy an F40.

3) Buy some other cars later, probably but maybe not.

Scootin159 > Nauraushaun 03/07/2016 at 11:32

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85.5+ Porsche 944's had a notorious 3" length of flexible fuel line that was in close proximity to the exhaust headers in the engine bay. This not only shortened the life of this section of line (heat accelerated aging), but it also made a failure especially nasty. As such, Porsche issued a recall to replace all of them once, but the second and subsequent replacements were the owner’s responsibility.

It could be a similar issue..

BeaterGT > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:32

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Saw one in yellow years back, will never forget that moment.

MAXIMUMVRM > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:34

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Aren’t the seats flannel covered to save weight as well

Sonikbloo > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:35

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#9 This would be the last good looking Ferrari ever built.

MrMcQueen21v2 > DrScientist 03/07/2016 at 11:37

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Agreed! Until you get down to the replacement body panels (understandably high since CF), the general maintenance here is a relative deal compared to it’s contemporaries!

Tony F. > Scootin159 03/07/2016 at 11:39

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The tires are glued to the wheels to keep them from rotating under load and there is a limit to how many times you can re-glue new tires on them

ex.saint > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:40

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1) Aside from the purchase cost, maintenance doesn’t sound that expensive for the F40 (so sayeth the peasants).

2) Wow, am I ever glad that they “fixed” the front end of the 288 GTO Evoluzione for the F40. They turned an ugly duckling into a swan. (Beautiful, mean and nasty).

DJHerbert > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:40

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The Sultan of Brunei ordered several F40s from the factory in a variety of colors (green, gray, black, yellow, silver, white, etc), most of which were “off the books” but still technically exist. There was a great article about it on Jalopnik a while back, here you go:

http://jalopnik.com/the-secrets-of…

FIlandro > Howie 03/07/2016 at 11:42

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icanneverremembermyburnercode > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:44

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Thing you didn't know #9: There are actually people out there who think this car is good looking.

mtdrift > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:44

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It finished third behind two four-wheel drive Audi 90s.

Ok, as a former 1980s Audi owner, that cracked me up.

FrownyFace3000 > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:47

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“ I don’t care if the door gaps are straight. When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to shit his pants.” FUCK. YES.

NasalRadiator911 > g101010101 03/07/2016 at 11:52

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That presenter is... not enjoyable

GBond > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:53

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Annual fluid swaps cost $1,000. A minor belt services is recommended every three years at $3,000. A major service is recommended every ten years to replace items like belts, fuel lines, and water pumps at a cost of $15,000. European spec F40 rubber fuel bladders must be replaced every seven to ten years at a cost of $12,000 . Tires should be replaced at least every 7 years (or less than 14,000 miles) for $2,000. A new windshield runs $8,000. Both lower side panels cost $26,000. The front clam goes for $35,000. The front crash box runs $24,000. Veyron owners wish their cars were this cheap.

Wait, what? If those are the actual maintenance costs they seem very reasonable for a supercar, Veyron maintenance is much, much, MUCH more expensive.

Oldnslo > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 11:56

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Serious question: How can a windshield cost 8 grand?

MoparMap > Destructive Tester 03/07/2016 at 11:56

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I have little doubt it was an unintentional thing, just sort of novel when I was looking closer. The whole car was really a parts bin special. Pretty amazing it actually performs as well as it does given its rather interesting creation.

monkeymouth > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:00

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For your consideration - The ultimate cost-no-object F-40 LM restoration blog:

http://www.build-threads.com/build-threads/…

zdkfocus > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:01

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Best car boss quote of all time? Best car boss quote of all time.

1LEe > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:02

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Got to ride in an F40 at Gingerman Raceway a few years ago. One thing checked off my bucket list.

TTercel > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:09

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Didn’t the Jaguar XJ220 hit 200mph before the F40?

motronic > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:13

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The first time I seen an F40 close up, was in the parking lot of the Great Mall in Milpitas, Ca. I know there’s a Jalop from the Bay that’s seen it.

TractionControlOff > g101010101 03/07/2016 at 12:17

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The video production is impressive, as the host is a Hollywood producer, but not a well scripted video.

Built BMW Tough > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:18

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The ownership costs don’t seem that bad, actually. Especially compared to a 355 with the engine-out service. The 355 is far less valuable, too.

Phatboyphil > Aldairion 03/07/2016 at 12:22

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I dont understand those high costs. Aren’t racecars designed to be relitvly easy to maintain since racecars requre so much maintence?

EKnineTIME > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:23

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I just built the Lego F40, and it is absolutely glorious.

StolenIdentity(TrueMopar4Life) > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 12:24

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Couldn’t have said it better myself.

G8-Volt > Pending Approval 03/07/2016 at 12:25

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I’ve seen two of them in my life. One was in a bad neighborhood in Milwaukee late at night so I didn’t want to stick around to look at it too closely.

The other one was in an infield parking lot at the USGP at Indy. It was amazing how many people stopped in their tracks to admire it.

My 3 year old loves Forza Horizon 2. He usually picks fast looking cars by color. He asked for a red car so I went to my Ferrari collection. I figured he would pick out the LaFerrari or Enzo. He picked the F40. He’s got good taste.

jjhats > Scootin159 03/07/2016 at 12:26

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if I don’t push the car past say 130 mph would they still need replaced?

Pending Approval > G8-Volt 03/07/2016 at 12:29

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I figured he would pick out the LaFerrari or Enzo. He picked the F40.

I did see one at the shop here in austin, they were holding it for a customer or something like that, but damn, it was pretty.

Garrett Davis > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 12:32

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Your mom sounds like a cool lady.

whoapower > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:47

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Current prices are well over your estimate of “upwards of 1 million”, especially US models. Currently trading around 1.2-1.6M, and other rarities a far bit more. The Gas Monkey garage ‘fixer upper F40' is under the market because of some of the incorrect non-Ferrari fixes they did for the car during rebuild.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Howie 03/07/2016 at 12:47

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I’ve heard that the 288s actually float, so you're good. Best of luck, and hope we hear from you on Oppo first and not CNN.

Saracen > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:47

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Re #6: The Veyron is still much more expensive to maintain.

Patrick Frawley > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 12:49

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The switch from the rubber bladders (with the sponge material INSIDE them, by the way) to the metal tanks was one of the numerous changes required to get the F40 to comply with EPA and DOT regulations.

Along the way in that process the car also picked up motor-mouse automatic seatbelts (yuk) and an unadvertised but real boost in power created as they were retuning the fuel injection (not yuk).

I’ve seen them on the street in real life twice: once in Salzburg and once in Ann Arbor, of all places. I nearly fell over both times.

Aldairion > Phatboyphil 03/07/2016 at 12:51

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They may be designed in a way that offers better access to critical parts, and procedures such as engine/transmission removal and body panel replacement may be ameliorated. However, “easy” doesn’t necessarily mean cheap when the parts themselves are exclusive to a particular design, or when the components are subjected to such rigorous use. These engines are designed to run at the absolute peak of performance for their lives, and as such have shorter effective lifespans than a relatively lightly stressed passenger car engine. They aren’t designed for refinement, efficiency, longevity, or volume, plus the labor involved is far more specialized and therefore more costly.

Professor-Lavahot > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 12:52

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“ I don’t care if the door gaps are straight. When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to shit his pants.”

Can somebody translate this into Italian? That would make one excellent T-shirt.

elvisizer > Howie 03/07/2016 at 13:01

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I don’t know that I’ve ever seen one in black before, it is pretty cool.

CrossmanX > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 13:03

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I don’t think I’ve ever seen a F50 in sliver or the dark red. Anyone got picts?

Matt, great article! Any chance you got more? I love this stuff. Do one for F50 too!

AeroNerdPorsche > printerror 03/07/2016 at 13:05

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That’s interesting, since I always wore the fronts on my Cayman a bit faster than the rears with heavy track use (street use wore the backs out first). I’m really not quite sure why, since the car definitely wasn’t understeering (at least once I got the alignment and tire pressures figured out right) - if anything, it was a touch tail happy.

Stygian Blue > Howie 03/07/2016 at 13:05

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Dude. I usually say that the only proper color for a Ferrari is fire-engine red. But that Black F40 looks like Darth Vader's chariot. Do want.

QCGoose > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 13:05

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Your mom is a badass chick.

Frank Grimes > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 13:09

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Awesome article.

MajorMantra > RazoE 03/07/2016 at 13:23

1

That was the detail that stayed with me. Madness!

RedWhine > Sneaky Pete 03/07/2016 at 13:29

0

God help me. I like that. A LOT

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Sam 03/07/2016 at 13:29

1

Impressive as an engineering achievement, but does anyone really honestly love the Veyron?

crash red hot > Professor-Lavahot 03/07/2016 at 13:30

0

first attempt: “E chi se ne frega dei buchi di pannello? Quando accelera il pilota, voglio che si caghi sotto.”

directly: “Who gives a damn about panel gaps? When the driver accelerates, I want him to shit himself.”

I’d love to see the original. I’m not sure about a specific term like “panel gap.” I’m certain there is one and it’s probably not “buchi di pannello,” but I’m not sure what it is.

RedWhine > Patrick Frawley 03/07/2016 at 13:31

0

That slowly dissolving sponge inside the bladder must do wonders for the fuel system.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MoparMap 03/07/2016 at 13:32

3

Please tell me that you use this line as often as possible on other Viper owners: Nice car. My mom drives a Viper.

Schnell! > Mojonaut 03/07/2016 at 13:37

1

Both are doable - easier if you have a car. Modena is easy to get to, but I would highly recommend the Maranello Ferrari museum...really impressive. Pick up the shuttle bus from the Modena museum - it runs every 90 minutes.

Years ago when I was there, bus service was infrequent, but I had luck finding a cab driver who agreed to come pick us up at a pre-arranged time at a bar in Maranello, but I think we got very lucky...nice guy and we had some time to kill so he, my dad, and I all shared a Peroni and watched Moto GP in the bar across the street from the factory gates for a bit. I love Italy.

MoparMap > Garrett Davis 03/07/2016 at 13:41

3

I mostly blame her for me owning one now. And I blame my dad for the fact that I also bought a 67 Dart that I swapped a 5.7 Hemi into. There is certainly some gasoline in the veins.

NotThatDr > Matt Kirsch 03/07/2016 at 13:42

1

This is the first of these articles where I didn’t know a single one on the list.

Nice job Matt!

Mojonaut > Schnell! 03/07/2016 at 13:42

1

Total Italophile too. I’ve been many times. We’re basing ourselves in Bologna this time, and I've never been there, and I love my food too, so promises to be a great trip. A friend, who hails from Emilia Romagna, recommended a visit to Ducati, too, but that would be taking the piss. Besides, I prefer four wheels over two.