The F40 is Ferrari's greatest masterpiece
There aren't a lot of cars in the running for the title of Greatest Supercar of All Time. It's a shortlist so exclusive that cars like the Bugatti Veyron, LaFerrari and McLaren P1 won't be eligible until they've proven they can age well. The F40, along with its arch rival 959 and McLaren F1, stands at the peak -- that upper echelon of greatness that can never be diminished.
The F40 was always going to be the last car that Enzo signed off on. From the outset, its mission was to knock the 959 off it's perch, which meant becoming the first street legal production car to top 200mph. Legendary design firm Pininfarina was brought in to make the car as aerodynamically sleek as possible, which resulted in that iconic, ultra-low nose. It was a stark about face for Enzo, who once famously said "aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines".
Of course, it still had quite an engine, with a twin turbo 2.9L V8 putting out an underrated 471hp. It was powerful enough to propel the car to 201mph, yet beautiful enough to justify one of the best engine covers ever created.
The turbos were so strong they needed their own tailpipe — a blow-off valve right between the engine's exhausts.
The entire car was all about zero compromises: the racing shell seats complimented a distinct lack of carpet, power windows, radio and even door handles, to combine with the carbon/kevlar body for a total weight of just 2400lbs. It was so advanced they couldn't even build it in Ferrari's main factory, instead constructing it down the road at legendary body shop Scaglietti.
That all out mentality is further evidenced by the racing-style single lug wheels.
In a way, the F40 ruined all other Ferraris, since they will forever be compared to Enzo's epic finale: the F50 may have been a fine car, but it could never get out of the shadow of its predecessor. Ironically, the original owner of this particular car traded it in for an F50, mostly because he was a putz, but the fact remains that Maranello is unlikely to ever top the F40 in terms if the sheer magnitude of its impact.