One of the most collectible supercars out there, the Ferrari F40 numbers just over 1,300 units. A special edition that stands with the help of wedge-shaped styling, the most desirable Prancing Horse from the 1980s can be rightfully described as a mélange of pure terror and raw excitement.
Although it’s hugely collectible and over-the-top expensive in this day and age, not all F40 models are equal. This particular example of the breed, for example, makes do without the bone-stock exhaust in favor of a competition-style aftermarket system manufactured from Inconel 625.
A blend of nickel, chromium, and a few other materials, the superalloy is used in the nuclear field for reactor-core and control-rod components. In addition to high strength and resistance to cracking, Inconel 625 can withstand service temperatures from cryo to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (982 degrees Celsius).
From the driver’s point of view, the Tubi exhaust is glorious in every respect on wide-open throttle on the Autobahn and in the tunnels. The sound the twin-turbo V8 produces on overrun also beggars belief.
And best of all, the F40 makes the driving experience more engaging thanks to a stick shift. Not just any manual, though. The Prancing Horse of Maranello gifted the 40th anniversary model with a dog-leg transmission and a gated shifter, a similar setup to the Ferrari 280 GTO before it.
Even though the owner doesn’t mention how much suck-squeeze-bang-blow the engine produces with this exhaust, there’s no denying the factory ratings have been exceeded thanks to less restrictive exhaust flow. From the factory, the F40 develops 478 PS (471 horsepower) and 577 Nm (426 pound-feet) of torque from 2.9 liters and a couple of IHI turbochargers. The Japanese company also supplies Dodge with the 2.4- and 2.7-liter superchargers utilized in the Hellcat, Redeye, Super Stock, and Demon muscle cars.
Penned by Pininfarina, the stripped-out stallion will shoot to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.1 seconds, while top speed is estimated at 324 kph (201 mph). Last but certainly not least, care to guess how much money this bad boy costs nowadays? As it happens, the most expensive F40 of 2020 hammered for $1.6 million, although the highest pre-auction estimate was $1.5 million.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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