One to Buy: Carrozzeria Zanasi-restored Blue 1989 Ferrari F40
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Despite the failure of Group B circuit racing to take off in a similar fashion to rallying, the category did spawn arguably the two greatest supercars of the late 1980s: the Porsche 959 and Ferrari F40.
The F40 was created out of the 288 GTO Evoluzione programme and went on to become the fastest car in the world upon its release in June 1987. 1311 were ultimately built between 1988 and 1992 as demand far-exceeded Ferrari’s initial expectations.
Sales even remained strong after the collapse of the speculator-driven late eighties boom which resulted in the second half of production taking place amid an economic slump that had a devastating effect on several other high end auto makers.
In addition to having been produced exclusively in left-hand drive, Ferrari only offered the F40 in one colour scheme: Rosso Corsa with matching fireproof bucket seats.
A handful of VIP customers sent their cars straight to Pininfarina for different combinations, but by and large the world was denied seeing this spectacular machine in the kind of dark metallic shades that evidently would have suited it so well.
Currently on offer at the Furlonger Specialist Cars showroom in Ashford, Kent, is an F40 that illustrates just how good the model would have looked in something other than Rosso Corsa.
Chassis 80746 was originally completed in 1989 and dispatched to Switzerland, after which it headed to Japan. In 2015 the car was purchased by a UK collector who subsequently sent it to the renowned Carrozzeria Zanasi in Maranello for a total restoration and colour change to what you see today.
Now showing a little under 27,000km (or 17,000 miles), chassis 80746 is offered in superb condition throughout complete with Classiche Certification.
