Ferrari’s legendary F40 emerged from the fabled Maranello factory in the middle of a 1980s supercar arms race. As the last Ferrari model made under the watchful eye of Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the famous marque set his sights on a performance-honed Prancing Horse to leave an eternal impression. As a progression of its predecessor, the Group B-ready 288 GTO Evoluzione, the F40 was launched to do battle with the pin-up supercar idols of the era: the Lamborghini Countach and Porsche 959.

Upon its launch in 1987, the F40—intended to mark the 40th anniversary of Ferrari’s first car, the 125 S—was instantly impressive, notching a top speed over 200 mph to take the mantle of the world’s fastest production car, outdoing the performance credentials of its Countach and 959 rivals in the process. The supercar was stripped back to maximize lightweight construction techniques, with engineers looking to the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team for inspiration. As a result, the F40 wears extensive carbon fiber material while also being manufactured without carpet, and it featured door pulls instead of handles. It could be ordered with wind-up or fixed windows, but to add the mass of a power window motor was completely forbidden. Weighing in at just 2,400 pounds, the F40 was a thoroughbred supercar.

At the heart of the F40, Ferrari deployed a longitudinally mounted, rear-mid-engine powertrain setup. The V-8 engine was based on the twin-turbocharged unit developed for the 288 GTO and was built with a cubic capacity of just under three liters. Rated at 478 brake horsepower, it was the most powerful roadgoing Ferrari ever manufactured at the time. As a result of the incredible engine setup, combined with its lightweight construction, the F40 was inevitably capable of phenomenal performance figures. The official 0-60 mph time was just 3.8 seconds, a quarter mile would take 11.8 seconds, and the F40 could brake to a stop from 60 mph in only 119 feet.

Of the 1,311 total F40 examples made, 213 were delivered new to the United States, meaning Ferrari’s high-octane flagship supercar of the 1980s has been rare in the North American market from the beginning. Low-mileage examples are especially coveted, and this 1991 Ferrari F40, the 115th made of the cars delivered to the United States, is offered for sale with just 2,896 miles from new at time of cataloguing. Completed by the Maranello factory on 12 March 1991, serial number 87895 has been remarkably preserved as a stunning showcase of Ferrari history.

This F40 is offered for sale with invoices and workshop receipts dating back to its year of manufacture. Documentation recalls that serial number 87895 was delivered for retail in the U.S. on 13 May 1991, shipped to Ferrari North America and passing through the marque specialist, Lake Forest Sports Cars in Lake Forest, Illinois. Optional extras for the order of this car included air conditioning and an electrically heated front windshield—further to the standard F40 equipment that would include twin IHI turbochargers, a limited-slip differential and Speedline wheels wearing Pirelli P Zero tires.

The car’s first owner, Mr. D. Ahrens of nearby Barrington, would also specify the F40 with Schedoni fitted luggage, and the name of the original custodian of the F40 can still be seen embroidered onto the leather bags that are offered for sale with this Ferrari. Also included in the sale are Ferrari manuals in the branded pouch and a complete tool kit. A report from Ferrari specialist Marcel Massini notes that the F40 was seen in 1992 wearing an Illinois-registered licence place, “BY BY COP”.

Running mileage counts on the accompanying documents reveals that the F40 was driven sparingly in its formative years, yet it was serviced accordingly. Between 1991 to 2005, workshop maintenance included replacement of the ECU and injectors six months after the car’s delivery, carried out under warranty. A major cam belt service was performed in 2004. Answering to a factory recall that addressed a known issue on the F40, repairs were made to the lower suspension forks in 2005. In addition, intermittent fluid services were carried out.

In 2005, the car entered storage, where it was kept until 2014 when it would return to Lake Forest Sports Cars to be sold while still showing only 2,774 miles on the odometer. The buyer was a prominent Ferrari collector, and the F40 would enter a garage alongside Maranello stablemates including a 1961 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, a 1967 275 GTB/4, and other more contemporary models. In anticipation of its new owner, the Ferrari had not been run for 10 years, so technicians performed a cam belt service, replaced spark plugs, flushed fluid in the brakes, gearbox and cooling systems, and installed new Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires.

The car changed hands for only the second time in 2017, with its new owner using the Ferrari conservatively and adding very little mileage. Again, the F40 was taken care of, even if it was not recording distance on the road. Invoices on file record servicing work undertaken by Milestone Motorcars LLC of Boynton Beach, Florida, in July 2021, totalling in excess of $11,000. The workshop performed an engine belt service, replacing timing belts and idle pullies, also checking valve clearances and replacing auxiliary belts and fluids. The garage replaced four brake flex hoses, which were noted to be original.

The opportunity to own a low-mile, original F40 is extremely rare, and would make a valued addition to the collection of any Ferrari enthusiast or supercar aficionado. This F40 is Ferrari Classiche-certified, with documents available for viewing digitally. Physical prints of the Red Book are on order from Ferrari.