After the Ferrari F40 adorned his bedroom wall as a child, Nicol Louw finally gets a chance to experience the icon…
My foot is flat on the accelerator, but the rev needle moves at a snail’s pace towards the red line. At 3 000 r/min, the engine starts to pick up speed. We pass 3 500 r/min and the car feels like it’s tensing in expectation … and, at 4 000 r/min, it detonates. The power delivery is as sudden as it’s brutal. For a first-time Ferrari F40 pilot, it’s genuinely shocking.
The two turbos suck in air at an alarming rate and provide the seemingly starved engine with enough oxygen to devour a river of fuel. Chemical potential energy is converted into 577 N.m of twist that overwhelms the rear tyres in second gear and requires small corrections on the unassisted steering wheel to keep the nose pointing straight. An angry F40 is a vicious animal. Fortunately, I took some time to get know the beast beforehand.
This Ferrari is, of course, part of automotive legend. Built between 1987 and ‘92, the F40 was the late Enzo Ferrari’s swan-song and essentially an evolution of the 288 GTO. The supercar was originally developed as a Group B racer, but when that category was canned by the FIA, Ferrari turned this racecar into a road vehicle to commemorate 40 years of the Prancing Horse. Even now, at a time when ‘80s styling is generally ridiculed, the F40 is still a spectacular looking thing.
I can even forgive its designers the awkward pop-up headlamps on a body that’s so clearly designed to favour function over form. Trademark NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) inlets on the side direct air to the engine bay and that wing provides the F40 with downforce and its single most dramatic visual element.
Climbing into the cabin means opening the lightweight, paper-thin door framing a sliding plastic window with a mere cable substituting for a door handle. Gymnastic flexibility is required to slide over the wide sill onto the red bucket seat and, once ensconced, you’re greeted by a small steering wheel that’s kart-like in both looks and angle. The small, analogue dials appear borrowed from a motorcycle, while the dash is clothed in a carpet-like material. “Luxury” is not a word that springs to mind. Loose carpets on a bare floor with green adhesive between the joins of the composite panels take this weight-saving approach to the extreme.
Centre stage in the cabin is the beautiful, round gear shifter that protrudes from an open gate. It is connected to a very mechanical, five-speed gearbox. Turn the key, press the black starter button and the engine spins over slowly before catching in a deeper voice than you’d expect from a 2,9-litre. Depress an ultra-stiff clutch pedal, select the dog-leg first gear with a mechanical click confirming engagement, and you are ready to tame the beast (or be tamed). This particular F40 is an early example and thus features non-adjustable suspension and lacks an exhaust catalyst.
Nearly 30 years is a veritable millennium in automotive development and it shows in the brand-new 488 GTB that we’ve brought along for reference. This is the first mid-engined, turbopetrol Ferrari since the F40 and is in a different league. The GTB is almost as easy to drive as a VW Golf and, in terms of ergonomics, fits like a glove. Near-500 kW has never felt so docile and our initial 100 km drive from the Scuderia Ferrari dealership in Bryanston to Red Star Raceway following a 05h00 start was completed without a strained calve or neck in sight.
Replacing the incredible naturally aspirated 4,5-litre V8 of the 458 with a turbopetrol was a gamble for Maranello. Would the 488 GTB retain the charm, noise and character of the 458? As our initial review (November 2015 issue) indicated, that answer is a resounding yes – and it’s also taken a massive leap in performance. Ferrari has made no attempt to hide the turbo noises; boost build-up and waste gate flutter are clearly audible in the cabin. Turbo lag? Don’t be absurd; the response from the V8 is almost instantaneous.
At Red Star Raceway, our destination for the day, the F40’s generous owner gives me the go-ahead to explore the tricky, tight circuit. After a sighting lap, the rush of power at 4 000 r/min hits me for the first time on the short back straight. Eager for more shots of adrenaline, I start turning in the car harder and climbing on the throttle earlier in order to explore the F40’s adhesion limits. And, like that rush of power, I didn’t expect to come across those limits so early … or violently.
Exiting a slow, second-gear turn, the sudden arrival of brute horsepower overwhelms the rear tyres and the F40 pivots around its vertical axis. I just manage to catch the slide … but only just. This car takes no prisoners. In contrast, the 488 GTB is equally scalpel sharp but far more approachable. Change direction with vigour and the electronics, even in race mode, allow the driver liberal use of the throttle when exiting corners. The GTB’s dual-clutch ‘box shifts gears with alacrity, allowing me time to focus on the perfect lines and eke out the last bit of corner speed.
Back in the F40 and my cerebral capacity is challenged to its maximum. The unassisted steering communicates what the front-end is doing and turn-in is impressive, but it’s a balancing act that requires precise control. Get on the power too early and the vehicle quickly swaps ends. Come off the power too early and the nose pushes wide. And, unless Russian roulette is your favourite (temporary) pastime, stomping on the gas once you’ve dropped out of boost while the steering wheel is still turned is a bad idea. Rather keep the revs up and feed in the power when the vehicle exits a turn.
So, is the F40 a brutal monster unsuited for road use? Yes. Driving this R17-million supercar back to Bryanston, its on-road limitations are obvious and painful. The heavy clutch and mechanical shift action make navigating gridlocked streets a real chore. And, although the ride offered by the double wishbone suspension at all four corners is more comfortable than expected, it’s still very firm. And that’s before we discuss the amount of road and wind noise that filters into the cabin, or the severely limited visibility. The F40 is meant for the track, where a skilled and brave pilot can mine its incredible abilities.
As I walk away from the pair of Prancing Horses, I’m both elated and exhausted. While the 488 GTB is testament to Ferrari’s engineering progress and prowess, the F40, now more than ever, is a masterpiece of automotive engineering. I will always cherish the day the F40 poster from my childhood bedroom came alive…
Thanks to Red Star Raceway for allowing us access to the various facilities. Visit www.redstarraceway.co.za for more info.
