To see an iconic supercar such as the Ferrari F40 go up in flames is a heart-wrenching thing for any car enthusiast to experience, and so the video below should come with a disclaimer of sorts.
According to Japanese media, a couple were enjoying a drive in their F40 along the famous Hakone Turn Pike, near Odawara in Japan, when smoke started pouring from the supercar’s engine bay. Thankfully the occupants managed to get out in time to escape injury, but sadly the F40 was destroyed before firefighters could put out the blaze.
The F40 is considered to be one of the most legendary Ferraris of all time. Just over 1300 units were produced between 1987 and 1992.
The supercar was designed to be Ferrari’s most driver-focused car ever and it offered nothing in the way of creature comforts – even the dashboard was wrapped in felt to save weight. Through this meticulous engineering focus, and the use of some advanced materials like carbon fibre and bonded kevlar, Ferrari managed to keep the kerb weight down to just 1360kg. Power came from a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V8 powerplant that produced 350 kW, which was quite phenomenal in the 1980s. With a top speed of just over 320 km/h, the F40 was the fastest production car at the time of its launch.
F40炎上 pic.twitter.com/sOav1Ge6iI
— さむえる (@emanuel_E90M3) May 8, 2021
Given its iconic status, those seeking to own a Ferrari F40 today can expect to part with a considerable sum of money, with good examples said to fetch more than R20 million.
