Ferrari F40 “Minty Forty” 1991
There is no “ordinary” F40. A car with such a pedigree, with such outrageous design, such compelling performance, and of such rarity, could never be anything but spectacular.
Notable for being the last supercar developed during Enzo Ferrari’s lifetime, the F40 was a pure distillation of everything Il Commendatore had poured into his company over the preceding four decades. It was a road car that evolved from the cancelled Group B 288 GTO Evoluzione, but it retained its mission-driven competition. The F40 was equipped with a race-developed tube-frame chassis, four-wheel double wishbone independent suspension, Koni coil-over shock absorbers and four-caliper vented disc brakes. Pietro Camardella’s coachwork design, executed under the direction of Leonardo Fioravanti and aerodynamically perfected in Pininfarina’s wind tunnel, was built with paneling woven from Kevlar and carbon fiber, reducing curb weight while greatly increasing structural rigidity.
Positioned behind the driver was a twin-turbocharged V-8 displacing 2.9 liters and fitted with IHI turbochargers and Behr intercoolers; this engine was married to a five-speed transaxle actuated by a gated shifter. The resulting performance was nothing short of astounding, as the type F120 040 engine developed 478 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque, capable of launching the F40 to 60 mph from standstill in just 3.8 seconds and achieving a top speed of 201 mph (thereby eclipsing the Porsche 959 and Lamborghini Countach).
With aggressive looks and stupefying performance, each of the 1,235 Ferrari F40s built for worldwide sale remains a traffic-stopping mechanical masterpiece. Yet each of these 1,235 left the Ferrari factory in Maranello finished in one single color: Rosso Corsa.
CHASSIS 88538
The car offered here, chassis 88538, was no different–at first. Dieter Wolf, Wolfersheim Germany, purchased the car in May 1991 via Auto Becker, Dusseldorf, after it was completed on 27th February 1991. The F40’s signature Rosso Corsa exterior and red Stoffa Vigogna inside were finished. According to Ferrari historian Marcel Massini’s research, Mr. Wolf attended both the F40 gathering in Mugello in Italy in 1992 and a Ferrari Club Deutschland meeting the following year. Around 1998, the car was in an accident. It was then sold to a Dutch buyer who hired Forza Service to restore it to factory specs. The front clamshell of the car was replaced as part of the repairs. However, body numbers can still be found on the rear spoiler and rear fender, the door hinges, the rear clamshell, and the rear fender. When the red paint on the sills was removed during the recent respray it was discovered that a repair had been made. In 2008, after the repairs had long been completed, the car received its Ferrari Classiche Certification, confirming that it retains its matching numbers engine and gearbox, and attesting that the repairs were carried out to full original specifications and standards.
After the completion of this work, chassis 88538 returned to the roads of Europe, appearing at the Ferrari Club Germany 25th Anniversary Meeting in Baden-Baden, Germany. Forza Service replaced an odometer in 2003. They confirmed that the mechanical failure of the car’s original odometer displayed 11,442 km. The new odometer showed 7,118 km. More recently, it participated in the Ferrari Tribute to the Mille Miglia for three consecutive years, from 2010-2012.
After changing hands at auction in 2014 and privately in 2017, it was acquired by its present owner in 2021. The owner had originally planned to paint the car red, but after it was stripped down, a different idea came up. Could this be liberating, though? The ‘Minty Forty’ is born
A glance at chassis 88538 reveals the direction its owner chose. Its new, eye-catching look was the key to giving this F40 its own identity. The paint scheme is a clear tribute to Ferrari chassis 3505 GT, the legendary Verde Pallido 250 GTO that was built for Sir Stirling Moss, and raced by Innes Ireland & Masten Gregory at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans. The interior of the car was expertly retrimmed in blue to complement the exterior. This trimmer is more experienced in refitting aircraft than cars. His work is exceptional, and brings a new coherence to the “Minty” concept.
Historical context aside, it one look is all it takes to see how this machine got its enduring nickname: the “Minty Forty.” Chassis 88538 has been in effect a one-car show since its debut in this form, turning heads and appearing in countless posts on social media. Amalgam, a renowned model maker, has reproduced it in 1:8 and 1:24 scales. A 1:18 scale Amalgam model is included with the sale. The F40 is a stunning car, and to make it even more spectacular is no small feat. The car has spent over EUR43,000 in the past 18 months, including the replacement of the fuel tanks in 2022 and the timing belt overhaul. This does not include the cost to paint the car its new color. It is a charismatic car that is built to be driven, not parked. This is not a car for the weak-hearted.
But then again, no F40 was ever.
This will be sold at RM Sothebys’ 27th annual Monterey auction, which takes place from 15-17 August, during Monterey Car Week. Learn more, view all lots on offer, and register to bid online at RMSothebys.com.
