This might just be the best Ferrari F40 for sale today

This is a Ferrari F40 and it is coming up for auction for just under one million pounds. Before you go scampering back off into those digital hills with possible F40 fatigue (is that even possible?), do bear with us, for this looks like a very special Ferrari F40.

Special, because it’s done barely any mileage since it was fully restored, and thus is practically new. In fact, for around 20 years, it was barely used at all. We’ll come back to that.

Let’s get the preliminaries out of the way, shall we? The stuff that you can all recite blindfolded. The Ferrari F40 was finished in 1987 to celebrate Ferrari’s then 40th anniversary, was the last car overseen by Enzo himself, and a response to Lamborghini and Porsche’s supercar efforts in the 1980s.

It used carbon fibre for its chassis and body, was designed with aero in mind, and featured one of the most hilariously minimalist and stripped back cabins you can think of (we’re talking lightweight bucket seats, door pulls, manual windows and the like).

It also featured one of the most entertaining engines ever devised, too: a twin-turbo, 3.0-litre V8 derived from the 288 GTO, producing 478bhp. This meant 0-60mph was dispatched in just 3.8s, the quarter mile in 11.8s, and a top speed of 200mph.

So, now you know. This particular car comes up for auction at a special time, too: only a few short weeks ago, the Ferrari F40 celebrated its 30th anniversary, so now’s a good time to get knee-deep in some F40 goodness.

In 1989, this F40 – one of just 1,315 ever built – was first delivered to Wolfgang Denzel who lived in Austria. Following a bit of use – over 930 miles – it was then sold on to an Italian collector, who already owned an F40 and wanted to convert his new purchase into an LM spec. A mighty ambition indeed.

For the uninitiated, LM was a reference to ‘Le Mans’, and as such turned the already race-like F40 into a track fiend. LM spec meant the car would feature a reinforced chassis, more aggressive bodywork, uprated brakes and suspension components, a competition gearbox, wider wheels and tyres, an interior even more hilariously spartan, a digital dash, and fixed headlights.

It also meant more power. Waaaay more power.

But all of that is useless, because said Italian collector never converted this F40 into the hardcore LM spec, and therefore it essentially turned into a static display car, one that sat mostly idle for the best part of 20 years. It was then sold to its current owner, who decided to restore it.

Carrozzeria Zanasi undertook the F40’s return to glory (following the exchange of a rumoured €300,000), earning it the highly coveted Ferrari Classiche certificate. Before its restoration, the car had covered less than 1800 miles. Since the restoration, it has covered less than 370 miles. Zanasi has even serviced the thing, ready for the new owner.

Silverstone Auctions reckon it’ll go for anywhere between £875,000 and £975,000. Bank on a cool million, and you’re safe.

See? It’s almost impossible to get F40 fatigue. Luckily then, we have more Ferrari F40 via the links below...

The story of the Ferrari F40 - by the people who made it

Ferrari bloodline: 288 GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo at the Top Gear track