Behold: Japanese tuner Liberty Walk’s widebody Ferrari F40

You will likely be familiar with the work of Japanese automotive tuning company ‘Liberty Walk’. Founded in 1993 by one Wataru Kato, the business where just three cars could be exhibited on a “small vehicle lot” has now morphed into one of the biggest and most polarising tuners on Earth.

You will also likely be familiar with the work of Italian supercar company ‘Ferrari’, specifically a car called ‘F40’. Built in the late Eighties, the twin-turbo V8 has morphed from a hypercar with an unimpeachable bloodline and uncompromising ethos to outright deity.

You will now realise we are taking ages to get to the point, largely because of its polarising nature. This is Liberty Walk’s take on the Ferrari F40 – a widebodied merchant of stance that takes no prisoners. Standard fare then, from a company whose mission statement is to be ‘brave’.

Unveiled at the recent Tokyo Auto Salon, the ‘complete body kit’ does away with the pop-up lights and adds a new arrangement. There’s a completely new bonnet filled with vents and ducts. And Pininfarina’s original F40 lines have been complemented by a new roster of diffusers – up front, on the sides and at the back, where you’ll also find a new rear wing.

Then of course there are LW’s trademark bolted wide arches and suspension drop; heck, it’s been slammed so much it could probably run on the Underground.

No detail has been provided on any performance tweaks, so allow us to remind you of statistics you will likely already know: the F40 runs a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V8 producing 478bhp and 426lb ft of torque. Sending its power to the rear wheels, it could hit 62mph from rest in 4.1s, which at the time was otherworldly fast. With its spartan interior and light weight (just 1,100kg!), that’d probably still feel like warp speed today.

So, you will likely have Many Opinions on Liberty Walk’s latest offering, available to purchase for your very own F40 for an undisclosed price.

Photography: Mark Riccioni