An iconic Ferrari – the fastest road car of its time – is set to sell for a record £2.3m.
The red F40 can do 201mph thanks to its twin-turbocharged 3L, V8 engine.
Brand new the 478bhp supercar – famed for its angular shape – made in 1989 was worth about £163,000.
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In today’s money taking into account inflation that would be £424,000.
But it is tipped to go for over 14 times the original price when it goes under the hammer.
If it goes for the guide price it will smash the £1.7m recouped at auction for an F40 two years ago.
The Ferrari has had a restoration but still has its original chassis, body, engine, and gearbox.
Other original features are its tool roll, Agip tyre kit, exhaust and seatbelts.
What’s more it has only done 10,749 miles in the last 36 years.
That works out at only 298 per year on average.
The F40 was so popular at the time it was owned by ex-F1 race champ Nigel Mansell.
Late football legend Diego Maradona and tenor Luciano Pavarotti had one too.
It is being sold by RM Sotheby’s in Milan, Italy, next Thursday (22 May), as reported on Luxury Auto News.
A spokesperson for the auction house said: “Famously the final design to be signed off by Enzo Ferrari.
“The F40 of 1987 was initially forecast for a 400-strong production run in celebration of the marque’s 40th anniversary.
“However, Maranello records show that this figure eventually stretched to 1,315 units as buyers kept being enticed.
“Little wonder, given the intoxicating recipe of a lightweight Kevlar and carbon fibre construction being propelled by a twin-turbocharged 3L V8.
Of those cars, chassis number 80763 offered here was completed on 27 July, 1989 and delivered to its first owner one week later.
“The Ferrari then moved to the United Kingdom in 1997, where it remained for more than two decades.
“Under the care of a new owner, the car was submitted to Italy in 2021 for a complete rotisserie restoration on the doorstep of the Ferrari factory.
“The restoration has been captured in a complementing photo album, which is beautifully housed in a matching-colour carbon fibre and Kevlar case.
Once finished, the F40 enjoyed a momentous April 2022.
“That month, it was registered in France in addition to being awarded prestigious Ferrari Classiche certification in recognition of its matching-numbers chassis, body, engine, and gearbox.
“The car remained with its then-custodian until May 2023, at which point it was purchased by the consigning owner.”
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