LONDON: Cars are a depreciating asset. But as with most things in life, there are exceptions, with some cars defying the norms.
A 1992 Ferrari F40 was sold on Saturday for €1,12 million (RM4.8mil) at an auction in Nurburgring, Germany. The car had only one owner and was part of a private collection.
The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupé sports car built from 1987 to 1992. The successor to the Ferrari 288 GTO, it was designed to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary and was the last Ferrari automobile personally approved by Enzo Ferrari.
At the time it was the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car that Ferrari sold to the public. Power came from an enlarged, 2.9 L (2,936cc) version of the GTO's twin IHI turbocharged V8 developing 478bhp. The F40 did without a catalytic converter until 1990 when US regulations made them a requirement for emissions control reasons. The flanking exhaust pipes guide exhaust gases from each bank of cylinders while the central pipe guides gases released from the wastegate of the turbochargers.
The suspension setup was similar to the GTO's double wishbone setup, though many parts were upgraded and settings were changed; the unusually low ground clearance prompted Ferrari to include the ability to raise the vehicle's ground clearance when necessary.
The body was an entirely new design by Pininfarina featuring panels made of Kevlar, carbon fibre, and aluminium for strength and low weight, and intense aerodynamic testing was employed. Weight was further minimised through the use of a plastic windshield and windows. The cars did have air conditioning, but had no sound system, door handles, glove box, leather trim, carpets, or door panels. The first 50 cars produced had sliding Lexan windows, while later cars were fitted with normal windows that could be rolled down.
The F40 was designed with aerodynamics in mind. For speed the car relied more on its shape than its power. Frontal area was reduced, and airflow greatly smoothed, but stability rather than terminal velocity was a primary concern. So too was cooling as the forced induction engine generated a great deal of heat. In consequence, the car was somewhat like an open-wheel racing car with a body. It had a partial undertray to smooth airflow beneath the radiator, front section, and the cabin, and a second one with diffusers behind the motor, but the engine bay was not sealed.
Other notable sales at the Coys auction included a 1937 BMW 328 Roadster, which was sold for €562,000, a 2000 Ford GT for €227,000, a 2003 Ferrari 360 for €182,000 and another record price of €145,000 for a 1971 Lamborghini Espada SII.
