Ferrari F40 (1989)

Ferrari's 201 mph F40 is the definitive supercar and has a formidable reputation alongside the 250 GTO as possibly the best road Ferrari built to date. With the F40, Pininfarina produced an era-defining creation, one that even today is instantly recognisable by old and young enthusiasts alike. F40's were closely derived from the experimental GTO Evoluzione and the road-going 288 GTO (that the F40 replaced).

The design features a tubular steel chassis with bonded composite inserts, most notably around the sills and floor pan, The 2,936 cc motor produces approximately 500 bhp at 7,000 rpm with the help of two water-cooled IHI turbochargers running 1.1 bar of boost. At 1,202 kg, the F40 had, and still has, a phenomenal power-to-weight ratio. Shatteringly fast by any comparison (especially for 1988), the F40 can sprint from 0-60 mph in just 4.4 seconds and hit 201 mph flat out making it the first production car to surpass this mystical boundary

The first letter in the history file of this F40 dates back to 2nd November 1987. Little more than three months after the reveal in Maranello, some doubt had already been cast by the factory as to whether Mr Thomas EB Sopwith would receive allocation for the game changing Ferrari F40.

His letter in retrospect, wholly justifies why he may have been a little miffed as to the factory reluctance.

‘How surprising to hear that the factory are raising doubts about the possibility of supplying me with an F40. It would perhaps be convenient for you to have a list of points that they might like to consider before this decision is finally made:
1. I bought a 250 G.T. from Mike Hawthorn in 1958, the first time that Ferrari had been represented at a U.K. motor show.
2. The same car, when sold to you, effectively started Maranello Concessionaires.
3. I owned (with you) 50% of a number of Ferrari racing cars which, through Equipe Endeavour, led to Michael Parkes' successes with Ferrari, and his eventual employment by the factory.
4. I have owned a series of Ferrari road cars, including the 275 Spyder, Dino Spyder, and so forth, until my appointment as a non-executive director put me in the very fortunate position of no longer having to buy my own Ferraris!
I feel confident that when these facts have been taken into account there will be no problem in allocating a car, which will in turn save you from the acute embarrassment of having to renege on the arrangement that we made.

Yours ever,

Tommy’

‘Tommy’ was the son of the aviation pioneer Sir Thomas Sopwith, founder of the Sopwith Aviation Company which produced the Sopwith Camel, a formidable First World War fighter aircraft and serial competitor in the Americas Cup in his J-Class yachts Endeavour I & II.

Thomas ‘Tommy’ EB Sopwith quickly took to motor racing, both as a racer and forming his own privateer team appropriately named after his father’s yachts, Equipe Endeavour. The team dominated the 1959 British Saloon Car Championship and would go on to compete with Aston Martin’s DB4 GT and notably a 250 GT Berlinetta SWB and 250 GTO.

His order was accepted by the factory and Tommy would eventually receive this car in person, with a factory collection 14th December 1989. The order form state that the car be supplied with a temporary Escursionisti Esteri registration [EE-948-AK] allowing him passage to the UK by road. As F40s at the time were registered under the personal import scheme, this example would not gain its UK registration mark until the second week of January 1990. A further letter on file evidences in his enjoyment and surprise at the ability of the car, four months into ownership.

‘The F40 is going well, despite scraping its chin from time to time, but I do seriously question the morality of selling them to people with no racing or ultra high performance experience. It really does go like a rocket.’

The car would move to Germany in the 1990s where it would reside until 2012. It passed through three keepers in this time, Mr Gossens of Krefeld and then a father-son duo. In 2013, the car was imported back into the UK and inspected and purchased by DK Engineering.

DK sold the car shortly after to Mr Shakespeare who would retain the car for 10 years. During his ownership the car would receive maintenance from his private mechanic and be stored as a part of his extensive collection. Following a major service including fuel tanks by marque specialist Furlonger in 2023, this example was sold to its current custodian. Offered today accompanied by its original stamped service book and wallet, history folio with supporting letters as well as spare key and tool kit, this F40 presents superbly having covered just 8,470 km from new.

• Supplied new to Thomas 'Tommy' EB Sopwith of Equipe Endeavour
• Son of Sir Thomas Sopwith, creator of the WW1 fighter aircraft the Sopwith Camel
• Founder of the Equipe Endeavour race team
• Racer and team owner fielding Jaguars, Aston Martins and Ferraris including the 250 GTO
• Factory collected in December 1989, first UK registed in 1990
• Extensive early correspondence on record
• Major service including fuel tanks in 2023
• Just 8,470 km from new