Enzo Ferrari proposed celebrating 40 years of his marquee, with a very special project that would combine race and road car traits in one machine.

The underlying goal during the F40's development was weight reduction. To this end, the body (by Pininfarina) made innovative use of composite materials, which were claimed to be 20 per cent lighter than conventional metals. This priority also meant the interior was utterly devoid of carpets and door trim. Ferrari certainly succeeded in its goal, since the F40 weighs in at just 1099kg.

Ferrari developed a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine for the F40. The engine was quoted as being capable of 478 bhp (although regularly we find figures of closer to 500 bhp being produced by F40’s on our rolling road) and up to 200 bhp more if you wanted to go racing. The performance figures speak for themselves: a top speed of 201 mph, 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and 0-124 mph in 12 seconds flat. This was far and away the quickest machine on the road when production began in 1988. Midway through production, catalytic converters were fitted to cars as standard. Closer to the end of production Adjustable ride height suspension was also introduced as an option.

In character, the F40 can be demanding to drive but not overly difficult, while it is hugely tractable yet superbly balanced in handling terms. The fact that the cockpit is sparsely trimmed is a positive point, and the sight of raw carbon fibre and exposed tubing is a constant reminder of the raw capability of the F40. Considering its intended role as a dual-purpose road/race car, the F40 is equipped with numerous competition features such as Group C brakes, three-piece wheels and bag fuel tanks (these need replacing periodically).