Having a Ferrari F40 is already a car enthusiast's dream that's hard to top. Thierry, for his part, already owned one, fully restored by a specialist F40 Only. However, a second F40 has just been added to his collection. And this one is truly unlike any other: it is pre-production model number 2, a car built even before regular production began.
F40 Only, a garage specializing in the restoration, maintenance, and replacement parts for Ferrari F40s, has just featured this car in a video. The company explains that it personally sourced and purchased this particular vehicle specifically for its client.
The third Ferrari F40 assembled in Maranello
Why buy a second F40 when you already own a restored one? Because with this particular car, you’re moving beyond the realm of production-spec F40s and into the realm of cars that were part of the model’s early days. According to F40 Only, this pre-production model number 2 is the third F40 assembled in Maranello and is based on the tenth chassis built. An important distinction: its pre-production number and its position in the assembly sequence do not directly correspond to the chassis number.
It also retains several features from the first cars. Its Plexiglas windows are still the original ones—a particularly interesting detail for a car that’s nearly forty years old.
Even more surprising, F40 Only notes that this car is one of only eleven examples in which the fog lights are integrated into the rear grille rather than the bumper. A quick glance at the rear is therefore enough to distinguish this F40 from most production models.
Restoration begins, with 2027 in sight
Under the rear hood lies what helped make the F40 a legend: its twin-turbo V8. Unveiled in 1987 to mark the 40th anniversary of Ferrari, the F40 produced 478 ch and 577 Nm in its road-going configuration. With a stated weight of approximately 1,100 kg, it could reach 324 km/h—extraordinary performance for its time.
But pre-production model No. 2 won’t remain as it stands today. F40 Only has just begun its complete restoration. The stated goal is symbolic: to complete the work in 2027, for the 40th anniversary of the Ferrari F40. The specialist then hopes to showcase the car at some of the world’s most prestigious concours d’élégance events. For this F40, the challenge of the restoration will therefore also be to preserve the features that highlight its special place in the model’s origins.
Thierry will ultimately have two F40s in his garage, but each with a very different story. The second one, in particular, offers a glimpse into the early days of what would become one of the most iconic Ferraris in history.
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