The Ferrari F40 represents one of the most iconic and radical supercars ever built. Born in the late 80s to celebrate 40 years of Ferrari, It embodies an uncompromising design philosophy, where every technical solution is geared exclusively to performance.
Twin-turbo V8 engine and design philosophy
The heart of the Ferrari F40 is a 2,936 cm³ twin-turbo V8, code F120A. The architecture is based on a 90° V8 with four valves per cylinder and double overhead camshafts per cylinder head. The design is entirely focused on high-speed performance and supercharger response, with an extremely direct and aggressive character.
At the heart of the project is a twin-turbo V8 engine designed to deliver immediate response and extremely aggressive power delivery. The engine's behavior is more reminiscent of a racing car than a road-going supercar, thanks to mechanical and electronic management that was extremely refined for its time.
Motor data sheet
The Ferrari F40 is powered by the F120A V8, a 90° V8 with dry-sump lubrication and twin IHI Corporation turbochargers with intercoolers.
Total displacement is 2,936 cm³, with a bore of 82 mm and a stroke of 69.5 mm. Timing is based on two camshafts per bank and four valves per cylinder, a solution that ensures better filling of the combustion chamber and more efficient exhaust gas evacuation.
The fuel system uses electronic fuel injection developed by Weber-Marelli, with two injectors per cylinder, for a total of 16 injectors.
Braking system and dynamics
The braking system of the Ferrari F40 is of racing design, with ventilated discs and a system designed to guarantee strength and consistency even in extreme conditions of use. The overall philosophy remains consistent with the rest of the project: maximum lightness, immediate response and a total absence of superfluous compromises. Braking, too, is calibrated to match the car's low weight and the high performance of the twin-turbo V8.
Performance
- Maximum power: 478 hp DIN at 7,000 rpm
- Maximum torque: 577 Nm (58.8 kgm) at 4,000 rpm
The secret of combustion
The heart of the project lies in the balance between air and fuel in the combustion chamber. IHI Corporation turbochargers provide very high air flow and intake pressure.
This air mass is complemented by Weber-Marelli's 16-injector fuel injection system, which ensures fine, even fuel atomization, essential for efficient, stable combustion. The split intake system, with dedicated throttle bodies, allows extremely precise management of air flow to each cylinder.
This guarantees immediate throttle response and extremely precise management of the air-fuel mixture: a high flow of compressed air, atomized fuel and flow control made even more precise thanks to individual butterflies for each cylinder.
Injection and ignition are managed by two Weber-Marelli electronic control units (ECUs), one for each cylinder head. The two units work in constant communication to guarantee engine synchronization and stability, even under severe stress.
Intercoolers, produced by Behr, cool the compressed air before it enters the cylinders, increasing its density and improving combustion efficiency.
The supercharger system uses two IHI turbochargers in parallel configuration. The wastegates feature an overboost function, activated at full load, to temporarily boost boosted thrust at high engine speeds.
The Ferrari F40 uses composite materials such as Kevlar and carbon fiber in several body components, contributing to weight reduction as well as improved power-to-weight ratio and dynamic responsiveness.
In the most extreme versions, Champion G59C spark plugs were used. The video shows the spark generated by the Champion G59C spark plug: the precise moment when the combustion of the Ferrari F40's V8 comes to life.
Technical focus: Champion G59C spark plug (racing versions)
The Champion G59C spark plug, used on racing versions of the Ferrari F40, is a component designed to operate in the extreme conditions typical of track use.
This is a spark plug with an M10x1 mm thread and a reduced diameter for its time. Its compact structure allows better heat dissipation inside the combustion chamber, reducing the risk of detonation and guaranteeing stable combustion even at high rpm and under high thermal stress. These features make it particularly suited to the most advanced twin-turbo V8 configurations, where temperature management and ignition continuity are essential to maintain consistent performance and reliability.
A «pure» supercar»
Even today, the Ferrari F40 is considered one of the last true “pure” supercars: essential, extreme and built without compromise. An absolute icon that represents one of the highest levels reached by automotive engineering in the 80s. It also remains famous as the last car personally approved by Enzo Ferrari, its founder.
English 
French 
Italian 
Spanish 
Portuguese 
German 
Japanese 
Turkish 
Dutch