His son told him to «stop losing money on the stock market, buy a Ferrari F40»... and he's still driving it at over 80.

Sometimes, the best investments aren't made in front of a screen, but in a garage. That's exactly what British car enthusiast John Clower discovered when his son told him to stop losing money on the stock market... and buy a car! Ferrari F40.

At the time, the idea seemed almost irrational. Yet it was to change his life. Rather than continue to see his investments fluctuate, he chose something tangible, emotional, alive: a car he could look at... and above all, drive.

An icon chosen to be used, not locked away

When John sets out to find his Ferrari, he hesitates. F50, F40... there was no shortage of options. But he quickly settled on the F40. Not for its potential value, but for what it represents. For him, it's “the” Ferrari. A raw car, designed as a genuine road-legal racing car, born of Enzo Ferrari's desire to create the fastest car in the world. An uncompromising machine, capable of exceeding 320 km/h at a time when few dared.

Unlike many collectors, John refuses to buy a car that's too perfect or too little driven. He wants a car he can live with. He ended up buying his own in 2009, with reasonable mileage... and a history, including a prestigious former owner: Sir Anthony Bamford (UK businessman and former Member of the House of Lords).

A relationship built behind the wheel

The day he took the wheel of his F40 for the first time, it wasn't on a quiet country road, but directly on the Silverstone circuit. A radical start, just like the car itself. The F40 is not an easy supercar. Cold, it's almost brutal. Firm steering, demanding gearbox, unpredictable behavior. But once warmed up, it reveals a completely different face: precise, intense, addictive.

Over time, John learns to understand and respect it. He doesn't keep it under a cover, he rides with it. Not much, of course, but enough to create memories. And that's the difference.

More than an investment: a philosophy

Over the years, John and his son have accumulated a large number of Ferraris: 550 Maranello, 599 GTO, 458, and a few Lamborghinis, not to mention a McLaren 675LT. Some fifteen models in all. But none of them replaces the F40.

Because despite all the technological advances, none of them offers this unique blend of brutality and purity. An unassisted, unfiltered car, where every sensation is direct. It was this paradox that made him think: keep the F40 as a collector's item... or continue to enjoy it. In the end, he opted for a compromise, buying other more modern models to use more, while keeping the F40 as his masterpiece.

Still driving at over 80

Today, more than 15 years after his purchase, John still owns his F40. Above all, he continues to drive it. A symbolic detail sums up his state of mind: he has even dared to modify his car, notably by changing its color, proof that he doesn't consider it a sacred, untouchable object.

At over 80, he embodies a rare vision of automotive passion. One that's not about accumulating, but enjoying. One that prefers memories to speculation.

“Cars are made to drive”

His message is clear: owning an exceptional car just to look at it makes no sense. Even an F40 deserves to live, to drive, to be heard. And in a way, his son was right all along. Since 20099, the value of the Ferrari F40 has multiplied by 10. But the gain isn't just financial. It's in every exit, every acceleration, every glance exchanged with those who cross paths with this icon.