Ferrari F4O Revival: Will It Feature These Traits From The Original?

The retro nostalgia in sports cars is the same as the SUV/ crossover craze in mass-produced vehicles. Legacy sportscar manufacturers like Ferrari and Porsche have a rich heritage, which they can draw from, for inspiration. Porsche has been doing this for a while, with models like the 911 Sport Classic, 911 R, and even the 911 Turbo 50 Years Edition.

Ferrari is no stranger to retro-inspired models either. The Italian brand's Special Projects division has been making highly exclusive, retro-inspired Ferraris since 2008, with the first being the F430-based Ferrari SP1.  

Ferrari has, since, given us nearly 20 special models, most of which were inspired by the brand's most iconic, classic sports cars. Here's the kicker – I recently learned that Ferrari's Special Projects division is making an F40-inspired supercar. One of the most iconic Ferrari sports cars is getting a modern-day revival.

With the recently released Ferrari F80, which garnered some controversy, I figured it is a good time to discuss what the Ferrari SP F40 should have. Not that Ferrari would listen, but I think this is a perfect opportunity for the brand to fix everything it got wrong (according to many brand fanatics) with the F80, in the new rendition of the F40. 

The right engine 

By far, the biggest gripe Ferrari fans had with the F80 was its engine. Hybrid powertrains are now a crucial part of the brand's continuous strife to keep the internal combustion engine alive. That said, having the brand's latest flagship model rock a V-6 hybrid powertrain when the first Ferrari SUV still features a normally aspirated, non-hybrid V-12 raised more than a few eyebrows. I am still puzzled by the brand's logic behind this decision. An Italian quirk, I suppose. 

Enough of my ranting, I am just going to say it: the Ferrari F40 came with a twin-turbo V-8 and the SP F40 needs to have one too. It will not be a proper successor otherwise. Yes, it can be a hybrid, which is what we see in the SF90, and I think it's not a bad way to go. It will not be as lightweight as the original F40, but it will be more refined and manageable.

Ferrari officially ended production of the SF90, which leaves space in the brand's lineup for a new V-8-powered, mid-engine model. If so, Ferrari could use the SF90 as a base for the SP F40. Even better, if Ferrari uses the more powerful SF90 XX and strips away the hybrid tech, we are left with a 786-horsepower, 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8. 

Make it as lightweight a possible 

The original Ferrari F40 was a bare-bone race car for the road, featuring very little in terms of creature comforts. The Ferrari F40 was barely street-legal. It is also the cause for one of Enzo Ferrari's most iconic sayings: “I don't care that the panel gaps are uneven. When the driver steps on the gas, I want him to s*it his pants!"  

Exotic materials are not uncommon in exotic cars and Ferrari can make full use of carbon fiber, Inconel, carbon-reinforce plastic, and other exotic materials, to make the SP F40 as lightweight as possible while still offering the bare minimum of creature comfort. The original F40 tipped the scales at just 2,765 pounds or 3,016 pounds for the US variants. The F40 LM weighed just 2,314 pounds.

The SF90, which currently seems to be the most likely base for the revived F40, tips the scales at 3.461 pounds (3,439 pounds for the SF90 XX), although it is worth noting Ferrari quotes dry weight. The SF90's electric system, alone, weighs 595 pounds (battery plus e-motors). If Ferrari bases the new F40 on the SF90 and strips all the hybrid tech, like on the Daytona SP3, we could be looking at a weight reduction of around 400 pounds or more. 

Signature design 

This aspect of the Ferrari SP F40 might be the most difficult to pull off. The F40 styling was as 1980s as it could get. Angular forms and wedge-shaped design with NACA ducts and pop-up headlights are an unmistakable sight, especially when combined with the signature Rosso Corsa hue. It is the pop-up headlights that would be tricky to pull off. Nardone's Porsche 928 proved the design element can be reinvented.  

That said, Nardone says homologating the Porsche 928's pop-up headlights was not easy. The F40's stacked headlight design - fixed at the bottom with pop-ups over them. Pop-up headlights are the universal expression of "form over function” in the automotive world.

Nevertheless, it is a design element universally loved by car enthusiasts. Due to stricter safety regulations, pop-up headlights were discontinued in 2004. The last cars to feature pop-up headlights were the Lotus Esprit and Chevrolet Corvette C5.  

According to Top Gear, reliable sources claim that the new car will follow the formula of the Monza SP1, SP2, and Daytona SP3, which were designed to celebrate Ferrari's history by reinterpreting the timeless styling of the marque's most iconic cars, to radically-modern effect.

To be fair, that isn't saying much. So far, Ferrari's Special Projects division has done an admirable job reimagining iconic classics in the modern era. Given that the F40 is one of the most distinctive-looking Ferrari cars, we are in for a real treat. 

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: Ferrari F40