This 1987 Ferrari F40 was upgraded to both LM and GTE specification. Now heading to RM Sotheby’s Paris sale on Feb 6, 2019, is this the world’s greatest modified Ferrari F40?
An extremely rare pre-production 1987 Ferrari F40 LM will lead an assortment of Italian marque admissions during RM Sotheby’s Paris 2019 auction on February 6.
A prototype built to full LM specs on a stripped used Ferrari road car frame, chassis no.74045was originally employed as a test vehicle for the F40’s development before being converted to racing specification by Michelotti in 1992. You can view the car here.
Affording the Ferrari more aggressive bodywork and new French Blue paintwork, extreme front and rear wings were installed alongside larger disc brakes and calipers, revised suspension, a race-spec gearbox and a stripped-out interior boasting a then-futuristic digital dashboard. Completed on May 19, 1992, despite wearing Michelotti #13, this F40 is not considered by historians to be one of the original 18 produced.
The LM-spec F40 was acquired by professional racing driver Michel Ferté in 1994, who campaigned the Ferrari for two seasons in the BPR Global GT Series. Together with Oliver Thévenin and Carlos Palau, Ferté took the F40 to second place during the 1995 24 Hour of Le Mans in the GT category – good enough for 12th overall.
The Ferrari was further upgraded to GTE specification for 1996 with a wider rear wing, picking up a podium at Nogaro in its penultimate race before retirement from active competition. After its racing days came to a close, the modified F40 has changed hands several times, first selling at auction in May 2000 for $440,000.
Bought by German engineer Dr. Ulrich Schumacher – former CEO of the Zumtobel Group – in 2008, the Ferrari made numerous appearances during Modena Motorsport trackdays on the Nürburgring.
Now heading to RM Sotheby’s Paris sale as the most successful F40 LM in racing history, wearing its Le Mans livery with Pilot sponsorship logos applied, the modified F40 carries an auction estimate of €4.5 million - €5.5 million ($5.1m - $6.2m, £4.1m - £5m). Get a closer look at the special Ferrari here.
