1990 | Classic Italian Cars For Sale

In a world where Cadillac sedans are hitting 60 miles an hour in under 4.0 seconds, a car like the Ferrari F40 may seem insignificant. This would be a gross misunderstanding. Sheer speed isn't everything this car is about. It's about the delivery, the theater and the engineering. In the mid 1980s, Ferrari set out to create a successor to the 288GTO. Their sights were aimed squarely on the Porsche 959 in FIA Group B. After Group B came to a halt in 1986, this left Ferrari with a partially developed supercar with no race series in which to field it. Nevertheless, the F40 bowed in 1987, powered by a 2.9 liter, twin turbocharged V8 producing 471 horsepower with 16 psi of boost.

Accompanying the impressive powerplant was a body constructed of revolutionary materials, such as carbon fiber, kevlar and alumninum. Along with sparse interior accoutrements, this led to a low curb weight of 2,400 lbs. As a result, this car could reach 100 mph in about 7.5 seconds and could power on all the way to 201 mph, the first road legal production vehicle to break the 200 mph barrier. It isn't everyday an F40 comes up for sale, and this US spec example for sale in New Orleans is in impressive condition.

1990 Ferrari F40

1990 Ferrari F40. 6,700 miles. Fully Serviced. Books, tools, records. In February 2012, this F40 completed a full service; mileage at end of service and current is 6699 miles. This F40 has all of original body parts, The paint is glossy and the body has no defects. The interior is clean and has no blemishes. The car is mechanical sound and the engine compartment has no fluid leaks. The tires are the proper size and match. A clean title.

We bought this pristine F40 from the private collection of the 1st owner in 2004 with 800 miles. The AutoCheck history report is described as having a mileage discrepancy in 2004. This is a erroneously report, The car was in the possession of Ferrari at the time of the alleged discrepancy and did not have a odometer repair, replaced or malfunction. Included with all records are documents from Ferrari stating and declaring the mileage on the car was correct mileage with no discrepancy.

Last year, Gooding & Company sold a US Spec F40 for $495,000 in Scottsdale. In 2008, a similar F40, albeit with a very low 712 miles, sold for $735,000 at the R&M Auctions Monterey Preview. The asking price of this example is in the ballpark. While these cars are impressive on their own technical merit, an overarching fact about the F40 is that it was the very last Ferrari to be commissioned by Enzo Ferrari before his death in August 1988. With this car, the old man went out on a high note.

As Jeremy Clarkson so eloquently put it in the following clip, this just isn't a supercar, it is the supercar.

-Paul

Over an eight year time span in the late eighties and early nineties, Lamborghini was in the business of manufacturing a sport utility vehicle before the automotive genre started heating up the sales charts. This shouldn’t be as surprising as it sounds, given Lamborghini was in the business or tractor manufacturing before dabbling in the world of supercars. Most SUVs these days don’t come close to the level of “sport” the LM002 packed, what with its Countach derived V12 under the hood. For the clinically insane, you could request an even larger, marine derived V12 more commonly found in power boats. This particular example for sale is a later production example with low mileage and looks even more sinister than normal in black.

1990 Lamborghini LM002

The seller of this LM002 provided no description, which is disappointing given how rare and unique this vehicle is. While this Lambo only has 16,000 miles on the clock and appears to be well kept, a bit of owner/service history and background on the broad strokes of the vehicle would certainly be nice. It makes me question how serious of a dealer this is, if they can’t bother to take the time to highlight such an important piece of exotic car history. For years, resale values of LM002s have hovered in the $80,000 to $120,000 range, seemingly impervious to any kind of market fluctuations. One can’t help but think how ridiculous of a school run vehicle this would make, but with the cost of keeping this vehicle supplied with oil and fuel, not to mention the bespoke Pirelli Scorpion tires, that idea would be a mere pipe dream for most.

To get an idea of the LM002's finer points, here's an old Top Gear clip where Jeremy Clarkson hustles one around town:

-Paul