Introduced in 1987, this was Ferrari’s anniversary supercar, created to mark 40 years since the company’s founding and to showcase the brand’s most uncompromising road-car thinking of the era. It arrived as the spiritual successor to the 288 GTO and was unveiled to the public in July 1987, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about Ferraris of the late 20th century. It is also widely remembered as the last Ferrari road car personally approved by Enzo Ferrari, giving the model a special place in the marque’s history.
The car’s design was deliberately purposeful rather than decorative. Pininfarina shaped a low, assertive berlinetta body, and Ferrari used extensive composite construction to keep weight down and emphasize the car’s racing-inspired character. That approach, combined with its turbocharged V8 layout and stripped-back philosophy, made it feel far closer to a competition machine than a conventional grand touring Ferrari. For enthusiasts, that raw, focused personality is a major part of its appeal.
Production ran continuously from 1987 through 1992. Although the road car itself did not return in a second, separate production era, the name became even more famous through limited racing-oriented derivatives such as the F40 LM and other competition conversions, which reinforced the model’s motorsport image. With its dramatic styling, historical significance, and uncompromising character, it has remained one of the defining poster cars of Ferrari’s modern classic era.