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Three years after Lamborghini unveiled its new Countach, Ferrari is said to be working on a new version of the F40 – but the Prancing Horse brand may have learned the lessons of its competitor.
The iconic Ferrari F40 supercar – arguably one of the most desired and beloved models in the brand's history – may be returning in a new form.
Citing "highly-reliable" sources, UK magazine Top Gear says Ferrari is working on an F40 tribute, with the vehicle likely to join its 'Icona' series as an homage rather than being revived with the old nameplate – as Lamborghini did with the recent Countach.
While Lamborghini received criticism for banking on the name of the Countach – including from the original Countach designer, Marcello Gandini – Ferrari's previous Icona models merely take inspiration from its back catalogue.
These include the SP1, SP2, and SP3 – influenced by the Ferrari 750 Monza, 250 Testarossa, 166MM, and 330 P4 Daytona racing car.
The digital illustrations (below and top) hint at what a modern take on the F40 might look like, and come courtesy of German studio GDMW Design, penned by artist Samir Sadikhov.
Ferrari F40 tribute to be revealed – report
Given the SP1 and SP2 were based on the Ferrari 812 Superfast, and the SP3 was underpinned by the same architecture as the LaFerrari Aperta, the F40 tribute – possibly named the SP4 – could see it borrow its underpinnings from the SF90 Stradale or Spider.
Like the F40, the SF90 is powered by a mid-mounted twin-turbo V8 – though, like its predecessors, the SP4 is likely to see the removal of the SF90's three electric motors and its hybrid system.
This would reduce its power from a combined 735kW to 574kW, however Ferrari engineers could potentially tune the engine to offer a higher power output.
Curiously, this wouldn't be the first Ferrari inspired by the F40.
In 2018, a one-off model called the SP38 (below) was built based on the 488 GTB – another mid-engined twin-turbo V8 – which echoed some design elements from the F40.
While Top Gear appears to have strong sources, this also isn't the first time we've heard of Ferrari developing an F40 reincarnation.
In 2020, multiple unconfirmed reports claimed the Italian supercar company was just days away from unveiling the 'SP42' – though this was also said to be another one-off, based on the twin-turbo V8 Ferrari F8 Tributo.
The original Ferrari F40 was released in 1987, with 1315 vehicles produced, and is often credited as being the first supercar of the modern era.
Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.
