Many of Ferrari's road cars have raced, but the F40 was not one of them. Despite the fact that the manufacturer never raced the 1980s classic, this 1989 Ferrari F40 "Competizione" is available for private sale through RM. Sotheby's is just one of numerous privateer F40 racing vehicles that have arisen throughout the years.
According to the auction offering, this car—chassis number 80782—left the Ferrari plant as a road car in November 1989 and was transported to Kroymans BV, the official Ferrari importer for the Netherlands. Three years later, Peter van Erp of Cavallino Tuning, Kroymans BV's racing branch, transformed it into a race vehicle.
This marked the start of a competitive career that would run until 2009, with the F40 receiving further changes along the way. That began with Intracks racing shocks, Stack instruments, new brakes, and some bodywork alterations. In 1995, a roll hoop and air jacks were installed.
The twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-8 engine was left standard at first, but it was later updated. According to the listing, it now generates between 700 and 1,000 horsepower (depending on configuration), a significant improvement over the standard 471 hp. Even with the original rating, the F40 could reach 200 mph, making it the world's fastest production vehicle when it debuted in 1987, albeit turbo lag meant a Buick GNX could outrun it in the 1⁄4 mile.