AN ICONIC FERRARI BATTLE - THE TWIN-TURBOCHARGED F40 VS THE N/A V12 F50.
In the world of classic and iconic Ferraris, the conversation cannot be had if you don’t talk about the Ferrari F40 and the succeeding Ferrari F50. They’re rare and expensive, have some of the best styling from Ferrari, and feature epic engine setups. It’s also quickly apparent when talking about these cars that few people are fans of both cars, the fan base is divided. Personally, the Ferrari F40 is the ultimate creation and the F50, while a beast of a thing, just doesn’t hit the mark. Yeah, I talk like I could one day afford one when the reality is that I’d need to save for a bit to even afford a LEGO set of either one. I’ve been lucky enough to see an F40 up close and snap some cool pics, and while I haven’t seen an F50 in the metal, I just know it’s not as cool. While the F50 does make use of a very cool normally aspirated V12, the twin-turbocharged V8 in the F40 is just brilliant and it sounds way cooler too. These cars are rarely seen together, which is why this content from The Drive is so cool, even though it’s from way back in 2013. It’s made even more interesting because one of our favourite motoring journos, Chris Harris, is one of the pilots. Here’s a comparison of the two cars in this tale of two icons - we’ll start with the F40 because it came first.
Ferrari F40
Launch Year: 1987
Purpose: Built to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary, it was Enzo Ferrari's swan song and the first production car to break the 200 mph barrier.
Production Numbers: 1,315 units were produced between 1987 and 1992.
Engine & Power:
2.9 litre twin-turbocharged V8.
Output: 352 kW @ 7,000 rpm and 577 Nm of torque @ 4,000 rpm.
Gearbox: 5-speed manual.
Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive.
Chassis & Construction:
Tubular steel frame with composite materials.
Weight: ~1,100 kg (dry).
Performance:
0-100 km/h: 4.1 seconds.
Top Speed: 324 km/h.
Design:
Pininfarina-designed with aggressive aerodynamics and iconic pop-up headlights.
Minimalist interior with no carpets, door handles, or sound insulation - purely driver-focused.
Ferrari F50
Launch Year: 1995
Purpose: Built to celebrate Ferrari's 50th anniversary, the F50 aimed to bring F1 technology to the road.
Production Numbers: 349 units were produced between 1995 and 1997.
Engine & Power:
4.7 litre normally aspirated V12 derived from Ferrari’s 1990 Formula 1 engine.
Output: 382 kW @ 8,000 rpm and 471 Nm of torque @ 6,500 rpm.
Gearbox: 6-speed manual.
Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive.
Chassis & Construction:
Carbon fibre monocoque chassis.
Weight: ~1,230 kg (dry).
Performance:
0-100 km/h: 3.9 seconds.
Top Speed: 325 km/h.
Design:
Pininfarina-designed with flowing lines and a removable targa roof.
More refined than the F40 but still focused on driving purity.
Which would you choose: the turbocharged Legend or the naturally aspirated successor?
Take a look at the YouTube video from 11 years ago now, almost 12, that shows Chris Harris compare two of the most iconic Ferraris created to date, even better than the various models that have hit the streets since this content was created: Ferrari F40 vs Ferrari F50 THRASHED Like You've Never Seen Before | The Drive
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