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VINTAGE:  F40 Evolved Into Ferrari Le Mans Racer
Mid-engine sports car was spun out of endurance-racing efforts then returned to compete again.
Wouter Melissen  | http://www.ultimatecarpage.com  |  Posted November 18, 2009   Modena (IT)
The most successful of F40 LMs, chassis 74045, was seen on the track during the recent Modena Trackdays. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
After almost a decade of relatively poor results in Formula 1, Ferrari decided to put all their efforts into retaining their edge in the pinnacle of motorsport from 1974 onwards. Although this led to the much-desired victories and championships, it also was the end of the line for Ferrari's highly successful prototype and GT racers that had reigned supreme in the 1950s and 1960s.

For the manufacturer's many privateers, this meant they had to either retire from racing or switch to another manufacturer. Michelotto, a small motorsport firm from Padova, Italy, provided the answer for those enthusiasts. With some back-door support from the factory, they converted two generations of Ferrari's GT road cars into full-blown racers.

Initially, these Michelotto racers proved very competitive, but the ill-fated 512 BB LM revealed that Ferrari's high-end road cars were no longer suitable for track use. There were too many compromises made for comfort and safety that did not show on the road but very much did so on the track.

Originally used for one of the F40 prototypes, chassis 74045 was rebuilt into a F40 LM by Michelotto in 1992. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)
By the turn of the decade, Ferrari had won four constructor's and three driver's World Championships and was set to continue the successes in the 1980s with a newly developed turbocharged V6 engine. Tempted by the popularity of the Group B rally class, work was started by the factory on a potential contender. Visually similar to the 308 GTB road car, the 288 GTO that was first shown in 1984 was quite a different beast.

To homologate the aptly named 288 GTO for racing, at least 200 examples were required to be produced. Underlining Ferrari's popularity and the GTO's appeal, all production cars were sold even before production started. The 288 GTO offered Michelotto a far better base for a competition car, and work was started to develop the mid-engine supercar into a racing car.

The first of these Evolution models was ready in 1985 and featured a rounder, more-aerodynamic body. Under the restyled panels, an even more powerful version of the twin-Turbocharged V8 was fitted. Sadly, Group B racing was abandoned shortly after for being too dangerous. Six Evolutions were eventually constructed, but they never turned a wheel in anger.

To celebrate the manufacturer's 40th anniversary, Ferrari launched the F40 in 1987. The F40 was both visually and technically a clear development of the GTO Evoluzione. The V8 engine was increased in size slightly and developed 478 horsepower in stock form, but a performance package boosting power to over 700 horsepower was also available.

F40 shared the spartan construction with the GTO, resulting in an impressive curb weight of 2420 pounds, 770 pounds lighter than its closest competition, Porsche 959. With an already impressive power-to-weight ratio, there was little surprise when Michelotto was again commissioned to turn Ferrari's latest offering into a racer, this time for the track.

Michelotto's work resulted in the F40 LM, which first took to track for testing late in 1988. Interestingly, much of the speculation before the F40's launch suggested that it would be called Le Mans, which now proved to be partially correct.

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Wouter Melissen

UltimateCarPage.com

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