F40 US Versions

As far as i know , the US F40 is heavier by a good 100 kgs over the Euro F40. But supposedely , it made around 500 hp to make up for its overweight. Thats what i read in Classic Car magazine a few years ago when they tested the US F40.

I have never seen a 0-60 in 4.8s for a US F40 . It was always somewhere 3.8/4.2s . And for the top speed , well they have always quoted 201 mph .

 

US spec is 198

 

US versions of Euro cars are often heavier due to (so called) safety requirements. I believe US cars often have heavier bumpers for example.

I know the Lotus Elise gained 150kg (a massive 20%) when it went over the pond.

 

This from the US version owners manual, publication 606/90, pA5:


0-62 mph - 4.8 secs
max speed - 171 mph (313 kph)
standing kilometre - 21.9 secs


I have always wondered about these numbers.

 

The 171mph is a typo - I've got the US owners manual from owners.ferrari.com and the 313 kmh is correct, but that is 194.5mph. It still says 4.8s for 0-62/100kmh.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

2000 Euro 550M 0-60 4.2s
2000 U.S. 550M 0-60 4.7s

This has more to do with pre-cat EPA restrictions for the U.S. The Euro 550s are all lighter, additionally.

*Note pre 2000 U.S. Spec 550s are almost as quick 0-60. LIke 4.3s

*Note Harmony sells a solution to more than compensate for the performance shortfall of the U.S. Spec cars.

 

Get used to it. Any car homologated for the US market will be heavier, more complex, and almost all have less power.

The release date for the US F40 was due almost entirely to getting the car homologated for sale here. In the interim a great deal of remapping of the engine management system was done and a few more HP was found so for that reason the US car made a bit more on the engine dynos. I think there is also a gearing difference between the cars.

 

The official numbers are deceiving...I've ran my '92 US spec F40 side by side against my CGT, and the F40 pulls ahead slightly at WOT...The generally accepted number for the 0-60 on the CGT is 3.8-3.9 secs.

My F40 is stock.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The US F40's are heavier. Bumpers, aluminium fuel tanks, smog pollution gear and some other minor extras. I believe this added approx 120kg's. Secondly the US F40 produced 9 HP less out the back due to the pollution gear. Add to this the cat & non-cat cars and the 0-60mph and 0-100kph (ie 62mph), times did vary from 3.8 - 4.2 sec (US cars) to 3.2 - 3.8 sec (Euro cars) for a standard 0-60mph time. The Euro car is very quick. Clarkson of Top Gear fame, said that the F40 would beat an Enzo in a straight line to 60. Going around a track is a different senario.

 

He said his F40 is stock

 

That picture just relinquished my control over my facilities...

 

i have seen italian tests:
all 3.9 to 4.5 in 0-100 km/h

3.2 looks too god to be true for a stock car, even a euro car

 

I have a AMERICAN test that got a 3.8 to 60 MPH....
11.8 @ 124.5 in the 1/4 mile as well....


Does anyone have EUROPEAN test that beats a 3.8 to 60 MPH?
I've never seen one better the 3.8.


We all must remember that 3.8 to 60 is very impressive now, and even more so in the late 80's, early 90's!

 

Basically, there are four different "street" versions, of the F40, and lots of sub-variants.

1. The original, super lightweight, Euro cars with an engine bay that looks almost like a 288. People came to call these the "papier-mache" cars. This is the one to own if you just want a fast track dog. But, don't get in an accident in one.

2. The "standard" Euro version with glass windows, etc. that is much heavier than the first, but without catalysts.

3. The "standard" Euro version with catalysts.

4. The US version. And, even here, there are lots of differences between 1990, 1991 and 1992 versions which make the 1992 (late 1991s had the same updates) versions the one to own.

I was told, by two factory employees, one was the engineer on the F40 program responsible for the tires (great stories he had on how bad the prototypre F40 handled until Pirelli got the tyre compound right) and the other a USA regional tech rep. that USA F40s all generated at least 500hp and most closer to 515hp. It was just a matter of getting the programming right. Ferrari just never changed the figures. But, the USA F40 is probably close to 400 lbs heavier than the "papier-mache" version of the original. Heavier than a 288 as well. Which is why my 288 (stock) has no problem with USA F40s (stock) at the track.

In the end, any of the versions are fast. Any of them, properly tuned and driven, will do sub-4 second 0-60 times. More importantly, they will be a blast to drive.

Steve

 

I'm not so sure about this one. As far as I know the F40 never had any major "structural" changes over the years that would change the integrity of the car.

The earlier cars had the lighter sliding windows, but so did some of the later cars. So you can't use that as a judging point.

As far as I know the only "real" differences in F40s is Euro (including the rest of the world) vs US versions. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I have one test at hand, out of "The Worlds Fastest Cars", 1994. Shill288 is correct saying the F40 came in quite a few flavours. The Euro versions are the "more raw" variants. I have seen a test giving a 0-60 time of 3.2 but unable to locate it. The F40 proto-type probably did this time or less, having near 600hp and none the heavier.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

3.5 to 60....nice.

 

Just take a look at the various cars starting with the very early 1987 cars, to the 1992 USA cars. Ditto the respective parts books. It's no big secret about the differences. The information I stated came right from the two Ferrari personnel I mentioned. In addition to them, from the various parts books and technical updates to the cars, and from the cars I actually owned. It's amazing the amount of the changes were made to the F40 for a so-called "production" car.

Steve