It was on this day in 1987 that an 89-year-old Enzo Ferrari formally unveiled the last car he would personally approve - the iconic Ferrari F40 - in a high-profile presentation at the company’s Maranello factory.
Built to celebrate Ferrari's 40th anniversary, the 478 bhp supercar with a top speed of over 200mph, was billed as the most exhilarating road vehicle ever made and production was initially expected to be limited to just 400 models.
However, due to high demand - largely from speculators looking to cash in on Enzo Ferrari’s impending death - over 1300 were manufactured eventually. Within a couple of years, prices were fetching seven times their original cost price at public auctions!
Though the reception of the vehicle was ‘mixed’ within the motor industry, the F40’s fame was increased beyond normal confines due to it appearing on numerous mainstream magazine covers, partly because the vehicle played a starring role in many contemporary video games of the day.
Today, sales of the Ferrari F40 still routinely fetch over £1 million at public auctions.