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As the iconic Ferrari F40 turns 30, a look back at its development

July 21, 2017 marks the 30th anniversary, to the day, of the Ferrari F40's debut. The F40 is easily one of the greatest Ferraris ever produced: It was one of the first road cars to have a top speed of 200 mph, it celebrated the company's 40th anniversary, and it was the very last model that founder Enzo Ferrari was able to see to completion. To celebrate this historic car's anniversary, Ferrari collected some anecdotes from people who worked on the F40 project, and they reveal some interesting details about the car's development. Among these details was the timeframe for creating the car. Ermanno Bonfiglioli, Head of Special Projects at Ferrari at the time, said that the car was developed in just 13 months. That means everything from the styling to the engine were taken from an idea to a production car in barely over a year. The engine wasn't quite a from-scratch design, though, since it was based on the unreleased 288 GTO Evoluzione's 650-horsepower engine, but it still received many updates to become the 487-horsepower engine we know today. Bonfiglioli highlighted the engine's weight savings due to using magnesium for the oil sump, cylinder head covers, intake manifold, and transmission bellhousing. It was after driving one of those 288 GTO Evoluziones that Pininfarina designer Leonardo Fiorvanti learned about Enzo Ferrari's plan for the F40. He said that after telling Enzo his thoughts on the 288, Enzo told him he wanted to make a "true Ferrari." Fiorvanti also revealed that everyone, including Enzo, knew this would be the last car for the founder. From what Ferrari test driver Bario Benuzzi said about the F40, it certainly didn't start out as a "true Ferrari." He said, "The handling of the first prototypes were poor." But in the short development time, the F40 became the car Enzo wanted, and Benuzzi credits plenty of downforce and the light, stiff chassis. It didn't make the car easy to drive, though. Benuzzi said, "With no power steering, power brakes or electronic devices, it demands the skill and commitment of the driver, but generously repays it with a unique driving experience." Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari F40 Ferrari Coupe Supercars Classics ferrari f40

It took four minutes to steal Roger Waters' Ferrari

The owner of a 1973 Ferrari 365 Daytona in Australia is singing Wish You Were Here after thieves stole his red Italian coupe, which counts Pink Floyd lyricist Roger Waters as a former owner. The car was at a mechanic in Melbourne when the brazen crooks rammed open the shop's door in the early morning. They needed just four minutes to get away with the Daytona and a 328 GTB, according to The Drive. This Daytona carries an estimated value of 2.5 million Australian dollars ($1.8 million), and it counts a string of celebrity owners, according to The Age. James Hunt allegedly drove it because the coupe once had a connection to the Hesketh Formula One team. Waters used the car to go to Pink Floyd's recording studio, and magnate Mohamed Al Fayed later had the Ferrari also. He gave it to his son Dodi – Princess Diana's boyfriend when she died. The Daytona wasn't just another brick in the wall to the owner, either. "I don't have any other sport cars, that was the one," he said to The Age. The car just completed a restoration three weeks ago, and it was at the mechanic to sort an alternator problem. Police are still searching for the perpetrators. The 328 was reportedly spotted about 4 miles away after the robbery, but the car was gone when the cops went to check.

Ferrari reveals one-off F12 TRS at Sicily cavalcade

Every year Ferrari owners gather from all corners of the globe for the annual Ferrari Cavalcade. This year's edition just wrapped up in Sicily, where over 90 proud owners from 27 different countries brought their prides and joys. Some of the participating supercars were more rare and notable than others - included among them several LaFerraris - but the extravaganza included the reveal of one very unique Prancing Horse.
That would be the new F12 TRS. The one-off creation surfaced just last week, the work of the Ferrari Special Projects division for one very fortunate client. It's based on the F12 Berlinetta, but replaces its coupe bodywork with new roadster sheetmetal that incorporates a glass window to reveal the red cylinder heads from which its inspiration - the 250 Testa Rossa - drew its name and a cowled rear deck. The open cockpit is trimmed in leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber, but ditches the glovebox, air vents, carpeting, audio system and other creature comforts.
Contrary to earlier reports, the F12 TRS does not appear to have a hybrid powertrain, the conventional 6.3-liter V12 producing the same 730 horsepower as the coupe to propel this one-off roadster to 62 in 3.1 seconds and to 124 mph in 8.1 - so as you can see, it hardly needed any help in the first place. Check it out in photos above, and feel free to read more in the press release below.