Jay Leno is certainly no stranger to supercars. Diagnosed as an incurable car fanatic, the former Tonight Show host has taken the wheel of some of the fastest machinery on the planet. But few cars in the world can match the pure, unbridled electricity of this – the Ferrari F40.
Constructed from carbon fiber and aluminum, the F40 is powered by a rear/mid-engine V-8 boosted by two turbos. Output is rated at 470 horsepower, all of which is sent to the rear wheels by way of a five-speed manual transmission and topped by a classic gated shifter.
Top speed is capped at 200 mph, making the F40 the first road-legal production car capable of breaking that magic supercar benchmark.
Jay starts this 27-minute video with an appropriate introduction.
“This was the last car blessed by Enzo Ferrari,” he says. “Enzo got a little, uh, testy during the ‘80s. Customers complained that Ferrari’s are getting kinda soft and too comfortable, and he wanted to build a machine that was just an out-and-out racing car for the street.”
After the usual examination in the garage, Leno and the car’s owner hit the road to feel the boost firsthand, even taking the F40 out on some twisty two-lanes.
Seeing this legendary car making the rounds is a real delight, and the video is jam-packed with interesting info for the uninitiated. It’s a bit on the long side, but if you bleed Ferrari red, it’s worth a watch.
Ferrari F40
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