Report

Early Ferrari F40 prototype destroyed in roadside fire

This was the sixth prototype built.

The people behind Tax the Rich have made a name for themselves by doing the sort of things with six and seven-figure supercars that Ken Block does with rally-prepped Subarus and Fords. The group's last video, released just over a year ago, features a rare prototype Ferrari F40. According to Ferrari Chat and IVG.it, another car from that collection is no more, having been reduced to a thin, black crisp. It's a terrible thing to see cars end up in such a state, especially one with such a storied history.

It's unclear how the fire started, but old Italian supercars don't exactly have the best reputation for reliability. Hell, even some new Ferraris have had issues with catching fire. This particular F40 is believed to be the sixth prototype ever built by Maranello, going on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1987. According to Motor 1, the car was converted to GT spec in 1991 and raced continually over its life.

While some rare supercars have been brought back from the brink and fully restored, it's hard to imagine there is any way to salvage what's left. A Facebook video from Patrich Poggi shows a broken, sullen husk, parked on the side of the road and covered in fire retardant. If you didn't already know, it would be difficult to tell what sort of car you'd be looking at. At least this F40 spent its life on the road and on the track rather than sitting in the back of a garage in someone's collection.

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