There have been rumors of Ferrari rebooting the F40 for years, but it hasn’t happened barring a tribute based on the Ferrari 296 GTB. But that doesn’t stop people asking “what if?” In this case, digital artist Martin Tyminski (Fully Leaded) has gone to town and come up with a render of what a 2026 Ferrari F40 either could, or depending on your opinion, should look like.
Fully Leaded Ferrari F40 conceptFully Leaded
The key is that Tyminski’s design isn’t focused on nostalgia linked to those cars tacked on bedroom walls when we were kids. It’s focused on evolution and “dangerous intent.”
Ferrari F40 Concept by Fully LeadedFully Leaded
Excess Without Excess
We’ve seen what happens when people bridge the gap between F40 and widebody. We appreciate the restraint here in these fictional renderings compared to the very real Liberty Walk conversion a few years ago. This F40 redesign is, of course, not real. But if Ferrari were to pull the trigger and bring back the F40 for the 21st century, this is the sharpness of intent we would expect.
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Original Ferrari F40 Specs:
Engine
2.9L twin-Turbocharged V8
Horsepower
471 hp
Torque
426 lb-ft
0-62 MPH Time
4.1 seconds
Top Speed
201 mph
Curb Weight
2,765 lbs
Production
1987–1996
However, “computer render” isn’t a fair description of Tyminski’s work – it’s a detailed design concept reimagined with a twist of tuner styling. It’s lower and wider than the original, with a sculpted bumper, a much more modern and complex splitter, and enlarged air intakes below non-popup led headlights.
Ferrari F40 Concept by Fully LeadedFully Leaded
Instead of NACA ducts down the side, the F40 concept has a huge single air intake. At the back there’s lovely sculpted haunches, an arcing great wing, and motorsport-themed diffuser. Like the front, the LED lights are slimline and sharp, and shying away from nostalgia.
Wishful Thinking
We’ve yet to see a proper restomod of an F40, likely due to its rarity, insane value, and that it would be a criminal act in the Ferrari community. So, this remains purely an imagination and design exercise even if a company wants to roll with it. While the aero design pieces like the splitter, diffuser, air intakes, and wing look cool and businesslike, they would likely be reshaped by a wind tunnel and real world testing.
Customers had been saying our cars were becoming too plush and comfortable. The F40 is for the most enthusiastic of our owners who want nothing but sheer performance. It isn’t a laboratory for the future, as the (Porsche) 959 is. It is not Star Wars. And it wasn’t created because Porsche built the 959. It would have happened anyway.”
– Giovanni Perfetti, then-marketing executive for Ferrari on the original F40.
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One may be an F40 tribute.
The original Ferrari F40 was engineered by the sports car and turbocharging specialist Nicola Materazzi and the exterior designed with Pininfarina under Aldo Brovarone. It still has a hold over automotive enthusiasts as it came when Ferrari was at the peak of its powers, designed to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary and the last car that Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari signed off on before he died in 1988. It was the first production car to crack 200 mph, and it practically defined the modern supercar.
