• The F40 LM’s own builder reworked this road-legal car.
  • New turbos lifted output to 527 horsepower, up 49.
  • A strict diet stripped 300 pounds from the coupe.

The Ferrari F40 is automotive royalty, full stop. But with an estimated value that could push past $4 million, this particular example sits a notch above the rest. Built by the same firm responsible for the legendary F40 LM, this road-going version ranks among the most powerful examples ever made.

The Italian supercar was ordered new by Jean Sage, former sporting director of the Renault Formula 1 team. He ran Ferrari’s F40 IMSA program in the United States for two years before ordering an F40 of his own in 1989.

Watch: Hamilton Did Donuts In A Ferrari F40 At Tokyo With A Kardashian In The Passenger Seat

In 1994, Sage shipped his Ferrari to Michelotto, the Italian outfit that had developed the F40 LM to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The upgrades fitted the 2.9-liter V8 with new turbochargers and a lightweight exhaust, lifting output to 527 hp at 7,000 rpm. That’s 49 hp more than stock, along with 626 lb-ft (849 Nm) of torque, a hefty 200 lb-ft (271 Nm) over a standard F40.

Lighter, Stronger, And Still Road Legal

Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders

Ashley Border/RM Sotheby’s

Michelotto didn’t stop at the engine. The shop ditched the heavy air-conditioning system, fitted lighter front and rear clamshells, and installed carbon-fiber seats similar to those in the F40 LM. It also added 17-inch OZ Racing wheels, Koni adjustable shocks, and a bespoke front splitter. All told, Sage’s F40 tips the scales 300 lbs (136 kg) lighter than a typical F40, and it pulls all of that off while remaining street legal.

Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders

This wasn’t a garage queen, either. Beyond street duty, the F40 saw competition in several races, including a stint in the BPR Global Endurance GT Championship. Sage held onto it until 1996, when it sold to a UK buyer. The upgraded turbos were pulled at some point but have since been refitted, and the F40 retains all of its original parts.

RM Sotheby’s is handling the sale of the car at its Woodcote Park Auction in the UK next month. It notes that the car has 22,699 km (14,105 miles) on the clock and expects it to sell for between $3.65 million and $4.35 million. You can check out the listing here.

Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders
Most F40s Stayed Stock, An Ex-Renault F1 Boss Sent His To Le Mans Builders

Ashley Border/RM Sotheby’s