It has been named Simpson-Ferrari V12, but it doesn’t bear the Prancing Horse symbol because it’s not an official project of the Maranello car manufacturer. This vehicle took shape from the chassis of a Ferrari F40 used for crash tests. For the reconstruction, a unique, unconventional approach was followed. Although the look mimics that of the GTE version, under the rear hood of this specimen beats the 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine from the 550 Maranello, not the twin-turbo V8 of the modern Ferraris.
Supercar V12 by Simpson on a Ferrari F40 crash test chassis
Now this specimen is for sale. The auction, scheduled for August 23 at Silverstone, will be handled by specialists from Iconic Auctioneers. Estimates suggest a hammer price of up to 600,000 pounds. In the coming weeks, we’ll see how it turns out.
The car produces 485 horsepower, compared to the 478 of the Ferrari F40. The power delivery is completely different, more linear but less adrenaline-pumping than the other. A 6-speed Hewland sequential gearbox helps transmit the energy stored in its body to the ground, expressed with mechanical sounds worthy of an anthology.
In this guise, the car has participated in various competitive events in the UK and on European soil, earning positive feedback and appreciation from those who have driven it. After the end of its racing stint, the “Simpson-Ferrari V12” has been carefully preserved. Now it’s ready to offer itself to the temptation of some enthusiast of the genre, willing to shell out a sum of money significantly higher than what ordinary mortals are accustomed to.
The sales listing states that Simpson Motorsport, based in the United Kingdom, will be happy to provide, within certain limits, technical assistance to the new buyer if needed. The lot is accompanied by a historical file containing drawings and details of the specifications relating to the original construction of the car, as well as a series of relevant invoices, which allow for reconstructing the history of this unusual vehicle, born on a Ferrari F40 chassis used by the Maranello company for official crash tests of its most iconic creation of the modern era.