F40 non-adjust - How practical to drive in the UK

[db1]

Hi,

I was wondering for those who own an F40 how practical it is to drive - especially in the UK. It seems the people who have the adjustable car manage far better over the speed bumps etc, but then some people say that the adjust is not the desirable option.

I would be interested in what peoples experiences have been with the F40 as it looks a wonderful car, but perhaps too impractical to drive much unless you know precisely the roads you are going to take.

DB

[greyboxer]

There's quite a few UK based f40 owners over at Pistonheads - might be worth asking there too - also several current ownership experience threads

[NeuroBeaker]

I would like to preface this by declaring that I do not own, have ever driven, or have even sat in, a Ferrari F40. So with that qualifier out of the way...

I found (Google search) two technical articles listing the ground clearance of the F40 as 4.9 inches (124.5mm).

For comparison, the ground clearance on my 2004 MINI ONE is 5.1 inches (129.5mm) and has a much shorter front overhang than the F40. However, I still scrape the bottom of it if I go over speed bumps too quickly (it's not like I'm racing over them, certainly under 25mph) and have bottomed out (fortunately without serious damage) in Glasgow when a pothole was either just before or just after the speed bump. Often I'll select my local routes based upon my knowledge of which roads have speed bumps as traffic calming measures and which employ cameras - I much prefer the latter.

However, the speed bumps in Berkshire (for example) are much milder than the ones in Glasgow and the roads in Southern England are generally in much better condition (smoother and fewer potholes) than the ones in Western Scotland. I've never had a problem with clearance in my MINI down there. So I think it will greatly depend upon which part of the UK you live as to whether you'll enjoy driving a very low-slung car in your area.

Hope that helps.

All the best,
Andrew.

[db1]

Originally Posted by greyboxer

There's quite a few UK based f40 owners over at Pistonheads - might be worth asking there too - also several current ownership experience threads

Good suggestion - I will post it over there too.

DB1

[Napolis]

Originally Posted by db1

Good suggestion - I will post it over there too.

DB1

Lift kits come in handy on all low slung large overhang cars. Retrofitting them is no issue. I have someone who can do it but it's not inexpensive.

[ross]

speed bumps are responsible for tearing off numerous front lips on my cars....
i looked into the liftkit with jim and his very able engineer, but it was VERY expensive.

so now i just drive very slowly over them.

in the f40, you just try to avoid roads like that. that is a car that i compare to a fighter jet....you sort of taxi gingerly from the hangar out to the runway, and only once on the runway do you give it some welly - same thing with the f40; tiptoe out of town, and then once on the highway open it up. do not under any circumstances be tempted to show off and do stupid stuff in that car in town - if the speed bumps and cops dont get you, the car itself will try to kill you.

[frefan]

F40 scrapes on everything. its totally impractical

[JWeiss]

Originally Posted by frefan

F40 scrapes on everything. its totally impractical

Well, it's not as practical as, say, a Raptor, for example, but...

[frefan]

Originally Posted by JWeiss

Well, it's not as practical as, say, a Raptor, for example, but...

I've got a couple scrapes on the raptor but that's another story ...

Seriously, the problem with the F40 is the front overhang. Similar to CGT. Nose is too long. Esp us cars its a couple inches longer. My 458 technically has lower clearance, yet the F40 can't handle the same approach angles.