The Ferrari F40 occupies a singular position in automotive history: a car born from a anniversary milestone, engineered without compromise, and signed off by the man who founded the marque. BBR Models captures it here in Azzurro, a non-standard paint that was available only as a factory special order, making both the original car and this 1:18 die-cast exceptional within any Ferrari collection.
The Ferrari F40: 478 hp, 1,100 kg, 322 km/h
Unveiled on 21 July 1987 to mark Ferrari's 40th anniversary, the F40 was built around a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 — the F120A — producing 478 hp and mounted mid-rear. Its Pininfarina body was constructed from Kevlar, carbon fibre and aluminium, keeping the kerb weight to approximately 1,100 kg. That power-to-weight ratio made it the first production road car officially claimed to exceed 200 mph (322 km/h), a benchmark that defined the supercar era of the late 1980s.
Azzurro: A Factory Colour in a Sea of Red
Every standard F40 left Maranello in Rosso Corsa. Blue — within the Azzurro family — was available only by direct factory special order, making it one of the rarest finishes applied to an F40 body. While exact production figures for blue examples have never been officially confirmed by Ferrari, the consensus among collectors is that they represent a tiny fraction of total F40 output. For any collector tracking colour variants of Enzo Ferrari's final personally approved model, Azzurro occupies a distinct tier.
BBR Models: Italian Craft at 1:18
BBR Models is an Italian specialist with a long-established reputation for high-detail Ferrari replicas at 1:18 scale. This example is produced in die-cast metal, a construction that gives the model solidity and long-term dimensional stability on the shelf. Each surface detail — from the F40's louvred rear deck to its signature twin-wing rear spoiler — is rendered at a ratio of 1 to 18 against the original bodywork. The model is presented with a display showcase included.
Placing the F40 in Your Display Cabinet
This 1:18 die-cast commands a dedicated shelf position — a single-seater or long-bodied model at this scale benefits from a deep shelf with clearance for the rear spoiler. Its Azzurro finish reads distinctly against the Rosso Corsa examples that dominate most F40 groupings, making it an effective anchor piece in a Ferrari road car sequence. Natural companions include the Ferrari 288 GTO — the F40's direct predecessor — and the Ferrari F50, which continued Maranello's halo car lineage. Collectors who focus on colour variants or on the final chapter of Enzo Ferrari's personal involvement in the marque will find this a precise fit.
