Is the Ferrari SC40 a Superior Homage Compared to the New Countach?
**Ferrari, Lamborghini, edited by The Drive**
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Like many of you, we were somewhat taken aback to discover (after working hours, no less) that Ferrari chose to honor the F40 with its latest special project creation. Known as the SC40, it is built on a 296 GTB platform, similar to many of Ferrari's unique models. This means it features a twin-turbo hybrid V6 engine and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, making it as unlikely to drive like a true F40 as any current Ferrari.
The design elements are reminiscent, but The Drive team is divided on it. Some of us appreciate it, but personally, I’m surprised they brought back such an esteemed name for this. This prompted us to consider how the SC40 stacks up against Lamborghini’s unexpected revival of the Countach a couple of years back.
Personally, I think the SC40 excels most from the front, where Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni successfully modernized the F40’s angular, wedge-shaped front with a wraparound headlight and a trim detail that begins at the "chin" beneath the front intakes and smoothly ascends the side, accommodating the projectors and non-NACA-shaped ducts. It’s imaginative, distinctive, and looks impressive.
Take note of the extensive use of Kevlar in both the interior and engine compartment—a clever nod to the F40.
However, as we move towards the rear, the greenhouse does not evoke the F40 at all, and the rear elements, aside from the oddly small wing, appear only slightly altered (if at all) from the 296 GTB base. The curvy bulges over the rear wheels reflect a signature style of Ferrari's prototype racers from the '70s, which Maranello has a tendency to reboot in its latest vehicles, but they do not align with the blocky, streamlined silhouette of the F40.
This leads us to the Countach LPI 800-4. Judging purely on the merits of its own design, independent of the car it draws inspiration from, I’d argue that the SC40 looks superior to the Countach—but I’d probably feel that way about any contemporary Ferrari compared to a modern Lamborghini. The Countach also faced the challenge of being obviously derived from the Aventador, which presents a much larger framework than the original Countach ever had.
In the end, I find myself questioning why either automaker opted to pursue these projects. Yes, the SC40 is a one-of-one model commissioned by someone with vast resources, but if I were Ferrari, I wouldn't risk tarnishing that name on this. It's a privilege you can only use once. Lewis Hamilton had expressed when he joined the Scuderia that he wanted to create a modern F40 with a six-speed manual transmission, so I assumed that when Ferrari eventually chose to honor the F40, they would do so with something thoroughly new or at least distinct—not a 296 with a fresh disguise for Halloween.
Those are my thoughts, but what are yours? Let’s utilize that comments section actively.
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Is the Ferrari SC40 a Superior Homage Compared to the New Countach?
Ferrari opted to proceed with the revival of the F40 through the unique SC40. Does it truly merit that name?