What exactly happened to this totalled Ferrari supercar?
Way back in 2001, a Ferrari F40 had reportedly crashed on the Federal Highway heading towards Subang Airport. Yes, you read that right there was apparently a Ferrari F40 in Malaysia.
As it happened in a time before the internet, not much is actually known about this high profile accident involving this legendary 80s supercar icon.
According to some sources, the driver behind the wheel when the accident occurred was a mechanic who was out on a test drive after performing some repair work on the Ferrari sustained during a prior crash on the Batu Tiga Speedway racetrack.
It was alleged that the mechanic was driving this Italian thoroughbred in excess of 180 km/h on a wet day (on a public highway) before losing control and spinning before the Ferrari met its untimely end at the hands of a palm tree on the highway divider.
Based on a supposed passenger to this accident, the F40 was only in third gear before the crash occurred. The force of the impact was stated to have caused the passenger to faint and the driver of this left-hand drive car sustaining serious injuries, but luckily it would appear that both occupants did not suffer any lasting injuries apart from a fine from DBKL for “permanently destroying government property” due to the damage inflicted on the palm tree.
The same however could not be said about the Ferrari.
It would seem that the F40 was deemed to be totalled as a result of this accident, and based on the pictures it is not hard to see why. Even though the back of this Italian supercar remains relatively intact, with the twin-turbocharged 2.9 litre V8 presumably still in one piece, the call for it to be totalled was an easy one to make considering the left side of the car has completely bent inwards.
It would appear that the F40 hit the palm tree right down the left side of it causing it to wrap itself around said tree on the Federal highway. Leaving a bent frame and an uprooted tree in its wake. There was also significant damage done to the front of the supercar. The carbon fibre bonnet was completely shredded, and the front radiator has caved in as a result of this accident.
In regards to aftermath of this accident, there has been conflicting information about what happened next to this totalled example of the first production car that broke the 200 mph barrier. Unconfirmed information points to the owner of the F40 at the time sending it back to Maranello for a complete rebuild that ran upwards of RM 1 million.
Speaking of the owner at the time of this totalled F40, it has not been confirmed but rumour has it it belonged to the son of our forth and seventh prime minister, Mohkzani Mahathir, who was also the chairman of the Sepang International Circuit.
In addition to the totalled F40, Mohkzani is rumoured to have a myriad of exotic supercars to his name, including an Enzo, a Veyron and possibly even a Pagani Zonda.
As for the current whereabouts of this supposedly rebuilt F40, it is said to have found a new home south of the causeway in Singapore. Presumably as a static display piece though, considering Singapore’s ban on left-hand-drive cars on the road.
