The Liberty Walk Ferrari F40: Is it OK to modify a legend?
For some the Ferrari F40 is a deity on wheels -- its perfect lines, stunning engine, and blistering performance can't be bettered. For others it's a blank canvas to be tinkered with.
In this case, Wataru Kato has gone all out creating the best possible F40 to suit his needs.
One of the things that Ferrari fans know, and love, about the F40 is the fact that its signature paint was so thin you could see the weave of its bodywork beneath. Light weight and speed was the F40's M.O., so thin paint was a good start. However, the Liberty Walk F40 sits pretty in white. It's a stunning shade that adds an extra layer of awesome to the car.
Kato has extensively modified it under the skin -- brakes, springs, and so on., have all been fettled to create the perfect car for its owner. Its 2.9-litre turbocharged V8 remains unmolested, though.
This leads me to a question that you guys will have to answer. Is modifying something as precious and rare as an F40 ever OK?
I'm all for taking a car as a blank canvas and creating something unique to you with it -- so long as it's tastefully done. Maybe switching up the leather, adding a few more horses under the bonnet or finding a set of aftermarket alloys that set the car off better would work for me, but changing aspects of a car that its designer originally thought was perfect? Not for me. Especially when the car you're fiddling with is one of only 1,315 and a Ferrari.
Ferrari's cars are, as far as I'm concerned, pretty much perfect when they leave the factory.
So, is the Liberty Walk F40 a good thing, or an abomination that must be stopped at all costs? Let me know...