Daytona SP3

Make
Ferrari
Segment
Compact

At its Tokyo Auto Salon 2023 display, controversial tuner Liberty Walk has taken the wraps off its truly unique widebody Ferrari F40 build. When we were shown the original digital renders last year, many Ferrari fans were annoyed to find that the aftermarket firm was intending to chop up an icon such as this, but some were able to justify the build by noting that the car was rendered in red and seemed similar in many ways to the motorsport-bred F40 LM.

But now that it has been revealed in the metal, it's become abundantly clear that adhering to traditional styling tropes was never on the agenda for the world's first Liberty Walk F40.

We appreciate that the center lock wheels sit in front of enhanced brakes. We see the nod to racing F40s of the past in the headlight covers. We note the GT inspiration in the rear Gurney flap, and the vented hood is not especially unfamiliar either. We're not hating that the seats are red either, and the decision to retain a triple-exit exhaust outlet despite enlarging the tips is to be applauded. But that's where our admiration stops.

To create this showstopper, Liberty Walk cut into the body of an F40. The tuner doesn't simply slap widened arches over the existing shell; for everything to fit and bond correctly, incisions must be made into the body, and the new parts must be riveted on.

Of the 1,311 Ferrari F40s originally produced, it's nearly impossible to determine how many remain. But as an icon of its era and the standard by which all other supercars were measured, chopping one up for the sake of internet clout seems a little disrespectful. We wouldn't be surprised if Ferrari feels the same way and opts to sue the tuner, something it is notorious for doing when it doesn't like how its brand is being represented.

The lowered static suspension system, engine bay brace, vented fenders, spoilers, altered steering wheel, seats, and livery are all sure to annoy Maranello just as much as repainting a Daytona SP3 in Lamborghini paint would, but is there a case to be made for this bold build? Since it's not our money and not our car, should we just move along? Let us know what you think.