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There are few cars capable of making petrolheads as weak at the knees as the Ferrari F40. It became the world's fastest car in 1987, and will still take the fight to today's supercar aristocracy.

Combining Kevlar bodywork, a 478bhp engine and one of the most spartan interiors ever, Stuart Milne says it’s the most blistering Ferrari yet.

Without an F1 driver's championship since 1979 or a manufacturer title 1983, Enzo Ferrari was an impatient man.

The company which bore his name was fading in the motorsport world, and at 89 years old, he knew he didn't have long left on this mortal coil.

In 1987 Enzo knew he had to leave one last, indelible mark on the world of classic supercars, and the F40 was a perfectly-fitting swansong.

Built to coincide with the 40th anniversary of its first vehicle, the 125 S, the F40 simply had to be better than anything he'd previously built.

It needed to encompass everything Ferrari was about: stylish, sexy…and very, very fast.

Ferrari accomplished this - and then some.

Borrowing from the stonking 288 GTO, the F40 packed a turbocharged 2.9-litre V8 engine which produced a hair-raising 478bhp.

This meant the F40's performance was without equal. It would blast to 201mph, and hit 60mph from standstill in just 3.6 seconds.

It took the world record for the fastest production car in 1987 and stood until the crazy Porsche 911-based RUF CTR Yellowbird went ten miles per hour better.

The RUF might have been quicker, but the F40 was still faster to 60mph - and far better looking.

Part of the reason for the astounding performance was its light weight. Tipping the scales at just 1,100kg, the body was constructed from Kevlar, carbon fibre and aluminium.

In the cabin, weight saving was paramount too. It did without carpets and featured plastic windows - the side ones on early cars didn't even wind down.

Those lucky enough to drive one were smitten. American magazine Sports Car International voted the F40 number five in their Top Cars of the 80's poll, while Motor Trend Classic picked it as their tenth greatest Ferrari of all time.

And now I'll wade into the battle, saying it’s the greatest Ferrari ever.

You can get your hands on an F40 for upwards of £180,000 - which is a snip considering the £1million they changed hands for in the late eighties and early nineties.

Alternatively, you can bag a low cost replica for about £12,000. The choice is yours.