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What the F40 LM Barchetta is—and what it is not
The Barchetta is described in automotive accounts as a conversion of an F40 LM associated with IMSA competition, not a standard factory F40 body style. “Barchetta” refers to its open-top configuration; “F40 LM Barchetta” and “F40 Beurlys” are names used informally in coverage, not established official model designations.
Monochrome Watches’ 2020 account identifies it as F40 LM number 19 and says Ferrari recognized 18 of the 19 Michelotto-built LM examples. It also reports that Ferrari required the converted car’s emblems and lettering to be removed. Jalopnik likewise describes Ferrari as not recognizing the modified car as an official model. Neither article supplies a Ferrari archival record or official statement confirming that corporate position, so it is best treated as the publications’ account rather than a verified Ferrari pronouncement.
From IMSA race car to Blaton’s open-top project
Both Monochrome Watches and Jalopnik trace the car to an F40 LM raced by Jean Alesi and Jean-Pierre Jabouille before Jean Blaton acquired it. Blaton raced under the name Jean Beurlys and is reported to have commissioned the conversion. The accounts name Belgian builder Tony Gillet and Michelotto as participants: Gillet’s workshop carried out the work, with Michelotto involved in or supervising the rebuild.
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Jalopnik identifies the chassis as 79890 and provides detailed race-history claims. Those particulars are attributed to that publication; the account reviewed here does not independently establish them against Ferrari records. The broader provenance—a competition-associated LM later converted at Blaton’s request—is repeated across the cited coverage.
What changed in the conversion
The roof removal was only the most visible part of a substantial track-focused rebuild. Published descriptions identify changes to the car’s body, safety equipment, exhaust, windscreen and suspension.
- Open body and windscreen: The roof was removed and the bodywork revised. Accounts describe a low competition windscreen; Autoappassionati specifies a one-piece polycarbonate screen.
- Safety equipment: A safety cage was fitted to the roofless car.
- Exhaust: The exhaust was rerouted to exits on the sides, ahead of the rear wheels.
- Suspension: The conversion is reported to have replaced the LM’s setup with an F1-style pushrod arrangement.
- Engine configuration and finish: Monochrome Watches says the engine restrictor was removed and reports that the car was finished in yellow. Autoappassionati describes the interior as retained.
Together, these changes make the Barchetta more than an F40 LM with its top cut away: the accounts describe a purpose-built open track car with altered systems and safety hardware.
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Power and speed claims depend on configuration
Published figures refer to different versions of the LM or to reported observations of the converted car. They should not be read as one independently verified Barchetta specification.
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| Configuration or claim | Reported figure | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| F40 LM | 720 bhp | Monochrome Watches, 2020, reporting LM output. |
| Restricted F40 LM | 720 hp | Jalopnik, 2009, reporting output with restrictors. |
| F40 LM without restrictors | About 760 hp | Jalopnik, 2009, an estimate for the unrestricted LM. |
| F40 LM top speed | 229 mph | Reported by Jalopnik in 2009 and Monochrome Watches in 2020 for the LM. |
| Barchetta | 750 horsepower | Autoappassionati, 2019, reporting a figure for the converted car. |
| Barchetta sightings | 370 km/h | Autoappassionati, 2019, reporting sightings; not presented as an independently verified test result. |
Monochrome Watches also says the Barchetta’s restrictor was removed, while Jalopnik’s unrestricted figure is an estimate for the F40 LM. Because the sources describe different configurations and use different figures, none of these claims alone establishes a definitive output or top speed for the Barchetta itself.
The 2005 auction and the unresolved trail
The car appeared in a 2005 auction with 41 other cars from Blaton’s collection. Jalopnik says it failed to sell and that the ownership trail then went cold. Monochrome Watches also reports that it did not sell; its suggestion that the car may later have passed into Dutch hands is tentative, alongside reports of event sightings.
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The cited accounts do not establish who owns the car today. A present owner should not be stated as fact on the strength of this published trail alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the Barchetta remains unusual
The fascination lies in the combination of a competition-associated F40 LM, Blaton’s reported commission and a rebuild that changed the car’s silhouette and track hardware. Yet its notoriety should not be mistaken for a fully settled factory history: the name is informal, Ferrari’s reported response is not supported here by a primary source, and the later ownership record remains uncertain.
Sources: Robin Nooy, “The Petrolhead Corner – The Story of Mystical Ferrari F40 LM Barchetta,” Monochrome Watches, 27 June 2020; “The Story Of The Ferrari F40 LM That Lost Its Top,” Jalopnik, 2 April 2009; Tommaso Corona, “Ferrari F40 LM Barchetta: la one-off che fece infuriare il Cavallino,” Autoappassionati, 16 February 2019.
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