- A boutique Italian marque just revealed its first-ever supercar.
- Under the F40-inspired body sits a naturally aspirated 6.8-liter V12.
- The 888-HP engine spins all the way to a screaming 9,500 rpm.
If purity is the thing you’re after, an analog supercar with no turbos and a clutch pedal, a new Italian outfit called Silvestri Automobili wants your attention. Its first car is the MN 40 Tributo, mid-engined, powered by a naturally aspirated V12, and shifted through a seven-speed manual. Those initials aren’t decoration. The car is a tribute to Nicola Materazzi, the engineer who gave us the Ferrari F40, the Lancia Stratos and the Bugatti EB110 before his death in 2024.
The startup is based in Sant’Agata Bolognese, also home to Lamborghini. Unlike the raging bull, though, Silvestri Automobili is new to the supercar game, with the MN 40 Tributo (short for Materazzi Nicola 40 Tribute) as its first model.
More: Ferrari Built A Modern F40 Tribute But Forgot The Most Important Thing
The supercar has a carbon fiber body penned by artist and designer Francesco Rocco. The nods to the Ferrari F40 include the fixed rear wing, the triple tailpipes, and the black line running across the profile.
The front end goes its own way, with a mouth-like grille that channels Venturi 400 GT, headlights faintly reminiscent of the Marussia B1, and lower intakes similar to those on the W Motors Fenyr SuperSport. Along the sides, the complex intake lines and winglets recall the classic Bertone BAT series.
Under the lightweight body lies a custom-built tubular aluminum spaceframe chassis. According to Silvestri Automobili, the structure was engineered following basic principles set by Materazzi himself, targeting optimal weight distribution without relying on heavy electronic interventions.
More: You Haven’t Seen A Ferrari F40 Like This, And You Probably Never Will
The chassis setup includes electronically adjustable suspension will components from a lightweight aluminum allow called Ergal. Stopping power is provided by carbon-ceramic brakes with ten-piston calipers up front and six-piston calipers at the rear. As for the wheels, they measure 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear.
The highlight of the build is a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 6.8-liter V12 built by an unnamed Italian supplier. The engine revs up to 9,500 rpm, producing 888 hp (662 kW / 900 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque.
More: Ferrari’s New 12Cilindri Manuale Has A Gated Shifter And A Clutch. It’s Also An Automatic
Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a seven-speed manual transaxle transmission made by CIMA of Bologna with an open-gate shifter, a custom clutch and torque-sensing differential. While the gearbox is one of the major selling points of the supercar, the company also offers an optional sequential setup with paddle shifters.
Silvestri Automobili has unveiled a full-size static prototype of the MN 40 Tributo and plans to evolve it into a 15-unit production run over the course of three years. However, only 13 of those will be sold to customers. The other two? The company is keeping them. Pricing stays a mystery, but you don’t build 13 hand-made V12 tributes and sell them for Corolla money.
Silvestri Automobili
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