We're lovin' this road legal 1990s Ferrari F355 Challenge for sale

Yes, the Ferrari 296 GTB is an exceptional modern supercar, but for the same sort of money you could have this road legal F355 Challenge car from 1996. And we all know which one is the correct choice.

Set to cross the block at Broad Arrow’s Zoute Concours Auction on 10 October, the estimate of between £240,000 and £306,000 may seem punchy for a 30-year-old racecar, but we’re pretty sure the original McDonald’s livery is adding around £50k to that figure. Wonder if Ronald is available for co-driving duties?

Of course, there’s plenty else besides the livery that we’re getting rather excited about. Pop-up headlights for one. And the small matter of a 3.5-litre V8 sending 375bhp to the rear wheels through a proper gated manual ‘box. Ooft. Much less sound deadening in the Challenge car too. Ba da ba ba ba, we’re lovin’ it.

All Challenge cars actually began their lives as road cars, with a €25,000 conversion package apparently including a full roll cage, racing seats, a fire extinguisher, competition clutch, lightweight exhaust and uprated brakes from an F40. You also got excellent Speedline wheels, solid suspension bushings, tow hooks and a perforated rear grille to improve cooling.

This particular car was delivered new in 1996 to Harald Brutschin, who had already won the previous two Ferrari Challenge European Championships. Remarkably, Brutschin retained ownership of this car and has put 27,000 miles on it in the last 30 years. Oh, and he recently treated it to a proper photo-documented restoration with a full engine-out service. What a guy.

Go on, we dare the next owner to use this thing as a daily driver. It’d be more fun than a Happy Meal, that’s for sure…