This Koenig Specials F48 is a rare and striking modified version of the Ferrari 348 TS, featuring a significant powertrain upgrade and an attention-grabbing F40-inspired body kit. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V8 engine producing up to 520 bhp, paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Believed to be one of only two right-hand drive F48s and just seven produced worldwide, this car underwent its transformation by Koenig Specials before being imported as a new car into the UK in 1994.
Its first private owner was Douglas Hall, then deputy chairman of Newcastle United FC and son of Sir John Hall, the club’s owner. The second owner, Professor David Clarke, held the car for 18 years and was directly involved in the development of carbon-ceramic brakes for Surface Transforms PLC. After several prototypes, this F48 was fitted with the world’s first carbon/ceramic hybrid brakes, featuring carbon-ceramic discs at the front and steel discs at the rear.
Koenig Specials, founded by Willy Koenig in Munich, became known for creating highly tuned versions of Ferrari supercars, with bold styling and extreme performance, making them icons of the 1980s and ‘90s. This particular Ferrari 348 began as a standard 1990 TS model before being sent to Koenig in Germany as a new car to be modified into the F48 special. Inspired by the Ferrari F40, the centerpiece of the conversion was the addition of two Garrett T3 turbochargers to the standard 3.4-liter V8, which boosted power from the factory 320 bhp to an impressive 520 bhp.
The original Pininfarina design was extensively modified with a wide-body conversion kit, retaining only the doors and bonnet from the stock model. The bodywork, especially the rear end, was styled to mimic the F40’s silhouette and features. The car was also equipped with wide, staggered multi-piece OZ Racing alloy wheels. Mechanical upgrades included enhanced suspension, a new ECU, and a large intercooler. As mentioned earlier, the brakes were uniquely upgraded with the world’s first ‘hybrid’ composite brake system, using Surface Transforms carbon-ceramic discs at the front and standard steel discs at the rear.
This exact car was sold at auction on the 17th of August in 2022, for £93,000 (€110,391). The previous owner notes that this is the only right-hand drive F48 with known provenance from new and that it comes with a comprehensive maintenance history. The car is accompanied by a duplicate service book, a Ferrari 348 technical manual, numerous invoices, MOT certificates, and other operational guides. At that time, the car's condition was described as follows:
The Giallo paintwork was in fair condition, with some scuffs on the underside of the front bumper, light chips and imperfections on the bumper’s surface, and light chips on the bonnet. There were minor surface cracks on the wheel arches, with lower arches touched up to correct chipping. Minor surface cracks were also noted on the doors, side skirts, and rear wing panels, as well as slight imperfections on the removable ‘targa’ roof, engine cover, and large rear wing. The glass was in good condition, with only a few small chips on the windscreen. The black leather interior was presentable but showed some sagging and bunching on the seat bases, along with typical wear on high-contact areas. The central dashboard air-conditioning vent surrounds needed to be re-affixed. The dashboard displayed no warning lights.
The car was set to receive a new 12-month MOT certificate upon completion of the auction, with any necessary items addressed. The previous MOT test, conducted on April 5, 2018, at 40,200 miles, resulted in a first-time pass with no advisories. In recent years, the car has mostly been stored, except for being displayed at the prestigious Salon Privé in September 2020.
Service History:
The last full service was completed in March 2017 at 40,029 miles by Ferrari specialist R&D Automotive, including an annual service and cam belt replacement. At this time, turbo gaskets, cam cover gaskets, end plate gaskets, and the phase sensor gasket were also replaced. Additionally, camshaft oil seals, fuel hoses, and intercooler hoses were renewed. The air-conditioning system was re-gassed, and new engine oil, an oil filter, spark plugs, and brake fluid were provided. The car was previously serviced in March 2016 at 39,866 miles, and the earlier cam belt replacement service was done in March 2014 at 39,012 miles. The car comes with an extensive maintenance history, with detailed invoices on file. Over the last 15 years, work has been carried out by Ferrari specialist R&D Automotive, and prior to that by Ferrari specialists like Italia Autosport and Reg Vardy.
Click on the photo for more photo's of this spot!
