SP40 Restomod Speedster – A Modern Echo of Edsel Ford’s Forgotten Masterpiece
The Iconic Auto Sports SP40 Restomod Speedster is not simply a modernized classic or a reinterpreted vintage shape. It is something far more romantic, more ambitious, and more deeply rooted in design history. At its core, the SP40 is an attempt to awaken the forgotten spirit of Edsel Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster — a one-off design exercise that captivated its era with its streamlined fuselage, its aviation-inspired structure, and its pursuit of elegance above all else. The Argentine craftsmen who created the SP40 did not seek to replicate the lines of the old car just for the sake of nostalgia; instead, they aimed to give that forgotten design its true modern potential. The SP40 carries forward the sleek proportions, the tapering tail, and the impossibly low silhouette that made the original a marvel of its time, but beneath the sculpted carbon-fiber exterior lies something entirely contemporary. Tubular spaceframe engineering, a Ford Coyote V8 with more than 480 horsepower, a five-speed Tremec manual, fully independent double-wishbone suspension, and Brembo brakes elevate the SP40 far beyond its inspiration, transforming the once-delicate speedster into a raw, mechanical celebration of American muscle filtered through Art Deco elegance.
Art Deco Spirit Reimagined Through Carbon-Fiber Precision
Walk up to the SP40, and the first sensation is disbelief — disbelief that a car from the 1930s could ever have looked this futuristic, this sharp, or this deliberate. Every surface feels as though it has been refined with surgical attention, yet none of the original Model 40’s charm disappears. Instead, it is sharpened and intensified. Iconic Auto Sports chose carbon fiber not as a modern novelty but as a material that could bring the car’s long, smooth curves to life without the weight or fragility of vintage aluminum. The result is a body weighing almost nothing, with the complete assembly totaling only 2,623 pounds, featherweight for a vehicle powered by a thundering V8. The nose stretches forward like the bow of a racing boat, the fenders blend seamlessly into the hood, and the tail narrows into a perfect taper that evokes prewar streamliners. Yet nothing about the SP40 feels trapped in the past. Hidden LED lighting, discreet vents, and wheels pushed to modern widths all signal its enhanced performance identity. It is not a retro car trying to imitate history; it is a modern super-speedster interpreting history through the lens of current engineering and advanced materials.
A Powertrain Born From Modern Mustang Muscle
Powering this carbon-bodied sculpture is Ford’s third-generation 5.0-liter Coyote V8, a naturally aspirated masterpiece chosen for its ability to honor the hot rod ethos of American performance. Edsel Ford’s original speedster used a flathead V8 that was impressive for its era, but the SP40’s Coyote engine turns that idea into something dramatically more potent. Producing over 480 horsepower and more than 420 pound-feet of torque, the SP40 delivers the kind of thrust associated with modern muscle cars rather than prewar cruisers. The throttle response is sharp, the rev range is wide, and the engine note becomes a theatrical experience once the stainless steel long-tube headers and custom exhaust system start singing. There is a purity to the experience, enhanced by the choice of a five-speed Tremec TKO manual gearbox instead of an automatic. The connection between driver and engine becomes tactile, mechanical, and genuinely emotional. With so little mass to move, the SP40 feels alive the moment its wheels turn, a reminder that performance is not solely about numbers but about the intensity of sensation. This engine transforms the SP40 from a design homage into a true driver’s machine, a hot rod with precision instead of chaos.
Handling Made Possible by a Tubular Spaceframe and Double Wishbones
Underneath the flowing carbon body, the SP40 hides a surprisingly advanced platform designed specifically for this model. The tubular spaceframe chassis, engineered by Argentine specialist Pedro Campo, gives the car rigidity comparable to modern track machines. The frame’s geometry is designed to support properly tuned independent double-wishbone suspension at all four corners, something unheard of in the era of the original Model 40. This is the secret to the SP40’s dynamic personality. The suspension breathes with the road instead of fighting it, offering stability at speed and remarkable agility in corners. Adjustable coilovers allow the owner to tailor the ride for cruising softness or track-focused aggression. Paired with the car’s low weight, the handling becomes something close to a vintage racer reborn — immediate, communicative, and blessed with a sense of delicacy unusual for a V8-powered machine. Brembo brakes with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers clamp massive cross-drilled discs, bringing the car down from speed with a confidence completely foreign to 1930s vehicles. The SP40 is not a museum piece; it is a machine engineered for modern roads, capable of driving with verve, precision, and surprising refinement.
A Cabin Blending Old-World Craftsmanship With Quiet Modernity
Step inside the SP40, and the philosophy becomes unmistakable: this is not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It is a romantic reinterpretation of an era blended with modern comfort, safety, and functionality. Iconic Auto Sports handcrafts the interior with materials chosen not for mass production but for emotional effect. Leather wraps the seats and cockpit with a richness that feels timeless. Hand-machined aluminum elements evoke the metallic artistry of early coachbuilt cars, while exposed carbon fiber reminds the driver that the vehicle beneath them is engineered with cutting-edge materials. Walnut trim accents the instrument panel, creating an elegant contrast between warm natural texture and cool mechanical surfaces. Modern conveniences are present but extremely subtle — wireless charging, climate control, modern switches tucked discreetly into the structure — creating an interior that respects its inspiration while acknowledging the realities of modern driving. Seats offer actual support and safety, complemented by Sparco belts. The SP40’s cabin is a shrine to craftsmanship, a celebration of the human hand in an age of mass-produced luxury, and an environment where every detail reflects a desire to make something truly special, personal, and unforgettable.
The Vision of Iconic Auto Sports and the Spirit of Edsel Ford
Arturo Arrebillaga, co-founder of Iconic Auto Sports, explained the SP40 with a sentiment that defines the project: “Our goal was not to replicate history, but to awaken it.” That idea becomes the emotional spine of the entire car. In 1934, Edsel Ford instructed designer Eugene T. Gregorie to build something unconventional, beautiful, and experimental — a personal speedster inspired by European elegance but powered by American performance. It was an exercise in imagination and design, a moment where the heritage of Ford collided with a desire for artistic self-expression. The modern SP40 follows that same trail of emotion. Instead of copying the old car, Iconic Auto Sports sought to continue its story. They embraced the Art Deco spirit, the hand-built philosophy, the pursuit of pure form, and combined it with today’s engineering freedoms. Carbon fiber replaces sheet aluminum, tubular steel replaces aircraft-style aluminum framing, and a Coyote V8 replaces a humble flathead. Yet the emotion is the same: a car built not to impress a market but to honor a design feeling. Each SP40 is a one-of-one creation, customized for its buyer, ensuring that the spirit of the original "special speedster" continues in a lineage of bespoke modern masterpieces.
A Bespoke Build for Clients Who Want Personal Automotive Art
Unlike mass-produced sports cars or limited-run supercars, the SP40 exists in a more intimate category: the bespoke coachbuilt specialty. Iconic Auto Sports states that no two SP40s will ever be identical, not even in color, detail, or material combinations. Each is crafted per the wishes of its future owner. Want a specific shade inspired by a 1930s aviation palette? Done. Prefer wood from a certain species, carbon weave in a particular direction, or a unique shifter machined with your initials? The workshop will make it happen. The SP40 is the kind of machine purchased not to complete a collection but to define one. It is understood that pricing is on request, and that alone signals the category in which the SP40 exists. Its buyers are not choosing transportation; they are commissioning artistry. The car’s presence in the United States via a Miami office ensures that collectors and enthusiasts seeking something truly unique can acquire it without navigating international complexity. In an era where automotive individuality is slowly fading behind electrified anonymity, the SP40 stands defiantly as an expression of passion and personality, a reminder that cars can still be built like tailored suits rather than store-bought garments.
Conclusion: A Modern Hot Rod with a Soul Forged in the Past
The Iconic Auto Sports SP40 is a rare kind of machine — a car that lives at the intersection of memory and ambition, vintage beauty and modern aggression. It merges Art Deco styling with carbon-fiber construction, blends a 1930s silhouette with a 480-horsepower modern V8, and wraps the entire mechanical experience in craftsmanship that feels almost extinct in today’s automotive world. This is not a tribute that merely mimics an old design; it is a tribute that extends the life of an idea, imagining what the Model 40 Special Speedster could have been had its lineage continued into the 21st century. The SP40 is dramatic, elegant, powerful, and deeply human. It embodies the spirit of a hot rod and the refinement of a coachbuilt collectible. It is the kind of car that makes onlookers stop, stare, and dream a little — exactly what Edsel Ford intended when he commissioned his original speedster nearly a century ago. And now, thanks to the artisans of Iconic Auto Sports, that dream has awakened once again.
