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Is The 456 GT The Most Underrated Ferrari of Them All?
FERRARI 456 GT
Words Marco Mancino / Photos Ferrari Media
In 1992, the prancing horse once again unleashed the grand tourer concept with front engine, 4 seats and a trunk spacious enough for two sets of suitcases. Then add retractable headlamps and the manual gearbox – the only option at least in first place – and one wonders what more could you have wished for. However, many called for the automatic gearbox. Yes, because 30 years ago and above all on a type of car mainly devoted to covering long distances, the automatic gearbox represented the most obvious choice, but this was not made possible until 1996.
Whether this is the real reason why the 456 GT has never enjoyed the success and appreciation it deserved is unknown, but the aspect that no one has ever had any doubts about is its involvement at the wheel. In fact, it is powered by a 5.5-litre V12 that delivers 442 horsepower at 6,250 rpm, with a maximum torque of 550 Nm at 4,500 rpm. The engine is a pleasure for the eardrums and for the spirit and the driving position is sublime, reflecting the canons of a proper grand tourer, with the driver’s seat pushed back and still leaving room for two extra rear seats, indispensable for the Ferrari driver with family.
Its lines, modeled by the pencil of Pietro Camardella of Pininfarina, are original and differ markedly from the rest of the production of the time, making the 456 the most unsuspecting Ferrari of them all. Doubts that are immediately swept away when the twelve-cylinder engine is unleashed and performance in the order of 5.5 seconds for 0-100 kph and a top speed of 298 per hour are available, all comfortably pampered by an ergonomic and well-finished cockpit made of soft leather, with gearbox with exposed cage, at least on the first generation and a third pedal which today accentuates the driving experience.
At the time, a GT of this kind and despite its performance, also aimed to be very comfortable, thus needing an automatic transmission and so, in 1996 Ferrari satisfied its customers, just before updating the model – in 1998 – calling it 456 M GT , where “M” stands for “Modificata” (modified). The pop-up headlights were kept, but the bumper was new, while the air vents on the bonnet disappeared to make way for a cleaner line. The passenger compartment underwent a more profound transformation, replacing the rectangular air vents with new round ones, updating the instrumentation and positioning the stereo in a more comfortable way, even for models equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The engine, however, remained unchanged. Introduced to the market with a price tag of at least €190,000, the 456 GT can now be found for just €50,000, with no compromise on mileage and the freshness of the bodywork and interior. You just need to keep in mind that running costs are important, but as far as we’re concerned, the 456 GT still remains one of the best GT on the market and above all one of the most unjustly underrated Ferraris ever.
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