Provenance & History
This exceptional Ferrari entered production on 21st July 1998, with assembly completed just 41 days later on 31st August 1998. A Certificate of Conformity, essential for export, was issued shortly after on 21st September 1998.

Finished in the stunning Tour de France Blue (522) over Crema leather (3997) with dark blue carpets, it features a blue upper dashboard (DSH1) and matching steering wheel (STW1) — optional extras at the time, adding £468.00 and £204.00 respectively to the original list price of £176,167.00, plus delivery, number plates, and road tax.

Upon completion, the car was delivered to Ferrari UK, one of only 139 examples officially imported into the country. Of those, just 101 remain taxed or SORN’d today — and only 38 were finished in any shade of blue, underscoring this car's rarity. It was subsequently delivered to a London Ferrari dealership, where it was first registered on 1st January 2000 to its first owner, a 46-year-old company director from Avon.

Over the next 21 years, the car had four further registered keepers, before being acquired by Mr. N. H. of Kent on 7th May 2021, with 21,200 miles on the odometer, purchased from a respected Kent-based Ferrari specialist.

The current and most recent owner, Dr C. S. of Surrey, acquired the vehicle on 16th October 2023, with 24,342 miles. A passionate Ferrari collector with four other prancing horses in his stable — none of which offered four seats — this car was a perfect addition.

Accompanied By
Original factory service book with 14 recorded services

13 MOT certificates

Original leather wallet

Tool kit

Both keys

All three original immobilisers


History: The 456M, in its GT and automatic gearbox GTA guises, is the evolution of Ferrari’s highly successful interpretation of its traditional 2+2 models. First introduced in 1992, the 456 GT was the marque’s first car designed with the 21st century in mind and has been much appreciated by Maranello’s clients for the way it provides saloon-class comfort and roominess combined with class-leading performance.
A true four-seater coupé, the 456 GT was also the first modern Ferrari to revert to a front engine, rear-wheel drive layout, with the gearbox in unit with the rear differential for ideal


THE BODY
The GT version of the 456M complete with six-speed plus reverse manual gearbox was an evolution of a model that proved particularly popular with owners that wanted an authentic Ferrari that was still capable of seating four and very versatile to boot.
Continuing the marque tradition in the 2+2 sector, the Pininfarina-designed 456M GT combines the blistering performance of a 5.474 cc V12 with the comfort and liveability of grand tourer. A front-mounted engine and rear-mounted gearbox was the most rational choice to achieve more cabin space and benchmark driveability and safety.
Particular attention was lavished on the car’s aerodynamics yielding a clear front design and involving the adoption a retractable wing integrated into the rear bumper. Front axle life was optimised by the specific shape front bumper spoiler and bonnet as well as work done on the rear diffuser.
THE CHASSIS
The 456 M GT had a tubular steel chassis to which light aluminium panels were spot-welded using a specially-treated foil known as Feran. This meant that the chassis had both the lightness of aluminium and the stiffness of steel. To keep weight down, the front bonnet was carbon-fibre.
The four-seater cabin was trimmed in Connolly leather. The seats were electronically adjustable with position memory. The instruments were analogue with multiple gauges. The 456 M GT also sported a fully automatic climate control system with solar radiation sensor, and stereo system.


THE ENGINE
The tubular steel spaceframe chassis was linked to four-wheel independent suspension with stabiliser arms and double wishbones with antidive geometry. The electronically-controlled gas dampers had two settings. The Servotronic power-assisted was rack and pinion while the brakes had four ventilated discs with ABS and an electronic rear brake corrector. The car also featured an evolved ASR traction control system linked to the antiskid system which greatly improved safety even in the trickiest of conditions.
The 442 hp 5474 cc front 65° V12 was longitudinally mounted. It had four valves per cylinder with twin overhead cam distribution. The engine management system was the Bosch M5.2. There was also dry single-plate clutch and dry sump lubrication.
The 456M GT had a six-speed plus reverse mechanical gearbox.


Brussels, Belgium: Skilfully blending styling and engineering cues from its past, Ferrari unveiled a handsome, powerful and precedent-setting 2+2 just prior to the Paris Auto Show, in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary of their Belgian distributor and racing team, Garage Francorchamps. According to Ferrari NA President Gian-Luigi Buitoni: "This is the second model of this car. We actually started four years ago. First, Pininfarina presented a three-volume design, but it was rejected as not being aggressive enough. We wanted something different from the 412i - distinguished, with much more personality."

The result resembles a born-again 365 GTB/4 Daytona, especially from the rear. Ferrari historians will note the intention was not to update the old 365 GTC/4, a sporty, but undistinguished-looking four-seater loosely based on the Daytona, but instead to move closer to a sportier definition. "We have clients today who don't want to give up the performance of a Testarossa, but they must have more room," said Buitoni. "You can sit in the back of this car and not be an infant."

Even with the kids along, 456 GT 2+2 owners sacrifice very little. Under the lightweight, composite bonnet is a new all-alloy 4-cam, 48-valve, 5.5-litre V-12 developing a league-leading 442bhp at 6250rpm. Historians will note that the 456 designation makes a return to Ferrari's traditional model nomenclature. (Each cylinder displaces 456cc; multiply by twelve for 5473.9cc.) The valve covers are gray crackle finished, and the round-oil breathers are reminiscent of those on the old 250/275-series cars.

In order to achieve a low, pancaked bonnet line, the V-12 is dry-sumped. Three separate oil pumps ensure maximum pressure right to its 7250 rpm redline. Special ducting sprays oil to the underside of the alloy pistons for added cooling. The latest Bosch Motronic M2.7 digital injection is lower, and more efficient than a sextet of classic twin-choke Webers, even if its gray, crackle-finished plenum chambers aren't as pretty as the line-up of twelve chromed velocity stacks.

To optimise weight distribution (its 53:47) in a front-engined car, the motor is set back considerably in the tubular steel frame. A flywheel-mounted, single-plate clutch transmits power through a propshaft that's supported with three bearings. The propshaft runs through an elliptically shaped steel torque-tube that is rigidly connected from the clutch to a new six-speed transaxle, then to a ZF mechanical limited-slip differential with plates calibrated to distinguish between drive modes and overrun. To reduce frictional losses when the car is in top gear, sixth is direct drive. A 250 GTO-like polished shifter travels in a traditional Ferrari webbed gate. It is mechanically linked to the transaxle for positive shifting - and in keeping with Ferrari tradition, it probably hates to shift into second until thoroughly warmed up.

Suspension is all independent with parallel wishbones, and coil springs in each corner. Fat stabiliser bars at either end help keep the suspension thoroughly planted. Electronically-controlled shock absorbers (like the Mondial T's) offer sport, intermediate and touring settings, but they return immediately to the "hard" setting in an emergency thanks to an ECU and sensors that measure steering angle, shock "bounce" and acceleration. A self-levelling device compensates for the weight of rear seat passengers while maintaining body height and ensuring constant rear suspension geometry.

A chunky, three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel gives orders to ZF "Servotronic" power-assisted, speed sensitive rack and pinion steering. Pressure for the self-levelling system comes from the steering pump. Four huge ventilated discs handle braking with aluminium callipers; ATE Mark IV ABS brakes are standard. The five-spoke alloy wheels are Daytona-like, and the fat, unequally sized Pirelli P-Zeros artfully fill the 2+2's neatly radiused fenderwells.

The 456 are somewhat lighter and shorter (186.2 in) than the old 412i, thanks to its extensive use of aluminium and initial venture into composites (the bonnet is the first composite part). Pininfarina's subtle styling will last for years. There's a hint of aggressiveness, yet the overall effect is one of veiled strength and function. A flat, sloping bonnet line aids visibility. A bold cut line on each side defines the top edge of a rearward-facing scoop that exhausts engine heat, then gracefully encircles the 456's meaty rear quarters. A moving spoiler, integrated into the rear bumper, is lowered electronically at speeds above 60 mph, to reduce axle lift.

The result is a pleasing C-pillar curvature that is far more coupe-like than is usually achieved with a car that can realistically hold four adults. Shoulder harnesses extend from the front seatbacks. Deep bucket seats front and rear feel very supportive. Bold, readable dials are well located. The crossed Pininfarina flags on the console are reminiscent of the old SuperAmerica.

Taken from Ferrari Market Letter Vol.17 No.22 (October 1992)




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