1999 Ferrari 456 GT

The Ferrari 456 was an overdue replacement for the defunct front-engined 412 that had been in production from 1972 through 1989. The mid-engine configuration had become popular through marques such as Maserati and Lamborghini, and Ferrari had reluctantly replaced its traditional front-engined grand tourers with a line of mid-engine models. With the arrival of the 456 at the Paris Motor Show in 1992, Ferrari had shed the glamour and flamboyance of the 1980s and replaced it with a more studied, elegant approach to design.

The new design was courtesy of Pininfarina and the aluminum coachwork was chemically bonded to a tubular steel space-frame chassis. A new 65-degree V12 engine was developed from the Dino's V6 and displaced 5,474cc. Its name was derived from the fact that each cylinder was 456ccc. With the help of four valves per cylinder and a Bosch Motronic M2.7 engine management system, the engine delivered 436 bhp and 406 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 RPM, making it the most powerful ever produced - with the exception being the F40. The 456 had a top speed of 188 mph and could race from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.2 seconds. The new front-engined, four-seater was quicker around Ferrari's Fiorano test track than either of its existing mid-engined supercars, the 348 and 512TR. It was the world's second-fastest production four-seater automobile behind the Porsche 959.

The 456 Grand Tourer was available in GT and (from 1996) GTA configuration, with the GT being equipped with a six-speed manual and the GTA with a four-speed automatic (the 'A' in GTA being for automatic). The four-speed automatic was developed in partnership with FF Developments, in Livonia, MI.

In 1996, the engine management system changed to Motronic M5.2 management, and the engine with the updated system given the F116C code. Pininfarina was responsible for the bodywork until 1996 when production was moved to Ferrari. During that time, Pininfarina built 1,435 bodies and they are distinguished from the Ferrari-built bodies by their Pininfarina script and badge.

The Ferrari 456M was introduced in 1998 at the Geneva Motor Show, starting with chassis number 109589. The 'M' was for Modificata and incorporated numerous improvements to the interior, cooling, and aerodynamics. The interior continued to use Connolly Leather, but there were new seats, a new Becker stereo replacing the previous special Sony head unit, and fewer gauges on the dashboard. A smaller grille was flanked by fog lights outside the grille. The 456 had used a motorized spoiler that began its deployment above 105 km/h (65 mph), the 456M used a fixed spoiler. The engine was given a revised firing order for smoother operation, but horsepower and torque remained the same as its most recent predecessor.

As production was coming to a close in 2002, customers were able to create a bespoke version of their 456M. Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show using Michael Schumacher's own 456M GT as an example, customers were able to specify their vehicle using the Carrozzeria Scaglietti Program, personalizing the vehicles to their own needs/wants. Cars built to this configuration were designated as a Tipo 456M GT(A) Scaglietti, sometimes known as the 456M GT 'Schumacher Edition' as Schumacher was the first to commission the car. A total of 30 owners participated in this program including ten with manual transmissions.

Michael Schumacher's 456M GT was personalized with cross-drilled Brembo brakes, a two-color paint scheme, re-worked instrumentation, custom leather interior, and an uprated handling package.

Production of the 456 lasted from 1992 through 2003 with 3,289 examples built during that time. It was succeeded by the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (Type F137) 2+2 coupe grand tourer which remained in production through 2011. Unlike the 456, the 612 was a true 4 seater with enough space in the rear seats to accommodate adults. It had a length of 193-inches and a wheelbase of 116.1-inches, compared to the 186.2-inches of the 456 (the 456M measured 187.5-inches) and a wheelbase of 102.4-inches. The six-liter V12 (5,748cc) engine powering the 612 delivered 533 horsepower at 7,250 RPM and 434 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options included a six-speed manual or the six-speed automated manual paddle-shift transmission. Production was handled at Ferrari's Carrozzeria Scaglietti plant. During its production lifespan, a total of 3,025 cars were built including 199 with a manual gearbox.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2021