Used Ferrari 456 cars for sale

The Ferrari 456 was one of Luca di Montezemolo’s defining cars of the '90s: a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive grand tourer that put usability alongside traditional Ferrari performance. Its understated Pininfarina styling concealed four seats, a generous boot and a magnificent V12.

The 442hp 5.5-litre engine drove through a rear-mounted six-speed transaxle, contributing to a 51:49 weight distribution. The 456 lacked the sharp responses of Ferrari’s two-seaters, but compensated with reassuring solidity and effortless pace. Better still, the gated manual avoided much of the cold baulkiness associated with older Ferraris, while the V12 offered abundant low-down torque.

Running one still requires commitment. Fuel economy of 12mpg is sobering enough, while parts such as a £1,250 replacement quarter-light underline the potential costs of ownership. Even so, values have long appeared modest beside the engineering, performance and sense of occasion on offer. For the price of a mid-spec German saloon, the 456 remains a discreet and genuinely usable way into a manual V12 Ferrari.