Spotted: 1996 Ferrari 456 GTA

Does a Ferrari on the cheap mean it has to be nasty?

This could be as cheap as 456s get...

There will be a chance to buy what could be one of the cheapest Ferrari 456s on the market at BCA Manchester this Friday. But should that news encourage you to make a bee-line for the auctioneers, or to run for the hills instead?

Good used examples of the forerunner to the 612 Scaglietti tend to start in the mid-twenties, but according to a colleague in the trade who pointed this one out it will probably go for around £15,000... or possibly even less. Now we've all seen 412s and the occasional 308GT4 going for beer money, but a 436bhp, V12, aluminium-bodied GT from the Schumacher era?

...so would you?

Fair enough, it's an automatic - which will put some people off in itself - and the driver's seat outer bolster is scuffed. There are a few minor dings and scrapes about the body too... oh, and the glove box lid appears not to want to close. Generally speaking the car looks like it's been well-used, but apart from that the rest of the news isn't too bad.

It's showing 63,000 miles and comes with a receipt showing that it had £3,000 spent on a service and some remedial work last September when it was on 58,000 miles. The service history is ultimately incomplete, but there are nine stamps in the book and receipts for other work by specialists.

It'll be interesting to see what it goes for on Friday, but if you can't wait until then and can get to BCA in Nottingham on Thursday 22nd, there will be a host of other less-modestly priced Fezzas going under the hammer.

It's showing some scuffs...

The red 2002 F360 Spider could be a cheap way to get into a ragtop Ferrari. The CAP Clean price on it is currently £37,500 and it's showing 25,000 miles, but it carries with it a Cat-D status which should knock at least 25% off the market value - and maybe even more at auction.

The black 2008 F430 Spider has covered just 2,900 miles and isn't showing any recorded damage. CAP Clean on this should be £86,600 - which is a lot next to the F360, but then again a very similar car to the F430 was sold by BCA last May for twenty grand more. Also in the Nottingham sale will be a 2007 612 Scaglietti (CAP value £88,400) and a 1991 Testarossa (£33,800). Apologies for the less-than-marvellous pics of the Nottingham cars, but we pinched them in order to save you the hassle of registering. Of course, if you do want to register (it's free), follow the instructions and then search for Ferraris.

...and a few dings are included, too

Could you be tempted by the opportunity of a Ferrari like the 456 which has surely now done all of its depreciating but which might need some TLC? Or would the potential for expensive trouble put you off?

Either way, the signs are that there are some bargains to be had in the luxury/prestige market - for the brave or the foolish...