RE: Ferrari 456: Spotted
Discussion
V8RX7 said:
My Dad (a classic car dealer) had one a few years ago and I drove it to a couple of shows, I was really underwhelmed and if you check my garage it's not like I drive Ferraris everyday.
It is a big heavy car - it drove like a bigger Supra - very much a GT car
His was an Auto and was deceptively quick - again great for crossing continents but not much fun, I was shocked to find loads of people taking photos of it as I arrived at the shows, I wouldn't swap my RX7 for it.
Oh and if you're crossing continents - you'll need a healthy credit rating - never mind the servicing costs - the mpg is appalling.
It took Dad almost 3 years to shift it for around £20k IIRC - a year later the prices went silly.
In fairness, 4-seater ferraris are designed as big GT cars for crossing continents incl loads of sound deadening, leather etc - so being heavy is kinda a given then. The mpg is indeed rather hilarious or painful ... at high speeds or city driving it is amazing how quickly a 90 liter tank can be gone, feels like it has a hole in the tank It is a big heavy car - it drove like a bigger Supra - very much a GT car
His was an Auto and was deceptively quick - again great for crossing continents but not much fun, I was shocked to find loads of people taking photos of it as I arrived at the shows, I wouldn't swap my RX7 for it.
Oh and if you're crossing continents - you'll need a healthy credit rating - never mind the servicing costs - the mpg is appalling.
It took Dad almost 3 years to shift it for around £20k IIRC - a year later the prices went silly.
MDL111 said:
In fairness, 4-seater ferraris are designed as big GT cars for crossing continents incl loads of sound deadening, leather etc - so being heavy is kinda a given then.
The mpg is indeed rather hilarious or painful ... at high speeds or city driving it is amazing how quickly a 90 liter tank can be gone, feels like it has a hole in the tank
Yes but there lies my problem with these cars - unlike in the 70's you can't use their speed - even if you could a '90's diesel will sit at 100+ all day and use a fraction of the fuel and probably be faster as it will get to the destination without a fuel stop (or two) The mpg is indeed rather hilarious or painful ... at high speeds or city driving it is amazing how quickly a 90 liter tank can be gone, feels like it has a hole in the tank
I recall Alan Clark saying his diesel Land Rover was faster than his Bentley over long distances for this reason.
Also Ferrari prices drop like a stone with mileage so we have a continent cruiser that will only sell if you don't use them to cross continents, that are slower in real terms than a diesel and whilst I'm far from an interior snob a modern Audi is nicer then a 456 interior - 5 years on I still remember the cheap and horrid switches.
Six figures! Is that a record for a service?67Dino said:
I’m firmly in the camp that thinks this is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Having hankered after one for a long time but been put off by the many stories of enormous running costs, I finally bit the bullet 2 years ago. My take is...
Pros:
- It IS beautiful, in a classy, discrete way
- The V12 is awesome: powerful, smooth and sonerous
- It handles with incredible poise for a car of this size and weight
- The auto box works brilliantly, and suits the car
- The interior looks every inch of the 200k it was new, with Prada handbag leather everywhere
- When you drive it you feel like a sauve Milanese businessman heading off to your Tuscan palazzo for the weekend.
Cons:
- Huge servicing costs
- The servicing costs are huge
- Did I mention the cost of servicing? It’s a lot. Really.
I absolutely love mine, and think they are hugely underrated. Plus, very conveniently, you get to pay the rest of the £100k+ price tag they should be worth in instalments (that’s my rationalisation anyway, and I’m sticking to it)
I applaud your choice in cars! Brilliant!Pros:
- It IS beautiful, in a classy, discrete way
- The V12 is awesome: powerful, smooth and sonerous
- It handles with incredible poise for a car of this size and weight
- The auto box works brilliantly, and suits the car
- The interior looks every inch of the 200k it was new, with Prada handbag leather everywhere
- When you drive it you feel like a sauve Milanese businessman heading off to your Tuscan palazzo for the weekend.
Cons:
- Huge servicing costs
- The servicing costs are huge
- Did I mention the cost of servicing? It’s a lot. Really.
I absolutely love mine, and think they are hugely underrated. Plus, very conveniently, you get to pay the rest of the £100k+ price tag they should be worth in instalments (that’s my rationalisation anyway, and I’m sticking to it)
Edited by 67Dino on Saturday 4th November 08:59
Could you elaborate on the running costs please? Are the parts staggeringly expensive or are they just hugely time consuming to work on? Or is it a combination of both?
Stunning car. All the rational talk of costs, investment potential, economics are irrelevant....this is a purchase from the heart, and the balls.
If you don't have the heart or the balls to fall in love with something like this at £40k, then go any buy a Golf R, or a Merc, or a whatever.
Ditto, the talk of how it isn't as pretty/good/solid/fast as XXXX, or how it looks like a <insert cheap imitation/Probe/406 coupe) are missing the point.
A friend of mine's father had one of the these in the early 90s (same blue but tan seats). I was lucky enough to drive it, the first Ferrari I'd ever driven. If I was smitten at the looks and was head over heels after driving it. The first dream car that I drove.
If you don't have the heart or the balls to fall in love with something like this at £40k, then go any buy a Golf R, or a Merc, or a whatever.
Ditto, the talk of how it isn't as pretty/good/solid/fast as XXXX, or how it looks like a <insert cheap imitation/Probe/406 coupe) are missing the point.
A friend of mine's father had one of the these in the early 90s (same blue but tan seats). I was lucky enough to drive it, the first Ferrari I'd ever driven. If I was smitten at the looks and was head over heels after driving it. The first dream car that I drove.
to3m said:
I agree with the Ford Probe comment, but it's not like the Ford Probe is super ugly or anything. If the worst thing you can say is "looks like a Ford Probe" then that's not bad going. Now you might ask whether one shouldn't aspire to higher things, this being a Ferrari and all that, and, well - you're in luck, because this car looks like a Ford Probe, only a lot better. Please tell us what more you want!
Though I still prefer the 365/400/412 myself.
Me too Though I still prefer the 365/400/412 myself.
I think looking at this on an equivalent platform to a diesel is missing the point.
Because if it were really down to that, we'd all be driving POS snotboxes.
For me, this is about having a choice, and knowing that you COULD have an iconic brand, which will do continent crushing miles, but more to the point, give you memories that will last a lifetime. Drive a 2.0 tdi across anywhere, and its a trip probably best forgotten. Smash the autostradas of europe in a powerful Ferrari, and the family will remember that trip for life.
To borrow a phrase from Johnnie Walker, do you want the car you pay for, or the car you want to drive?
Because if it were really down to that, we'd all be driving POS snotboxes.
For me, this is about having a choice, and knowing that you COULD have an iconic brand, which will do continent crushing miles, but more to the point, give you memories that will last a lifetime. Drive a 2.0 tdi across anywhere, and its a trip probably best forgotten. Smash the autostradas of europe in a powerful Ferrari, and the family will remember that trip for life.
To borrow a phrase from Johnnie Walker, do you want the car you pay for, or the car you want to drive?
Bobajobbob said:
He said more than 5 figures so £10k+ I guess. A friend of mine had one of these and he sold it for the same reason. Maintenance was shocking.
Yes, you are correct that’s what I meant.I suppose if you have the cash then it doesn’t matter. Me, well I’d always rather put the capital into the price of the vehicle not the maintenance.
My Jag XK/R was a simple proposition in this respect: everything was £500. Service, insurance, roadtax, tyres. A simple formula!
big_rob_sydney said:
I think looking at this on an equivalent platform to a diesel is missing the point.
Because if it were really down to that, we'd all be driving POS snotboxes.
For me, this is about having a choice, and knowing that you COULD have an iconic brand, which will do continent crushing miles, but more to the point, give you memories that will last a lifetime. Drive a 2.0 tdi across anywhere, and its a trip probably best forgotten. Smash the autostradas of europe in a powerful Ferrari, and the family will remember that trip for life.
To borrow a phrase from Johnnie Walker, do you want the car you pay for, or the car you want to drive?
I think you're missing the point - this car was designed for a niche that ended possibly 20 years before it was built - hence before the prices went silly it took years to sell them for half what they cost now.Because if it were really down to that, we'd all be driving POS snotboxes.
For me, this is about having a choice, and knowing that you COULD have an iconic brand, which will do continent crushing miles, but more to the point, give you memories that will last a lifetime. Drive a 2.0 tdi across anywhere, and its a trip probably best forgotten. Smash the autostradas of europe in a powerful Ferrari, and the family will remember that trip for life.
To borrow a phrase from Johnnie Walker, do you want the car you pay for, or the car you want to drive?
It doesn't have a fantastic interior, it doesn't have a great noise (as standard) you can't sit at 150mph these days....
back in the pre-children days, I was shopping for a 993 turbo and had driven three in two days. On a whim, I went to see a 456 (boggo spec manual...) that steered like it had some front-end damage hidden away.
But the feel of that V12 picking up, even from cold, at cul-de-sac speeds, will haunt me forever. Stopped looking for a porsche after that...
But the feel of that V12 picking up, even from cold, at cul-de-sac speeds, will haunt me forever. Stopped looking for a porsche after that...
There used to be one of these parked outside what used to be a lawyers (I think) and now I've no idea what at Worsley on the East Lancs road, in this exact blue, back in the 90's.
I always used to get excited coming up to it as we drove past on the way to Manchester because it was such a beautiful car and seeing any Ferrari as a kid is always exciting.
It's aged well though it's obviously a product of the 90's and will forever remain that way thanks to the pop-up headlights, it's still one of the prettiest Ferrari's ever made IMO.
Perfect for cruising down to the south of France then wafting round the Alps in Italy/Switzerland and back up the Autobahn at silly speeds.
I always used to get excited coming up to it as we drove past on the way to Manchester because it was such a beautiful car and seeing any Ferrari as a kid is always exciting.
It's aged well though it's obviously a product of the 90's and will forever remain that way thanks to the pop-up headlights, it's still one of the prettiest Ferrari's ever made IMO.
Perfect for cruising down to the south of France then wafting round the Alps in Italy/Switzerland and back up the Autobahn at silly speeds.
67Dino said:
Cons:
- Huge servicing costs
- The servicing costs are huge
- Did I mention the cost of servicing? It’s a lot. Really.
- Huge servicing costs
- The servicing costs are huge
- Did I mention the cost of servicing? It’s a lot. Really.
One imagines the service manager, for whom this sort of thing long ago became old hat, giving customers the unblinking "fish eye" when handing over the invoice.
And +1 on classy and understated. A lovely machine.
Regarding the automatic transmission that others here have mentioned, this article has some interesting bits:
The GTA’s transmission was an international effort, developed between Ferrari’s own engineers in Italy, transmission specialists FFD-Ricardo in Britain, and electronics experts Bosch in Germany. Embracing the latest computer electronic control systems, the gearbox’s ratios and shift characteristics are tailored to the 5.5-liter V-12’s thumping outputs of 436 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque.
As a starting point, FFD adopted the four-speed GM Hydra-matic, one of few automatics in the world capable of coping with so much power and torque.
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