RE: Ferrari 456: Spotted

[Jex]

I wasn't sure about the looks until I saw one rather than looking at photos. I think they look much nicer in real life and the understatedness appeals, but having to budget so much for servicing means that I am unlikely ever to have one (besides it won't fit in my garage)

[JuniorD]

Article said: "no it probably won't ever become a classic"

Fair play for sticking your bks out, buy why do writers write things like this, which will be shown in time to be absolutely wrong?

[Davo456gt]

Love mine, even after having it for 11 years. Its a great GT car still.
so useful and great to drive with a manual gearbox.

servicing bills have never been that bad - budget on £2-3k year incl. bodywork and have a reserve just in case.

Edited by Davo456gt on Monday 6th November 10:41

[Davo456gt]

[ARFUR_DAILY]

"no it probably won't ever become a classic;"

I think someone's going to be eating their words one day......those subtle looks (one of the few modern-ish Ferraris that doesn't suggest, look at me, I'm a tt, IMO), that badge and that engine. It can't go any other way.

[paulg390]

Davo456gt said:

Love mine, even after having it for 11 years. Its a great GT car still.
so useful and great to drive with a manual gearbox.

servicing bills have never been that bad - budget on £2-3k year incl. bodywork and have a reserve just in case.

Edited by Davo456gt on Monday 6th November 10:41

Love mine too.. had it 5 years and agree servicing isn't as crippling as people seem to think as the cars are pretty bullet proof. Although I am sure they would be if you used Ferrari main dealers but there are loads of excellent independents around providing parts and expertise. I too agree (although I am obviously biased) that the design is a classic and seems to be maturing nicely with age.. I remember when I had a 308GT4 and people couldn't see the "beauty" so they were going for a song, now the angular looks are back in vogue (wish I had kept it )...

[GCH]

Beautiful cars.
A quick change of rims to update it (the wheels really do age it terribly) and you are sorted



Potentially ruinous running costs though....but just look at it


Where is the guy that bought on of these for (in Ferrari terms) shed money? He had quite a long thread detailing the running costs if i remember correctly..

Edited by GCH on Monday 6th November 15:43

[Rawwr]

Personally, I love it. I think it's one of the most beautiful Pininfarina designs ever. I think it's the most perfectly proportioned 2+2 in history. More than that; it's just plain pretty. This is before the days when everyone decided to make their cars looks as angry and aggressive as possible.

[hondansx]

It will go up in price, because it's a Ferrari.

The reality is it's an alright car. People can eulogise as much as they like, but this is a big GT - a wafter. It is not an engaging car to drive (my experience of the auto only) in the slightest and the V12 is pretty muted.

I agree it's certainly cooler now... a bit of an 'old money'. But the reality is they cost a shedload to run, look a bit off from some angles and have no rear legroom as a proper GT car. It's not a car to hustle, so is quite a small niche. Hence, they were cheap for a reason.

Don't mean to be negative, but basically these days any modern-classic from an aspirational badge is now suddenly the best thing since sliced bread. And if it's a manual people appear to start foaming from the mouth!

Also somewhat summed up by the slagging off of the RX7 - a car just as pretty, with an interesting engine and double-wishbone suspension. WAY better than a 456 as a driver's car; isn't that we're supposed to be about on here? But nah, it's a Ferrari. Must be better

[big_rob_sydney]

hondansx said:

It will go up in price, because it's a Ferrari.

The reality is it's an alright car. People can eulogise as much as they like, but this is a big GT - a wafter. It is not an engaging car to drive (my experience of the auto only) in the slightest and the V12 is pretty muted.

I agree it's certainly cooler now... a bit of an 'old money'. But the reality is they cost a shedload to run, look a bit off from some angles and have no rear legroom as a proper GT car. It's not a car to hustle, so is quite a small niche. Hence, they were cheap for a reason.

Don't mean to be negative, but basically these days any modern-classic from an aspirational badge is now suddenly the best thing since sliced bread. And if it's a manual people appear to start foaming from the mouth!

Also somewhat summed up by the slagging off of the RX7 - a car just as pretty, with an interesting engine and double-wishbone suspension. WAY better than a 456 as a driver's car; isn't that we're supposed to be about on here? But nah, it's a Ferrari. Must be better

I like JDM, having owned 4 impreza's, including a 22B. And it had work too. And as much as I loved that car, that doesnt mean that JDM is the be all and end all. I appreciate many things (not all), and while I thought the RX7 was a pretty good car (and in case you werent aware, they had a fabulous heritage in Australia, winning races against the pedigreed marques too), I still, funnily enough, like the Ferrari more.

As I mentioned in another thread, we don't all think alike, and while you may think they RX7 is the best car ever, not everyone thinks that way.

[Ed Straker]

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)

Edited by 67Dino on Saturday 4th November 08:59

Genius!
I've always loved these too, but you have just crushed any slim chance of owning one.
Going by this and other posts, I won't be moaning about McLaren servicing costs again....

[F40LM]

F1GTRUeno said:

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.

You're talking about the Astley/Leigh crossroads. The owner was a property developer and had a big house on Worsley Road, I used to work at Mitsubishi in Swinton, the guy had a Shogun and brought the 456 to the showroom several times (circa 1994) when it was new, it was a stunning car

[67Dino]

Thought I’d share a pic. Yes, it’s a hassle. But just look at it...

[Chris71]

hondansx said:

It will go up in price, because it's a Ferrari.

I love the 456, but I think that's undoubtedly true.

You only have to look at what happened to the 400i to realise that every Ferrari eventually has its day.

I suspect classic Alfas (SZs, RZs, Montreals, GTAs, Alfettas) and Maseratis are going up thanks to the people priced out of the once-relatively-affordable Ferrari alternatives too.