Ferrari 456 GT Coupé, 1995
Ferrari 456 I (456)
Ferrari 456 I (456)•
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Chassis No.: ZFFSP44C000100729
Estimate: £40,000 - £45,000 GBP
- Delivered new in the UK
- Manual transmission
- Exceptionally well maintained
- Full specialist service history
Not since the 412's demise in 1989 had Ferrari offered a '2+2' and when the 456 GT debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1992 it was obvious that the long awaited newcomer eclipsed all Maranello's previous four-seat Grand Tourers. Although new from stem to stern, the 456 GT incorporated elements familiar to generations of Ferrari
cognoscenti
- front-mounted four-cam V12, rear transaxle, tubular steel spaceframe chassis and all-independent suspension - while making an appearance for the first time were electronically-controlled adaptive suspension and a six-speed gearbox (there was also an optional automatic).
Essentially a de-tuned version of that powering the 550 and 575, the new 5.5-litre V12 unleashed no less than 442bhp at a lowly 6,250rpm, yet remained smooth and tractable from idling speed to red-line thanks to its state-of-the-art engine management system. F40 excepted, the 456 was the most powerful road car developed by Ferrari up to that time, yet despite delivering supercar performance this relatively unstressed engine has proven to be very reliable.
For the 456 Pininfarina worked its magic once more to create a subtly beautiful curvaceous body contrasting with the hard edges of its predecessor. Although bereft of extraneous aerodynamic devices, the 456 remained stable up to its maximum of around 190mph, a figure that made it the world's fastest production four-seater passenger car. Acclaimed on its debut, the 456's styling has not dated and is a tribute to Pininfarina's farsightedness in creating one of most successful designs of modern times. An air-conditioned interior, sumptuous Connolly leather trim, perfectly weighted power steering and Porsche-rivalling build quality all combined to make the 456 GT a worthy competitor for Bentley, Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz.
A rare and desirable manual transmission model, this Ferrari 456 GT was sold by Maranello Concessionaires, Egham on 6th January 1995 to the Singaporean billionaire hotelier Kwek Leng Beng and registered to his Millennium & Copthorne Hotel Group's South Kensington address. Subsequently the Ferrari was owned between 2000 and 2011 by Sir Bruce MacPhail, Managing Director of P &O.
This car's service history is reassuringly comprehensive, there being no fewer than 18 services recorded with recognised specialists (mainly Graypaul) between 21st October 1996 at 6,905 miles to 14th June 2018 at 64,440 miles (the current odometer reading is 64,839 miles). Recent works include refreshment of the paintwork and sills, etc between and 2018 and 2019 by Fiennes Restoration at cost of circa £20,000, and various electrical and mechanical works by Kent High Performance prior to last MoT in October 2019 at a cost of circa £6,000. Described by the private vendor as in good condition throughout, this exceptionally well maintained Ferrari 456 GT comes complete with its leather service folder, owner's manual, leather case and tools, history file, V5C document, and current MoT.
