Footnotes

• Not since the 412's demise in 1989 had Ferrari offered a '2+2', and when the 456GT debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1992 it was obvious that the long awaited newcomer eclipsed all Maranello's previous four-seater Grand Tourers. Although new from stem to stern, the 456GT 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 456GT a worthy competitor for Bentley, Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz.
  Owned by the lady vendor from new, this automatic transmission example has benefited from a 'no expense spared' programme of routine maintenance that has seen some £23,000 spent on it over the past ten years, mostly with H R Owen (bills on file). The most recent major service was carried out by marque specialists Rosneath Engineering in 2010 when work included checking the valve clearances, changing the cam belts, servicing the gearbox and a full safety check. Rosneath Engineering described the car as 'a fabulous example of a 456 and most of the usual problems are not apparent.'
  Fitted with a Tracker device, the car is offered with its Ferrari leather wallet and instruction manuals, stamped service book, a quantity of expired MoTs and tax discs, MoT to 27th May 2011 and Swansea V5C document. It should be noted that the current personalised registration is being retained by the vendor.
  

Auction Notices

• The chassis number for this vehicle is 110693, not 110396 as catalogued.

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Category: Motoring / Motor Cars

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