Ferrari 456
Encyclopedia
The Ferrari 456 and 456 M is a front-engined grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
. The 456 was produced from 1992 until 2003. It was an overdue replacement for the defunct front-engined 412 as the company's premium 4-seat V12 car. The updated 456M was replaced in 2004 by the 612 Scaglietti
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a grand tourer produced by Ferrari between 2004 and 2010. It is a large two door fastback coupé. The 612 Scaglietti was designed to replace the smaller 456 M; its larger size makes it a true 4 seater with adequate space in the rear seats for adults.The design,...
. It was the last Ferrari model to use pop-up headlamps
Hidden headlamps
Hidden headlamps, also commonly known as pop-up headlamps or headlights, are an automotive styling feature that conceals an automobile's headlamps when they are not in use...
.
456
The PininfarinaPininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
designed original 456 was available in GT and (from 1996) GTA forms. The difference in name signifies the transmission: the former has a six-speed manual and the latter has a four-speed automatic developed in partnership with FF Developments, in Livonia, MI (which was later purchased by Ricardo Engineering in the UK). This was only the fourth automatic transmission ever offered by Ferrari.
The 5.5 L (5474 cc) 65° V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine was derived from the Dino V6 rather than the more conventional 60° V12s used in the 412 and Daytona
Ferrari Daytona
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...
. It produced 436 hp with 4 valves per cylinder and Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management. It could push the 1690 kg car and four passengers to 302 kilometre per hour making it the world's fastest production four-seater. Acceleration to 100 kilometre per hour was just 5.2 seconds, with a 13.4 second quarter-mile time. At the time of its development it was the most powerful road car ever developed by Ferrari (aside from the F40).
The name 456 is derived from the fact that each cylinder displaces 456 cubic centimeters. This was the last Ferrari to use this naming convention. It is essentially a detuned version of the engine that appears in the 550 and 575. Despite its supercar performance, the 456 has a relatively unstressed engine, which has proven to be a very reliable unit.
The chassis is a tubular steel spaceframe construction with a one-piece composite bonnet and body panels of aluminium. The body panels are welded to the chassis by using a special "sandwich filler" called feran that, when laid between, allows steel and aluminium to be welded.
Approximately 3,289 of all versions were built. These consisted of the following versions: 456 GT: 1,548; 456 GTA 403;456M GT 688; 456M GTA 650.
456 M
The Modificata 456 M appeared in 1998, starting with chassis number 109589. Many changes were made to improve aerodynamics and cooling, and the interior – still featuring Connolly LeatherConnolly Leather
Connolly Leather was for over 125 years, a British company supplying highly finished leather primarily to car manufacturers. The term is also used to describe the particular brand of leather itself, when fitted in a car interior....
– was freshened with new seats and other conveniences (fewer gauges on dash, and a new Becker stereo fitted in front of gearstick rather than behind as in the very shallow and special Sony head unit in the 456 GT). Some readily apparent changes can be seen in the two adjoining pictures. The 456 has a smaller grille with fog lights outside the grille. The 456 also had hood-mounted air scoops which can be seen removed on the 456 M. The undercarriage spoiler on the 456 M is fixed, where the older 456 had a motorized spoiler that began its deployment above 105 kilometre per hour. Power was up slightly on the Modificata now using Bosch Motronic 5.2 engine management at 442 hp; the firing pattern was changed for smoother running, and the torque remained the same for later versions of the 456 GT. In the final year of production 2002/3 customers could specify their vehicle using the Carrozeria Scaglietti Program. Launched at the 2002 Geneva show using Michael Schumacher's own 456M GT as an example, customers could work with Ferrari personnel to create a highly individual car. Schumacher's car had a two colour paint scheme, custom leather interior, re-worked instruments, an uprated handling pack and cross-drilled Brembo brakes. Such cars would be thus designated as a Tipo 456M GT(A) Scaglietti.
Rare body styles
While the 456 fastbackFastback
A fastback is a car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back. The word can also designate the car itself. The style is seen on two-door coupés as well as four-door sedans.-History:...
coupé was the only version to hit showrooms, four other rare body styles exist:
- The rarest is the Ferrari 456 GT Sedan. Two 4-door sedans (saloons) were built by Pininfarina especially for Nafsas Al Khaddaja of BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. They are the only known Ferrari 456 sedans in existence.
- A wagon (estate)Station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
called the Ferrari 456 GT Venice was also built. Only a small handful were made by Pininfarina. Prince Jefri BolkiahPrince Jefri BolkiahPrince Jefri Bolkiah, full name His Royal Highness Pengiran Digadong Sahibul Mal Pengiran Muda Jefri Bolkiah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien , is a member of the Brunei Royal Family...
of BruneiBruneiBrunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
ordered seven to be built. After Pininfarina designed and built them, the prince only purchased six. Each wagon is rumored to have cost the Sultan around 1.5 million U.S. dollars.
- A convertible version called the Ferrari 456 GT Spyder also exists. Two of these convertibles were built by Pininfarina especially for the Sultan of BruneiHassanal BolkiahGeneral Haji Sir Hassan al-Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah GCB GCMG is the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the 29th Sultan of Brunei and the first Prime Minister of Brunei Darussalam...
. There are also two aftermarket conversions made by the R. Straman Company of Costa Mesa, CaliforniaCosta Mesa, CaliforniaCosta Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
. Boxer Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
bought one such convertible.
- A targa topTarga topTarga top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1966 Porsche 911 Targa, and it remains a registered trademark of Porsche AG....
version. An aftermarket conversion on a 456GTA once belonging to Shaquille O'NealShaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
. Additional work included removal of the rear seats, to facilitate longer seat rails, and a custom sound system.
Awards
The 5.5 L V12 engine won the "over 4 litre" class of the International Engine of the YearInternational Engine of the Year
The International Engine of the Year is an annual competition for automotive industry internal combustion engines, judged by a panel of automobile journalists from around the world. It is organised by the United Kingdom's largest technical motoring, aerospace and traffic management publication...
award for 2000 and 2001.
External links
- Official website
- 456gt.com — a register of 456 GTs plus other owner information