Ferrari 456 | Buying Guide

SPECIFICATION | FERRARI 456 (1993-2003)

Engine: 5,474cc, V12
Transmission: 6-speed manual (GTA 4-speed auto), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 442@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 405@4,500rpm
0-62mph (secs): 5.2 (5.5 auto)
Top speed (mph): 186
Weight (kg): 1,690
MPG: 12 (before modern testing parameters)
CO2 (g/km): 495
Wheels (in): 8.5 x 17 (f), 10 x 17 (r)
Tyres: 255/45 (f), 285/40 (r)
On sale: 1993 - 2003
Price new: £161,000-£167,000
Price now: from £40,000

ENGINE & GEARBOX

The 5.5 V12 won the 'best over 4.0-litre' gong in the International Engine of the Year awards two years running (2000 and 2001). It offered a good range of noise from bassy rumble to the top-end fizz of 48 madly pumping valves, but at heart it was a barrel-chested thruster rather than the top-end screamer that later big Ferraris with trick intake systems would go on to become.

The 456 was one of the last proper cars to have throttle cables. These could stretch over time, causing buyers of some used 456s to wonder what all the fuss was about. Simple adjusters that Ferrari kindly provided for the purpose (not unlike what you might find on an older motorcycle's throttle or brake lever) would very often unleash a batch of 'missing' horsepower by permitting full rather than merely partial opening of the throttle.

When checking a 456 make sure that the engine is dry and not losing oil (often from the cam covers) or coolant. There were several recalls early on to address possible leaks in just about every area where leaks were possible - fuel, transmission fluid, engine oil, coolant, brake fluid - so you'd like to think that none of these should be a particular problem today. Just keep an eye on hoses in general and particularly the ones located in or near the V of the engine. Check also the integrity of any aluminium parts in the vicinity of the exhaust manifold. The mount for the fuel pump (inside the tank) isn't mega-strong, either. If it breaks up, the fuel flow to the engine will break down. Engine mounts will eventually need replacing, too. The manual transmission's oil cooler needs monitoring too. It's all part of the fun of owning an old motor.

The gated six-speed manual is lovely to use. A bit heavier than more recent Ferrari manuals as you might expect, but for many old-schoolers a degree of resistance in that area will be a plus point. The 456 manual certainly doesn't suffer from anything like the cold-temp baulkiness of vintage Ferrari open-gaters. The 456 box can occasionally pop out of reverse as a consequence of circlip failure. A 50p part, probably, but a lot more than that to access and replace.

The GM torque-converter auto was strong and fixable by any US car specialist, and it came with the classic ball-topped shift lever. You might not think that an auto was in keeping with a V12, even a torquey one like the 456's, but whatever you might think doesn't matter because it was a very popular choice. Seven out of ten 456 buyers went for that option when it became available in 1996, an interesting insight into the customer base. Over the 456's entire ten-year run the split between manuals and automatics was near-even.

The fuel tank held 110 litres, or just over 24 UK gallons. At today's petrol prices (Feb 2022) it will cost you a lot to fill it, around £170, and you'll be getting your card out again for a similar beating in under 300 miles if you're getting the 12mpg that these 456s routinely return.

Talking of crazy costs, maintenance plus Ferrari usually equals vast expense, but in fact there are no scarily high-priced requirements on the 456 and the electronics are relatively straightforward compared to what we have now. A specialist like Kent High Performance Cars will want £745 for an annual service and their 456 labour rate is £95 an hour. A philosophy of 'use it or lose it' should serve you well as 456s don't take kindly to being left untended in a garage, heated or otherwise.

Intervals for cambelt replacement (for which the engine does not have to be removed) have been extended from the original, slightly crazy three years to a more sensible five. KHPC will charge £750 for that. The 456 engine had solid valve lifters so technically speaking valve clearances should be checked at 32,000 miles or whatever frequency your friendly local specialist recommends (there are different schools of thought on it). Having said that, those checks will usually show that everything is OK, but it would be a false economy to give it a swerve.

CHASSIS

Despite the monster engine up front Ferrari managed to get it far enough back in the chassis, in conjunction with the transaxle gearbox, to deliver a 51/49 front/back weight distribution. It's not the most agile car on the road but it does have a reassuring solidity about it. The ZF Servotronic steering is quite light but reasonably direct at 2.5 turns lock to lock.

Suspension was independent double wishbone with coil springs. The three-way adjustable dampers were fine in the medium setting, tolerable in hard and a bit compromised in soft on British roads. The hydraulic self-levelling rear suspension wasn't like today's sophisticated systems which constantly tweak the suspension to suit every road condition. The 456 system was there to keep the car level under a full load. Split diaphragms in the accumulators will lock and burst the rear dampers, which can also independently leak. Genuine Ferrari accumulators are over £600 each, but you will find from owner websites that certain BMW ones will do the job for a fraction of that price. Bilstein UK will rebuild your sloppy shocks for a reasonable sum (not much more than £100 each). The 456 is not a light car so used 456s will usually respond well to a bushing and damper refresh every six years as these parts can crack and rust respectively.

Brake fluid changes at the right frequency are vital because old fluid will crystallise in the pipes and you don't want that. Duff brake pressure switches will put the suspension permanently into hard mode and you don't want that, either.

A 456 always looks under-wheeled with the standard five-spoke 17-inch rims, but the vast majority of owners (UK ones at least) seem to have resisted the temptation to upsize.

BODYWORK

Apart from the steel floors and sills, and the bonnet which was composite, the 456's bodywork consisted of aluminium panels welded to a tubular steel spaceframe, a process made possible by the use of feran, a special sandwich filler not made by Heinz. Steel rusts, as you know, but thankfully the sills were bolt-on items.

As mentioned in the Overview, '98-on Modificata cars had carbon fibre bonnets. Break one of those beyond repair and you'll be looking at something in the region of £10k for a replacement. These cars were also the last Ferraris to have pop-up headlights. Needless to say these can conk out, in the 456's case usually as a result of rust affecting a steel disc in the mechanism, and/or a dodgy diode.

The 456 body is quite colour sensitive. Some would say that silver makes it look anonymous. Tour de France blue or Swaters Blu, named after Belgian racer Jacques Swaters, look amazing in strong sunlight.

Milkiness can infest the corners of both front and rear screens with delamination a potential problem on the back one. Rear quarter windows can break. If that happens on a Modificata (where they are slightly bigger than on non-M cars) replacement glasses are £1,250 each.

Earlier 456s suffered from big problems with window regulators and glass gaps. Ferrari had several goes at getting it right. Any car you buy now should have no problems, but it would be good to see evidence of new regulators having been fitted at some point because repair costs for borkery in this department go well into four figures if you don't fancy risking a YouTube DIY fix.

INTERIOR

There are four adult seats in a 456. Your passengers will be very cosily bucketed in the back, while up front you will be wondering why Italians really did have such short legs in relation to the rest of their bodies. You might also find yourself wondering how anybody with navvy-sized hands could operate the fly-off handbrake squeezed between the seat and the door. Keeping the poorly routed handbrake cable at the right tension is a regular task for 456 owners.

Some of the trim will rattle and the switchgear can get 'sticky' over time unless it's been treated to avoid that. Oddly this stickiness is often more of an issue on later M cars. Some cars had trouble with a weird bubbling of the dashtop, door and steering wheel face leathers. The minor instruments aren't easy to read, but who cares because they look great.

Seats have been known to stick in the upright position so check that the adjustment works on any car you're looking at. It's also essential to keep the air-con nicely serviced. The boot is reasonably spacious and will take a fair few squashy bags or (so it is said) a bag of golf clubs. Check that for yourself though if you're a player, don't listen to us.

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