Part of a long line of elegant 2+2 V12 Ferraris, the 456 was the first modern V12 Ferrari. When it appeared, it was exceptionally sophisticated in terms of both its technology and its performance. With a new V12 engine, it was Ferrari’s most powerful roadgoing V12 produced to date. The engine was paired with a gearbox with six speeds for the first time in a Ferrari, and was mounted at the rear, making it the first transaxle 2+2 Ferrari, a configuration previously reserved for Ferrari’s two-seat cars. With its 192 mph top speed, the 456 was the fastest 4-seat car available new at the time, and was only marginally slower than the 195 mph 512TR that was available elsewhere in Ferrari showrooms. The car genuinely represented a quantum leap forward, a thoroughly modern take on the evergreen grand tourer concept.
This particular car was sold new on the 14th of September 1994 in Switzerland and was owned by a woman who was then serving as the CEO of a firm outside Geneva. The car remained in the Geneva area until at least 2008. By the 2015, the car was in Germany, and was maintained by the Ferrari dealer Eberlein in Kassel from 2015 until it was sold to another German owner in 2020, who retained it until 2022 when the current, American owner bought and imported it.
Service invoices dating back to 2015 are included, show careful regular maintenance including timing belt services in 2015 and 2020. The interior sticky components were renewed in 2016 and the left and right window mechanisms were also replaced during this period. The most recent belt service was performed in October of 2020, at which time the rear shock absorbers and tires were also replaced. The gearbox oil, battery, alternator, motor mounts, soft brake lines, and all other fluids were also changed at this time.
Since the car’s arrival in the United States in December of 2022, the window regulators were rebuilt and the guide rails replaced (both windows work properly at this time), and the engine oil was changed, the brake fluid flushed, and both fuel filters were replaced. New hydraulic suspension accumulators have also been installed, as has a new water pump. The car comes with about ten years of service records, fitted car cover, books set including warranty and service books, and factory tool set.
