1985 Ferrari 400i Automatic

Coachwork by Pininfarina

Footnotes

Launched at the 1976 Paris Salon, the 400 GT had acquired a 4.8-litre version of Ferrari's four-cam V12 engine but otherwise differed from its 365 GT/4 2+2 predecessor only in detail. The 400 GT reaffirmed Ferrari's determination to compete with the world's finest luxury sports saloons and was intended to attract the type of mature yet discerning customer who previously might have opted for a Bentley or Mercedes-Benz. This latter requirement made the option of automatic transmission a necessity. The unit chosen - General Motors' three-speed Hydramatic - was widely regarded as the world's best, having been used by Cadillac and subsequently by Rolls-Royce and Jaguar among others. Ferrari's splendidly equipped 2+2 featured self-levelling independent rear suspension, power-assisted steering, electric windows and optional air conditioning. Sadly, even after it received fuel injection, the 400 GT - now the 400i GT - remained effectively a Europe-only model because of the expense involved in crash-testing two cars for US safety assessment. By the time production of the final 412 version ceased in 1989, Ferrari's finest 2+2 had been in production for a remarkable 17 years, though its exclusivity meant that there were seldom more than 200 sold in any one year.

Originally built to European specification, this automatic transmission 400i left the factory finished in white but is now Nero (Black) with a re-upholstered tan interior. An older restoration, the Ferrari has spent time in the USA (hence the speedometer in mph) and the Carfax can trace its history up to 2000 when the car was titled in Nevada. The current owner purchased the car in 2018 and imported it into Belgium. It seems that only some 6,000 miles (circa 9,600 kilometres) were covered in the last 20 years. The car is offered with an old US State of Missouri Certificate of Title and comes with EU import taxes paid.