Ferrari 456 GTA

Maranellohouse

RMS Regular
Messages
1,822
Location
Italy, I Wish!
Drives
Italian
So I sold the Camaro because no matter what it just wouldn’t “transform” a couple of months ago. What to buy if anything next. Anyone who knows me knows just how much of a Tifossi I am but getting back into a Prancing horse wasn’t on the cards mainly due to a shortfall in funds. We actually considered buying a Motor home instead. However my long suffering wife had other ideas and worked her magic so here I am almost a week after getting one of my dream cars still trying to stop smiling and accepting it’s in The garage!

Its a 1997 456 GTA, 5.5 V12 with 40K on the clock and a full history. I bought it from Kent High performance and I cannot speak highly enough about them. From start to finish they have been excellent with communication, answering all my questions and so on. I flew to Gatwick and they lifted me from the airport and drove me to their place (almost an hour away), showed me all around their workshops and the storage shed. I was. In heaven.
The car was waiting for me in the showroom.

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it already had my plate on to.
They gave it a full service, new timing belts, new discs and pads, electronic wheel alignment and new tires. The car was everything and more than they describe.
Tea drank, tour over and photos taken.
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it was time to get it out of the showroom

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so why a 456, well simply I’m not getting any younger and with the arthritis playing up more these days a low car will start to be a struggle, plus I’ve always dreamed of owning a V12 Ferrari.

I drove the 240 miles through ENGLAND to my mates for dinner and by the first 30 mile I knew I’d bought the perfect car for me. It’s smaller than I remember them, which I like, is so easy to see out of, is comfy (on the softest setting) and boy is it quick.

Im in total love.

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Mont

RMS Regular
Messages
4,606
Location
Norn Iron
Drives
SupraMINIMX5
Lovely. Hope you get many enjoyable miles out of it.

I’d kind of forgotten these existed until I seen the one on Hoovies Garage recently.

I think they’ve aged very well.
 

Woodcutter

RMS Regular
Messages
31,236
That is unbelievable, a V12 Ferrari is a dream for any petrolhead. These have dated soooooo nicely and that’s the perfect colour combo for it.

Congrats!
 

roverspeed

RMS Regular
Messages
7,471
Location
Belfast
Drives
Insignia
Fantastic! one of my all time favourite cars, bar none.

Along with the 355, one of the last beautiful Ferraris. I never was wow'd by the 550 or 575, great cars but they didn't exude Ferrari the way a 456 does.

The ONLY thing I would change, would be a manual. But I completely understand a GT should be an auto.

Here is one of my favourite video clips of all time (ps don't try to repeat)

 

Uncle Buck

RMS Regular
Messages
380
Location
Co Antrim
Drives
Ford Focus
I saw one on Car Trek on Youtube where one was bought from Dubai in manual form and it did everything the hardcore models can do too throughout a week of driving and Top Gear style challenges. Such an awesome car
 

PeteL

RMS Regular
Messages
63
Drives
Audi
Oh my! That is totally fantastic. The 456 is a beautiful looking motor. Congratulations.

I remember looking at these in early 2010s and they were amazing value back then.
 

Ghisallo

RMS Regular
Messages
5,581
Location
Castle Anthrax
Beautiful! I saw that for sale when I was buying my F355 from them. I don’t think you could have bought a better car for the money. Congrats.

When did you collect it?
 

lightning

RMS Trader
Messages
2,848
Location
glenavy
Drives
volvo 740
Amazing cars, I still have the issue of performance car when they were launched and it was on the front cover. Looking forward to seeing it about.
 
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