Ferrari 412: Luxurious Performance & Practicality - The Ideal Grand Tourer
As a replacement and updated version for the 400i, the four-seater coupé Ferrari 412 was introduced with a series of improvements in April 1985. The 412 shares the same body, chassis, and engine as the Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 and 400, which evolved over time.
The new and improved 412 was produced between 1985 and 1989 with both manual and automatic transmissions available. The 412 improvements saw an upgraded 4.9 litre fuel injected V12 engine and, as a first for Ferrari, a Bosch ABS system.
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The bigger engine increased power for the 412, going up to 340 hp - giving it a top speed of 155 mph. Like its predecessors, it was fitted with a 5-speed manual or had an option for a 3-speed automatic.
Pininfarina made subtle tweaks to modernise the 412 model with modified alloy wheel design, clear turn signal lenses, and black windshield and window surrounds. The exterior saw new plastic, body-coloured bumpers, a larger rectangular door mirror, and a revised rear quarter panel which gave a less pronounced slope to the rear end.
The body was slightly altered to raise the rear deck to give more luggage space which also helped improve the car's aerodynamics along with a deeper front spoiler. It was also fitted with what was then the latest metric-sized flat faced wheels and Michelin TRX rubber on the star pattern alloys.
An interesting fact - a black 1987 Ferrari 412 featured in Daft Punk’s 2007 independent film Electroma. This was later auctioned for charity for Japan disaster relief for almost $42,000.
The ‘412’ name reflects the swept volume of a single cylinder - 412 cc - as the V12 grew to 4,943 cc. With only 576 examples produced, the 412 stands as a rare and often overlooked chapter in Ferrari’s grand touring history - and the final, refined expression of a design lineage that endured for over 16 years.
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