Got sent to this section by 456 guys....

Well Doc,
I did not go looking for my 400i. It found me through a friend.
I am not 55 any more but I do still have the Porsche 356 Super I bought in 1967. And the 1940 Zephyr I built and completed 5 years ago. Each is a different driving experience.
It boils down to whom you are trying to impress. Is it yourself or the multitude you pass by? The 400i will not turn heads and that is part of its alure.
I had the 356 out today to warm up the brakes, again. Someone actually followed me home to ask about the car. It turned out that he has a 356 SC cab so I guess it was OK.
That will not happen with a 400. No one knows what the car is and so they ignore it.
But if you want the Ferrari experience without the crowd factor, buy one.
Also, I must admit, I do not even know what a 456 looks like.
Greg

 

I think about 200 of these were built in Florida about 10 years ago.
The only reason I remember it at all is that I got beaten out of a sale for parts to built them.
A' Dios amigo,
Greg

 

Personally I think you should only go for a 400 if you have a passion for this car. If you're on the fence because you're unsure if its sporting enough you may have missed the whole point of this model.

Although things may be improving slowly, the majority of the car fraternity perceive this car as a pretty undesirable oddity and in some ways a bit of a laughing stock.

Those of us who love them simply don't care - it's not about perception, it's what the car is that matters and not what it isn't. I always look forward to getting mine out of the garage and tend to choose it over my other classics almost every time. (Note that I used the work classic, not future classic which is more appropriate for the 456).

It's expensive to run, quirky to own, not for the feint hearted, probably a ticking time bomb reliability wise and doubtful will ever provide a return on your investment but if the car has a meaning to you it just doesn't matter.

At the end of the day its only a car but think carefully before joining our exclusive club of misfits - these are not the easiest car in the world to move on if you change your mind.

 

Well said Russell. Like any exotic if you decide to sell you don't get all your money back.. that's just how it is for a devalued classic. Maybe in 10 or 20 years it will be a different story.

For those of us who ALSO have a vintage Mustang fastback... these cars feel PLENTy fast and handle great for a big car.

 

"Big" is a relative term. Here is what a "big" Ferrari 400i looks like compared to a Toyota Camry:
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John- They only look big in photos. I am always surprised how small they are when standing near one. Pretty, classic lines.

 

I mean "big" compared to the other Ferraris of the era.... Obviously they are quite small compared to today's cars.

 

I see, that is correct although the Queen Mary 365 GT 2+2 is at least longer than the 400i. Not sure about height,width or weight. I suspect the 400i is maybe bigger on some of those dimensions.

The picture of the 400i being dwarfed by a Ferrari 599 comes to mind.