It’s an exciting time in the automotive world as cars are experiencing one of the biggest revolutions of the last 120 years.
The first was the internal combustion engine, the next was the seatbelt followed by crumple zones and airbags, and now we have two more things that will change the car forever: the electric powertrain and autonomous driving technology.
If the Ferrari 456 has merit, it does not lie in the same place as the futuristic EV: it emits carbon – a lot of it – cannot drive itself, and is slower than the mass-produced sedan from a tech startup known as Tesla.
But it makes up for it with style, heritage, and the appeal of being thrust comfortably across a continent by a V12 that generates noise, smells, and vibrations – plus you can interact with the engine via a lever called a gear stick.
The best thing about the 456 is that it is about the cheapest way to get a slice of Ferrari pie and experience the automotive past, where we now view things through the rose-lensed glasses of nostalgia.
The Ferrari 456 Is Cheaper Than The Alternatives But Not Worse
If you’ve ever trawled the classifieds to see if there are Ferrari models that come into the budget, depending on your financial situation, you will be disappointed.
All the obvious and most pulse-quickening of the range are very expensive, and that’s before you factor in insurance, maintenance, and depreciation.
There is an abundance of websites that can offer you second-hand Ferraris, but we’ll stick with AutoTrader for now, as it likely won’t have the markup associated with specialty used supercar websites.
An F8 Tributo from 2020 or 2021 with low mileage will cost you from $400,000 dollars, while the older F12 from 2012 onwards will still fetch 230-330,000 dollars.
Looking at older GT cars, just below the 612 Scaglietti in the Ferrari family tree is the 456, the last car with pop-up headlamps and a 5.5-liter V12 under the sleek hood with 440 hp and the option of a manual.
A Ferrari 456 or 612 will not bother a Model S Plaid on a drag strip, but this is about comfort and effortless speed over brute force, even with a 5.7-liter V12, the Scaglietti manages 4 seconds to 60 mph behind the Tesla's 2 seconds.
The Cheapest Way To Ferrari Ownership Is To Buy As New As You Can
The 456's Pininfarina-supervised design, which is elegant, understated, and free from embellishments, ducts, scoops, and huge wings is one of the closest designs to the newer Ferrari Roma in terms of pureness and classic beauty.
There are older Ferrari models of course, but they’re climbing faster in value, more expensive, and that would be missing the point.
With an affordable Ferrari, you will still acquire a vehicle with a big appetite for big bills come maintenance time - plus insurance, which will be hard to swallow compared to your Toyota Camry.
AutoTrader also offers up the relatively-unloved and cheap-ish Ferrari Mondial 3.2 or 3.4 convertible for around 60,000 dollars.
The problem is here you enter even more dangerous territory with a fair potential for expensive repairs, possibly worse economy, and a downgrade in performance, creature comfort, reliability, and crash safety.
On the same website, the BMW M2 will cost you 60,000 upwards, so while the performance on offer there will not leave you wanting, it will never make you feel the same as you will having a prancing horse on your keyring.
Whichever you choose, the 456 looks to be good money right now, and they won’t stay this way forever in an automotive world that is disappearing fast into the rearview mirror.