A force to be reckoned with on a winding road or charging down the autostrada; the Ferrari 456M GTA is a very civilized 2+2 coupe that follows in the footsteps of the prior 400i and 412i models. The 456 series was introduced in 1992 and continued to give the Ferrari owner an opportunity to thrill (or worry) two rear seat passengers. The car’s pace is without question a common Ferrari feature and this model will reach an approximate 185-mph top speed and will accelerate from 0- to 60-mph in 5.1 seconds. It was the world’s fastest production four-seater when offered as a new car.

The 456 became Ferrari's new flagship Grand Tourer, and would remain in production until 2003 with 3,289 examples built in total, in all guises. The 456 boasted many firsts for Ferrari in terms of new technology and design integrations; it would also however mark many lasts as well, such as the popular pop-up headlights found on many Ferraris. Replaced only by the 612, the 456 exudes luxury and performance that only Ferrari can deliver. Variants were produced in the GT, M GT, GTA, and M GTA formats. Of those 688 are reported being 456M GTAs like this fine machine.

Ferrari introduced the 456 model in 1992, and later released the 456M in 1998. It featured the traditional V-12 front-engine rear-wheel drive configuration and represented Ferrari’s Grand Tourer offering. The ‘M’ designation stood for Modificata as the models had many changes compared to the standard 456. This included better cooling, improved aerodynamics, new interior design and subtle changes to the exterior. The engine produced the same power, but featured a different firing order for smoother operation.

The 456M, in its GT and four-speed automatic gearbox GTA versions, brought the evolution of a particularly well received model to clients who in a Ferrari appreciate roominess combined with flexibility of use. It was a further step in the company’s tradition of 2+2 cars. The 456M provided a high performance 5.5-liter (5,474-cc), 436-hp V-12 four valves per cylinder, DOHC, dry sump engine with Bosch Motronic M2.7 engine management. The name 456 is derived from the fact that each cylinder displaces 456 cubic centimeters. This was the last Ferrari to use this naming convention until the 488.

The Pininfarina design optimized the most rational way to roominess and maximum performance in terms of safety and easy driving positioning with a front engine and rear gearbox. The aerodynamics was a top priority, the particular shape of the front spoiler and bonnet and the development of a rear extractor provided an improvement in the 456M forecarraige lift and creates a solid feel for the road unwinding in front of you.

The Ferrari 456M is built around a tubular steel chassis on which the aluminum bodywork is welded by a particular procedure where the two parts are united with the interposition of a special material named Feran. This process allows aluminum’s lightness to come together with steel’s rigidity. Keeping weight in mind, the front decklid is made from carbon fiber.

The four-seat cockpit is upholstered in Connolly leather with the rear seats being separate in the fashion of bucket seating, while the fronts are electronically assisted with position memory. Other equipment included power assisted ventilated four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, power assisted rack-and-pinion steering, analog instrumentation with a check panel, air conditioning, alloy wheels and power windows.

This stunning 2000 Ferrari 456M GTA is lined in beautifully crafted black leather. The luxurious platform also features tilt steering column, rear window defogger, Ferrari logo floor mats and ample trunk stowage area.

The Ferrari 456 was the marque’s first car designed with the 21st century in mind and remains much appreciated by Ferrari clientele for the way it provides saloon-class comfort and roominess combined with class-leading performance. Mr. Ferrari would surely approve.