FERRARI 456 GT Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Ferrari introduced an upgraded version for its luxurious 456 GT adding an M from "Modificata" (Modified) behind the nameplate.

Ferrari sold only a few hundreds of the wedged-style 412 model before axing it in 1989, and it took three more years to return with a proper GT vehicle with a front engine and rear-wheel-drive. But when it introduced the 456 GT in 1992, the customers rushed in. After six years on the market and close to 2,000 units sold, it refreshed the lineup in 1998 and launched the enhanced version: the 456M GT.

While it looked similar to the 1992 model, the 456 M featured a few modifications on the outside. At the front, it kept the pop-up headlights, but there was a new bumper with corner-mounted turn signals. Its fog lights were now round instead of squared and found their place in the lower apron, inside the wide three-slat grille. Ferrari removed the air vents from the hood and reshaped them with rounder lines.

Inside, the carmaker dramatically changed the interior. For starters, it replaced the dashboard and introduced round vents instead of the squared ones used before. Ferrari moved two gauges from the center stack inside the instrument panel and left only three of them under the center vents. That allowed the carmaker to install a stereo in front of the gear-stick instead of behind it as on the '92 model. Last but not least, it changed the seats and adorned them with horizontal stitches instead of vertical ones, and enhanced the headrests with the Prancing horse logo.

Under the hood, the carmaker kept the same 5.5-liter V-12 engine which produced 442 hp. It paired it as standard with a six-speed manual. Even in the base version, without any options added, it was the most expensive Ferrari.

Ferrari introduced the 456 in 1992 as its top-of-the-range model, bringing joy to customers who wished to drive the Italian GT vehicle daily.

With the 456, the Italian carmaker returned to the grand touring car market, offering a classic front-engine with a rear-wheel drive system. Its only flaw was that it was available exclusively with a manual gearbox. An excellent one, nevertheless, but still a three-pedal car.

If someone should imagine how a GT car should look, the 456 GT is one of the best, if not the best, example ever made. With its narrow front end and pop-up headlights and the lower, smiling grille integrated into the apron, Ferrari's flagship of the early '90s became a top seller. It was penned in Pininfarina studio by Pietro Carmadella. He made an aerodynamic shape with a wide windshield and a classic greenhouse design. Behind the front fenders, the designer carefully concealed a pair of exhaust vents for the air trapped inside the wheel wells. The traditional round taillights were replaced by oval ones at the back, while a quad exhaust peaked through the rear bumper.

Inside, the car featured two bucket seats at the front and a bench in the back. Of course, it was not that wide or roomy to comfortably accommodate two passengers. However, they were still there and used as an extra storage area. The carmaker left only two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer in the instrument cluster, plus the odometer. The rest of the control gauges were moved on the center stack while the sound system was mounted on the center console behind the gear stick.

Under the hood, Ferrari placed a naturally aspirated V12 powerplant. The Italian carmaker offered the automatic transmission only in 1996 before refreshing the lineup in 1997.