Modern Ferraris are faster than the law allows. Actually, it’s kind of embarrassing to pull up to a valet stand and have everyone assume that you’re a crypto bro. So, if you love the prancing horse brand but would rather enjoy your Modena stallion without drawing attention, may we suggest a Ferrari 400i like this one recently offered for sale on eBay in Romulus, NY.
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The 400i comes from a long line of Ferrari grand tourers. These powerful V-12 cruisers were built for shuttling occupants across long distances in style and comfort. Its heritage dates to the 1960 250 GT/E, when Ferrari took its legendary Colombo V-12 engine - opens in new window or tab. and shoved it into a 2+2 body that fit twice the number of occupants as a typical Ferrari.
Almost as Boxy as a Volvo
The 400i is one of the boxiest Ferraris ever built. The Pininfarina design made its debut at the 1972 Paris Motor Show. It was controversial, but quite avant-garde for its time, foreshadowing the rectilinear lines that would dominate 1980s design.
The model launched as the 365 GT4 2+2, but by 1976 a bigger 4.8-liter V-12 bumped the name to 400. In 1979, an electronic fuel injection system by German supplier Bosch replaced the Weber carburetors - opens in new window or tab. and added an “i” to the name.
The Ferrari 400i was never officially sold in the US, but gray market imports found their way across the Atlantic. It boasted the brand’s first automatic transmission, a General Motors TH400 three-speed - opens in new window or tab.. Buyers preferred the leisurely drive—automatics outsold five-speed manual examples two-to-one.
The car for sale has an un-Ferrari-like 93,230 miles on the odometer. The seller put 55,000 of those miles on it in 16 years, a feat not possible without sorting out electrical gremlins in the process. This Ferrari even blows cold A/C.
Well Used and Well Loved
The seller discussed this car frequently on FerrariChat - opens in new window or tab., the best forum for Ferrari owners. The sale comes with a binder full of maintenance receipts.
Ferrari built only 1,305 examples of the 400i during its six-year run before the company replaced it with the 412. For decades, its polarizing styling kept values low. The $55,000 price is quite fair, and one of the least expensive ways to add a classic Ferrari to your stable. Nostalgia for 1980s cars and aesthetics is at an all-time high.
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