JarodL's model thread got me thinking about the first R&T Magazine I ever purchased (Top speed shootout between the Bugatti Eb110, 456 Diablo VT and some others)...

to me they are right up there with the 550 as a modern Ferrari beauty. Searching ebay etc, you can get a (seemingly) decent example for mid 50's. What do they drive like? similar luxo coupes of the era or any better? What is their reliability like compared to a SL600, DB7 Vantage etc?

 

I can't comment on long-term reliability, but since it's got a prancing horse on the badge and a V12 under the hood, don't expect service to be cheap. My guess would be that average maintenance costs would be around 2X that of the SL600 and maybe an extra 1.5X that of the DB7.

I have to agree with you that they are timelessly classic looking. Probably the best looking 2+2 car Ferrari ever built, imo.

 

+1 ^

We have a running joke in the family about 456's...

 

Let's hear it!

 

The SL600 is pretty expensive to service I've got a friend with a 1993 SL, a relative of mine has a 456 and the 575m he services the 456 not in an authorized Ferrari dealer but at a specialized Ferrari garage and yes they can get pretty expensive to fix.

 

I remember the first time seeing a 456 on the road in the 90's and thinking it was absolutely disgusting and not deserving of the Ferrari badge. I still maintain that opinion.

 

Its a Ferrari that if you drive hard people will notice you, but when you're around town its just a slick car. I would take a 456 over a 550 to go cross country in, and probably in that blue. On most cars, I try to picture them in this combo, as this was the first car that really made me wonder what "the next best car" would be. It started it all.

 

Check your rep, which i left on your original post - it rings even more true after that comment!

No way would any sane person take a POS 456 over a 550, you're barmy!

 

No way can a 456 compare to this:

 

The 456 does absolutely nothing for me.