Leonardo Fioravanti, who works at Pininfarina, must have looked pleased when his design, that of the 365 GT4 2+2, was so well received. Futuristic, elegant for such a large car and of course also equipped with fantastic technology. The 400i is the successor to the 365 GT4, where the new name is of course again approximately the capacity of one cylinder. And that is also true here: the enormous twelve-cylinder is 4,823 cc in size. No calculator is needed to calculate that this is reasonably correct.
The 400i is also the first car to be supplied with an automatic transmission, partly due to demand from America. Ferrari chooses to only build a closed version of the 400i, but it appears that there is a relatively high demand for convertibles. And so, with the approval of Il Commendatore, some bodywork companies also make conversions into convertibles.
The body looks very neat and the paintwork is in very good condition in almost all places. Fits are very neat and that is extra nice with black paint because all irregularities stand out well. With such a car, the convertible top is of course essential and we must say: it looks very fresh. The hood can be operated electrically and connects nicely everywhere. The tonneau cover is in good condition. Items such as the windows and door rubbers are all in very good condition. The car stands on the original wheels fitted with tires in the correct sizes.
The inside of the Ferrari is also in a neat, well-kept condition. The supple cognac-colored leather is well maintained. The dashboard is completely original and all instruments and controls function as they should. The interior of the Ferrari 400i immediately shows that this is a top Gran Tourer. The interior is wonderfully spacious and is especially geared to relaxed touring. The seats are therefore extremely comfortable and the back seat is also remarkably spacious for a Ferrari from this period.
The technology has been well maintained over the years. The 4.8 liter F101D V12 is in this case coupled to a three-speed automatic transmission. The automatic transmission fits very well with the relaxed and GT-like character of this Ferrari. The rear is equipped with a level control and the front also has fully independent suspension. The engine is equipped with Bosch K-jetronic fuel injection and delivers 310 hp, more than enough to provide the Ferrari with appealing performance even for this time.
The Ferrari 400i should of course have been available ex-factory as a convertible. It is not surprising that Ferrari did not dare to do it, it is very questionable whether such a model will catch on and whether the sales numbers justify the substantial investment. With many models in the past, you may wonder: what if? In this case, thanks to a number of coachbuilders, it is not necessary and you can enjoy a car that Ferrari did not dare to build. In short, get in and enjoy that wonderful V12 and those beautiful lines.
