1992 Ferrari 456 GT Pictures, Specifications, Information

Any new Ferrari must improve upon the model it replaces, representing a more refined automotive product. In 1989 the final 412 left Maranello and in 1993 the last Mondial was built. In 1992 Ferrari released the 456 GT and GTA, and changed the perception of a high performance 2+2. Refined and elegant comfort and performance were the orders of the day, and the Pininfarina-designed body was as intensely beautiful as the car was luxurious and fast. Sporting a 436bhp 65° V12 engine and either a 6-speed manual (456 GT) or 4-speed automatic (456 GTA), aerodynamics and handling characteristics unlike those of any other 2+2, the 456 was the ultimate 4-person conveyance. Some might consider it the ultimate in practical automotive design.

Design

The strongest element in the creation of the Ferrari road car myth was the 2-seat sports car. Over the years, though, the cognoscenti have been aware of Ferraris skill at producing luxury four seat cars that combine top performance with practicality. These are perhaps the truest "gran turismo" cars.

The 456 in its GT version with mechanical gearbox and GTA automatic, sought to underscore its difference from other cars by synthesizing the performance and driving pleasure of a sports car with the comfort and the space of a gran turismo. Pininfarina applied this philosophy to define the 456 shape, which was aggressive while compact and slippery. Special effort was applied to producing a 4-seater with overall dimensions similar to those of a classic 2-seater.

Many elements made this car immediately recognizable as a Ferrari: front air intake, retracting headlamps, long hood, roof line that flows into the tail, style of the side lamps and tail light clusters. All these elements belong to the lively and rich Ferrari heritage, and highlight the strong character of the car. The combination of cues with a clean-sheet design identifies the 456 as unique.

Structure

While debuting new styles for a Pininfarina-designed 2+2 coupe, the 456 GT and GTA bodywork was of conventional structure. The light aluminum alloy panels were Feran spot-welded to a structurally optimized tubular steel chassis, guaranteeing structural integrity. Feran is a steel foil chemically treated in a way that differentiates between the two faces, enabling one side to mate with the steel of the chassis, and the other with the aluminum of the body.

The hood and the retractable headlamp covers were of a sophisticated material that guaranteed rigidity and comprised a sandwich of two composite skins with a honeycomb layer. The door windows, flush with the body, were equipped with a device to lower them automatically during the opening and closing of the door improving perimeter sealing. The fixed sides were co-molded with a matching profile. The aluminum sill covers incorporated air outlet grilles for the engine compartment, and two more air outlets were carved in the engine hood.

Drivetrain

The 456 engine was designed to produce high power and torque at low and medium rotational speeds from a smaller, lighter package. The compact 5.5 liter V12 65° engine was an all light-alloy unit. The four valve per cylinder timing was controlled by four overhead camshafts. The intake runners had a rectilinear form and the combustion chambers had a low surface:volume ratio, for greater efficiency. The lubrication system had two scavenger pumps and one delivery pump, double filtration and a radiator. A duct sprays oil directly on the underside of each piston for improved cooling.

A Bosch Motronic M5.2 system controled ignition and fuel delivery. Injection was multi-point, timed, and sequential. The fuel supply system included two submersed pumps with compact filters. Ignition was static, with two six-outlet coils.

The 456GT manual transaxle was positioned at the rear of the car, with drive reaching it through a three-bearing driveshaft housed in a steel pipe rigidly connected to the hydraulic clutch that acted directly on the engine flywheel. The 6 speed box had double-cone synchronizers with a low-friction direct sixth gear. The transmission was pressure lubricated with a pump and oil radiator. The gearbox control featured the Ferrari standard aluminum gearshifter and polished aluminum gate. The differential was a ZF, fin-type, with limited slip and differentiated calibration.

Suspension

The 456 was equipped with four wheel independent suspension using unequal-length, non-parallel arms, helical coil springs and telescopic dampers with stabilizer bars both front and rear. The suspension incorporated a system allowing the damping to be manually selected from three programs, each corresponding to individual Intermediate, Sport, and Touring damping curves. The stiffness of each damper changed internally within each setting as a function of the car's speed. A CPU ensured a switch to stiffer damping automatically when it was deemed necessary, in order to ensure an adequate response in all driving conditions. This was determined by sensors transmitting the steering angle, the longitudinal acceleration, the vertical acceleration, and as a consequence of the appropriate algorithm. The rear suspension was equipped with a self-leveling device to maintain load-independent ride height. The constant height of the rear suspension guaranteed optimal road holding by maintaining the rear geometry settings as well as improving passenger comfort.

The length of the locating arms was chosen to keep track and camber changes to a minimum. The front and rear suspension had wishbones and reaction arms that acted on spring and damper by way of a push-rod system. The dampers were specially developed by Bilstein.

Encouraging a safe tendency to understeer, the front track was wider than the rear. The spring and damper control mechanism was linked to an electronic damper control system using lateral acceleration, the steering angle and longitudinal acceleration to determine settings.

The ZF "Servotronic" power assisted rack and pinion steering varied the steering ratio as well as the level of assistance in order to ensure adequate response to the steering wheel in varying conditions. The power steering pump also provided the pressure for the self-leveling system.

The braking system comprised four ventilated discs with aluminum calipers and an ATE mark IV Antiskid system. The control logic ensured a degree of intervention in all conditions to optimize tire grip.

Interior

The interior of the 456 was designed by Ferrari and Pininfarina to achieve a sober yet elegant atmopshere. Connolly leather, fine woods, and pleasing metals were the primary materials experienced by the 456 occupants. The electronically adjustable front seats guaranteed maximum support based on vehicle performance. Driver-and passenger-side air bags came standard. The seat belts were carried on the seats themselves, front and rear. The rear seats are spacious, and their ocupants were not penalized by the sporting nature of the car.

The climate control system was completely automatic and electronically controlled, equipped with eleven outlets to permit full airflow to both front and rear passengers, and window demisting. The stereo system comprised a radio and CD player with eight speakers and a micro-wire antenna. Instrumentation included a speedometer and tachometer together with a group of supplementary analogue gauges mounted below the dashboard. Ancillary controls were arranged in twelve switches in the same area. The gearbox control on the automatic version was uniquely designed to produce a technical, ergonomic driving experience matching the high performance GT characteristics of the car.