Today’s hot hatches have topped performance of older supercars, but even so, few can withstand the lust of sitting inside a Maranello-made exotic estimated to go for less than a brand new BMW M2.
Splitting the running costs between this 1983 Ferrari 440i and the newer high-performance compact will tilt the balance in favor of the Bimmer, but the coolness factor is probably what will help the GT sell.
Estimated to go for anywhere between £30,000 and £35,000 ($43,455-$50,700) at the SilverstoneAuction‘s event scheduled for July 30-31, the 440i is said to be in “excellent” condition, despite its odometer reads just over 58,000 miles (~93,300 km), which is quite a lot for a Ferrari.
It was originally delivered on February 1, 1983, only to change hands two years later. In 1993, it was sold once again and it eventually arrived in the possession of Andrew Ridgeley, from Wham, in ’97, who had it stripped, repainted and re-trimmed in cream leather, with green piping and carpets. The celebrity drove it until 2012, when it ended up in a private collection, where it remains up to date.
Part of the 1982 batch, it boasts a revised interior and it’s powered by a 4.8-liter V12 engine, rated at 310 HP, coupled to a 3-speed automatic transmission. Just 883 examples of the 400i automatic were produced between 1979 and 1985. Even so, it’s not a favorite among Ferrari lovers, thus the asking price; but in any case, it’s still a Prancing Horse…
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