Although powered by a front-mounted V12, the 2+2 grand-tourer wasn’t the most glamorous, the fastest or the most successful Prancing Horse ever made, drifting into obscurity throughout the years. However, it’s now making a comeback.
Compared to other Ferraris of the era, the 400i was calm and elegant, even if it had 306–311 hp to play with from the 4.8-litre V12. Its body was sketched by Pininfarina, while the optional three-speed automatic transmission could be found in various Jaguars, Rolls-Royces, and Bentley models; but that didn’t help it become popular.
In fact, Jeremy Clarkson described the model once as “awful in every way”, but he may have changed his mind if he encountered this beast.
Dedicated to someone who believes that a V12 should develop a lot more than 300 hp, this particular Ferrari 400i, offered by IAG, comes with a twin-turbo conversion and a GM 4L60 4-speed transmission (to better handle the new power output).
The extra boost forced the Tipo F 101 Colombo V12 to be completely rebuilt as well, getting forged pistons in the process Responsible for the twin Garrett T3 turbochargers and MegaSquirt engine management system is Greg Armstrong, a guy who produced a run of 7 twin-turbo Lamborghini Diablos in the early 1990s.
Even the A/C unit was upgraded to provide better comfort, while Ferrari’s self-leveling suspension solution was replaced with a more reliable system.
Needless to say, the car is far from being original, but maybe this is how the 400i should’ve been in the first place. It’s currently offered for sale for an undisclosed price, but last time we saw it someone tried to snatch it for $25,200 on eBay. The reserve was not met, though.
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