Ferrari 412: The Coolest V12 Family Cruiser of All Time

Five gears, four seats, 12 cylinders, and a big trunk. The stealthy Ferrari 412 is one of the coolest Prancing Horse GT cars in history.

The humble Ferrari 412 isn’t the first car folks think of when they think about iconic Ferrari GT cars. In fact, it’s probably not even in the top ten for most. Models such as the 812 Superfast and other front-engine V12s, such as the F12 and 599, come to mind for most. We think that’s a bit of a bummer, though. We’d go so far as to say that the 412 isn’t just top ten; it’s at the top of the food chain solely because it’s understated and stylish.

Though you won’t find it on the website, this 412 is currently for sale at Ferrari of Salt Lake City in Utah. I happened to be passing by and saw it in the window, and, of course, I had to go inside and check it out. It’s a true gem! Despite having tires from 2006, this thing is ready to roll out of that showroom and become someone’s new favorite weekend cruiser. It’s perhaps one of the most stealthy Ferrari designs of all time. The 412 is so non-suspect that most seeing one pass by would have no clue there’s a true-to-form Ferrari V12 under that hood.

Stylish and Stealthy

The 412 and its closely related predecessor, the 400/400i, have perhaps the least Ferrari-like bodylines of anything Ferrari has ever produced. So, naturally, they’re a bit slept on in the grand scheme of things. Ultimately, though, that isn’t a bad thing. The reserved styling reflects a lot of the owners who originally bought them and those who purchase them now. Folks who truly enjoy a car for what it is and the driving experience over showcasing to the world that they can afford and have a Ferrari can really appreciate the styling here.

So, when you take into consideration that it still has a 4.9-liter fuel-injected V12 under the hood, it starts to paint a pretty attractive picture. Moreover, this particular example is equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. According to Classic.com, Ferrari only produced 576 Ferrari 412s throughout its production run from 1986 to 1989. Only 270 of those examples were manual “GT” models.

It’s not particularly fast, powerful, or modern. Even compared to other Ferrari models from the same era, like the Testarossa and, of course, the almighty F40, it almost looks bland. However, that is what makes it cool in its own right. We’ve just got a soft spot for under-appreciated classic exotics!

Photos: Braden Carlson