The sales success of the 250 GT/E proved to Ferrari that offering four-seat Gran Turismo was critical to the company’s long-term viability. The GT/E was Ferrari’s best-selling production car of the period, and the model’s success ensured a luxurious 2+2 was always in their lineup. In the early 1970s, the 365 GT 2+2 ‘Queen Mother’ neared the end of production, and Ferrari needed a suitably modern machine to replace both it and the short-lived GTC/4.

Pininfarina’s brilliant chief designer Leonardo Fioravanti penned a crisp and elegant three-box form with taut, perfectly tailored lines. It was simultaneously unique yet instantly recognizable as a Ferrari, thanks to the deep horizontal swage line, wedge-shaped profile, and details like round tail lamps and pop-up headlamps. The tubular steel chassis was based on the GTC/4 and shared that car’s control arms, coil-over dampers, and hydraulic self-leveling rear end, but was stretched by 200mm to improve passenger space. While the looks were somewhat understated, performance was anything but, thanks to the 4.4-liter quad-cam V12 sitting up front.

The 365 GT4 2+2 enjoyed steady sales that continued with its replacement, the 400/400i. In 1985, Ferrari introduced the third and final iteration of the series, the 412. While visually similar, the 412 had significant refinements, including a higher boot-line to improve luggage space, body-color bumpers, deeper front spoiler, and new wheels to accommodate the Bosch ABS brakes. Ferrari boosted the V12’s capacity to 4.9 liters, and output jumped 8% to 340 horsepower. Sixty-two mph (100kph) was dispatched in under seven seconds, and the 412 could easily touch 150 mph while cosseting occupants in a luxurious leather-lined cabin. The interior had completely revised ergonomics, new soft-touch switchgear, and an optional automatic gearbox. Today, the stylish 412 is enjoying renewed interest from enthusiasts as a usable, practical entry into Ferrari ownership – a traditional front-engine V12 Gran Turismo with room for the family and luxury in abundance.

This 1987 412 is an excellent example finished in its original shade of Blu Scuro and showing just 13,900 miles from new. According to the accompanying Carfax report and the stamped original owner’s manual, this car was sold new through Giuseppe Risi’s Ferrari of Houston to Mr. D. Jamail. It was delivered on January 11, 1988, and received its initial 2,000 KM service in March. It came into the care of its most recent owner in 1991 and remained in their private collection through 2021.

As offered, this 412 is in excellent condition, and the attractive dark blue paint color is a perfect complement to the sophisticated Pininfarina lines. The body is straight and crisp, with excellent bumpers, trim, and correct 5-spoke wheels shod with Michelin TRX tires. The 412s cabin is beautifully adorned with beige leather on the seats and door panels accented with dark blue leather on the dash and striking blue carpets. The interior reflects this car’s low mileage, and it remains in excellent well-preserved condition, displaying minimal wear on the driver’s seat and no evidence of fading or shrinking on the dash. The switchgear and HVAC controls are all in good order, and the car retains its factory-fitted Blaupunkt New York cassette player. Electrical accessories, including the powered hood release and automatic closing boot-lid, work as they should. Accompanying the sale are original manuals in the leather wallet and the factory Ferrari tool kit.

The 4.9 liter V12 is clean and orderly, with finishes and plating consistent with the car’s low mileage. It runs and drives well, though it has recently come out of an extended storage period and may benefit from a baseline service. The undercarriage appears in similarly good order, with much of the factory-applied Cosmoline undercoat still intact. The self-leveling rear suspension works as it should, and the robust GM-sourced automatic transmission shifts crisply.

As the last installment of the series, Ferrari’s excellent 412 benefits from years of refinements and improvements. Considering the 412s continent crushing ability, few of the 576 examples produced have survived with such low miles. Exceptionally stylish and luxurious, this 412 is an outstanding Ferrari for any occasion.

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