Ferrari 400: which version to buy and why
The Ferrari 400 was sold in one generation (1976–1985) as a Coupe, with two versions that share the same 4823 cm³ Gasoline 12-cylinder V-shaped engine family: 4.8 AT and 4.8 MT. There is no later generation to “wait for,” so the buying question is which of these two drivetrains matches how you will use the car.
The Ferrari 400 was sold in one generation (1976–1985) as a Coupe, with two versions that share the same 4823 cm³ Gasoline 12-cylinder V-shaped engine family: 4.8 AT and 4.8 MT. There is no later generation to “wait for,” so the buying question is which of these two drivetrains matches how you will use the car. The numbers that separate them are power, gearbox, fuel system, top speed, fuel grade, and which chassis figures were actually recorded.
Specs that decide the choice: 4.8 AT vs 4.8 MT
| Version | hp | Nm | Displacement (cm³) | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.8 AT | 310 | not measured | 4823 | Gasoline | 12 | V-shaped | No | Automatic (3) | RWD |
| 4.8 MT | 340 | not measured | 4823 | Gasoline | 12 | V-shaped | No | Manual (5) | RWD |
Torque (Nm) is not measured for either version, so a “which has more pull” argument cannot be made from peak twist. The measured split is horsepower, kilowatts, and how that power is sent to the rear wheels.
What the extra 30 hp actually buys
4.8 MT is rated 340 hp (250 kW). 4.8 AT is rated 310 hp (228 kW) at 6500 rpm. The peak-rpm figure for 4.8 MT is not measured.
Arithmetic on those figures:
- 4.8 MT has 30 hp more than 4.8 AT (340 − 310), which is about 9.7% more peak power.
- In kilowatts the gap is 22 kW (250 − 228), about 9.6%.
- Displacement is identical at 4823 cm³ (4.823 litres), so specific output is 310 ÷ 4.823 ≈ 64.3 hp/l on 4.8 AT versus 340 ÷ 4.823 ≈ 70.5 hp/l on 4.8 MT — about 6.2 hp more per litre on the manual.
- Compression is the same 8.8 on both. Bore × stroke is the same 81 × 78 on both. Valves per cylinder are 2 on both. Boost is No on both. Cylinder count and layout are 12 and V-shaped on both.
The extra power does not come from a larger engine, more cylinders, a different layout, more valves, or a turbo. On the given data it sits with a different induction system and a different gearbox: Carburetor plus Manual 5 on 4.8 MT, versus Central injection (single-point or single- point) plus Automatic 3 on 4.8 AT.
Gearbox: 3-speed Automatic vs 5-speed Manual
4.8 AT is Automatic with 3 gears. 4.8 MT is Manual with 5 gears. Both are RWD.
That is a 2-gear difference (5 − 3). If you want fewer pedal inputs and a three-ratio automatic, 4.8 AT is the only version that provides it. If you want the extra two ratios and a clutch, 4.8 MT is the only version that provides it. There is no mixed option (automatic with five gears, or manual with three) in this generation.
Engine and mpg: fuel system and grade, not consumption figures
City, highway, and combined consumption are not measured for 4.8 AT and not measured for 4.8 MT. CO2 is not measured for both. Eco class is not measured for both. An mpg ranking between the two versions cannot be written from this catalogue.
What is measured:
- 4.8 AT uses Central injection (single-point or single- point) and fuel grade 95.
- 4.8 MT uses Carburetor and fuel grade 92.
Tank capacity is 120 litres on both, so range cannot be compared until consumption is measured. The fuel-grade split is the opposite of a simple “more power needs higher octane” story: the 310 hp 4.8 AT is listed on 95, the 340 hp 4.8 MT on 92.
Performance: top speed is measured, 0–100 is not
0–100 km/h is not measured for 4.8 AT and not measured for 4.8 MT. Do not treat either car as having a recorded sprint time in this dataset.
Top speed is measured:
- 4.8 AT: 240 km/h
- 4.8 MT: 245 km/h
The gap is 5 km/h (245 − 240), about 2.1%. That is much smaller than the 9.7% power gap. If your decision is “which is faster on a speedometer,” 4.8 MT is the higher figure; if your decision is “which sprints to 100,” the answer is that neither figure exists here.
Dimensions, weight, and kg per horsepower
Ground clearance is 140 mm on both. Fuel tank is 120 litres on both. Wheel sizes are not measured on both.
Kerb weight:
- 4.8 MT: 1700 kg
- 4.8 AT: not measured
Gross weight is not measured for both.
Power-to-weight can be calculated only for 4.8 MT: 1700 ÷ 340 ≈ 5.0 kg/hp. For 4.8 AT, kg/hp is not measured because kerb mass is missing. You cannot honestly say the automatic is heavier or lighter than 1700 kg from these data.
Front suspension is Independent, spring on both. Rear suspension is not measured on both.
Brakes:
- 4.8 AT: front Ventilated disc, rear Disc
- 4.8 MT: front Ventilated disc, rear not measured
So the automatic is the only version with a recorded rear-brake type. Front brakes match.
Generations: nothing later changed the mix
There is 1 generation, 1976-01-01 to 1985-12-31, body Coupe, 2 versions. Both 4.8 AT and 4.8 MT run the same start and stop dates. No restyling generation, no second body, no later engine family appears in the data. You are not choosing between an early and a late generation; you are choosing between the two versions sold across that single window.
Power at 6500 rpm is recorded only on 4.8 AT (310 hp / 228 kW). 4.8 MT power is 340 hp / 250 kW without a measured rpm. That is a documentation difference, not a later-generation change.
Reliability and problems: what the numbers do and do not say
This catalogue does not list failure rates, recall counts, or service intervals. Those topics cannot be ranked from the given fields.
What can be said without inventing faults:
- Both versions share displacement 4823, compression 8.8, bore × stroke 81 × 78, 12 cylinders, V-shaped layout, 2 valves per cylinder, No boost, RWD, 120-litre tank, 140 mm clearance, and Independent, spring front suspension.
- The split that could affect how the car is used and serviced is Central injection (single-point or single- point) + Automatic 3 + fuel 95 on 4.8 AT, versus Carburetor + Manual 5 + fuel 92 on 4.8 MT.
- Rear brakes and kerb weight are documented on one version each, not both: do not assume the missing fields equal the measured ones.
Which version to choose
Choose 4.8 MT if the measured extras matter to you: 340 hp instead of 310, 250 kW instead of 228, 70.5 hp/l instead of 64.3, 245 km/h instead of 240, 5 Manual gears instead of 3 Automatic, and a recorded kerb weight of 1700 kg (about 5.0 kg/hp). Fuel is listed as 92 with a Carburetor. Rear brakes for this version are not measured.
Choose 4.8 AT if you want the only Automatic in the line, with 3 gears, 310 hp (228 kW at 6500 rpm), Central injection (single-point or single- point), fuel 95, top speed 240 km/h, and recorded rear Disc brakes. Kerb weight, torque, 0–100, and all consumption figures for this version are not measured.
Do not choose on generation, body, drive, tank, or clearance: both are the same Coupe, same years, same RWD, same 120 litres, same 140 mm. Do not choose on 0–100, mpg, torque, wheels, or gross weight: those are not measured on both versions. The arithmetic that is allowed here is the 30 hp / 22 kW / 5 km/h / 2-gear / 6.2 hp/l gap between 4.8 MT and 4.8 AT — that is the whole buying difference this catalogue can support.