The Ferrari 400i is one of our all-time favorite Italians — one that seems timeless in its design appeal and practical enough to drive every day.

This car is in fantastic condition but has one big demerit (or advantage, depending on your perspective…).

What is this thing?

The three-speed automatic versus a manual transmission is a let-down, even if it barely stunts the performance from the 4.8-liter V12 engine’s 310-horsepower.

1982 Ferrari 400i

London

8 September 2014

Lot 167

1982 Ferrari 400i Automatic

To be auctioned on Monday, September 8, 2014

Sold for £36,400

• Chassis no. 38627
• Engine no. 00523

310 bhp, 4,823 cc 60-degree V-12 with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, Borg-Warner three-speed automatic transmission, independent front and rear suspension with coil springs over gas-filled telescopic shock absorbers with self-levelling rear suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,700 mm

• Wonderfully well preserved
• Just under 26,500 kilometres from new
• One of the finest surviving examples
• Features its original books and tools

Ferrari’s 400i was introduced in 1979 as the successor to the 400. The “i” suffix signified the car’s Bosh K-Jetronic fuel-injection system, which replaced the triple Weber carburettors found in the earlier model. Pininfarina’s styling was less dramatic on the 400 than on Ferrari’s of the past, but that didn’t seem to faze customers at the time, as there has always been a market for elegant four-seater Ferrari grand touring cars.