The Ferrari 400 was first unveiled at the 1976 Paris Motor Show as the replacement for the marque’s previous model, the 365 GT4 2+2. The two models were very similar to each other, sharing the same body, engine, and chassis. The Ferrari 400 was a more evolved version (reflected on the name change), at least in one of the model’s variants. The new name referred to a displacement of 4.8 L to the engine. The new installment allowed for the vehicle to reach sixty miles per hour in 7.1 seconds.

A total of five hundred units were produced, with over seventy percent of them featuring the automatic transmission option. The new model was available in a five speed manual transmission, just like the 365 GT4 2+2. Breaking new ground, and unlike its predecessors, the Ferrari 400 featured a new three speed automatic transmission alternative, making it the first model to feature an automatic transmission in company history.

Additional changes made to the new model included a revision of the car’s interior, the addition of five stud wheels that replaced the knock-off hubs, and the replacement of triple circular tail light assemblies in favor of a double one.