The Ferrari 456 was available in GT and GTA forms, the only difference between them being the type of transmission.
The engine used on the 456 was a 5.5 liter V12 that derived from the Dino V6 which produced 442 hp thanks to its 4 valves per cylinder and the Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management system.

The chassis was a tubular steel spaceframe while the body used a composite bonnet and aluminum panels to keep the weight down.

The 456 designation comes from the fact that each cylinder displaces 456 cc and this was the last Ferrari model using this naming scheme.