www.QV500.com - Ferrari Berlina's Part 3: 400i 2+2
 
By mid 1979, Ferrari were ready to release a fuel-injected 400 that could more easily be modified to meet North American emissions legislation that had officially kept its predecessors out of the US market. The engine was the focus for most development work, other major components like the chassis, bodywork and interior remaining unchanged. A Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system was fitted in favour of six Weber carburettors, these revised motors being noticeably smoother and more refined at all speeds than outgoing GT4 and 400 units.
   
But the advent of fuel injection was not all good as Ferrari would later find out with their 308's. Indeed, the price was a loss of 30bhp for the 400i and with output down to 310bhp at 6400rpm, performance was inevitably affected. Top speed dipped below 150mph while 0-60 took around seven and eight seconds for the GT and Automatic versions respectivey. Further changes were brought in for the Series II 400i debuted during October 1982 at the Paris Salon. They featured 315bhp engines and improved self-levelling rear suspension thanks to new gas-filled shock absorbers. Again, the bodywork was unaltered with identical 400i scripting evident on the tail facia - Series II cars never officially being known as such. Production of the fuel-injected 400 ended in early 1985 after the show debut of Ferrari's 412i, despite this last-of-the-line variant not actually going into production until the end of the year. The 400i's were another commercial success for Ferrari, the Maranello firm producing 427 GT's (including 32 right-hand drive) and 886 Auto's (including 171 RHD) during six years of production.