This is the first Ferrari to ever feature 4-wheel drive, the 1987 Ferrari 408 Intergrale 4RM Prototype, designed by I.DE.A institute (institute of Development in Automotive Engineering) located in Turin, and constructed by Italian automobile design and coachbuilding company, Carrozzeria Scaglietti. Only two examples of this unique model were produced for the entire world, chassis number 70183, which was the first of the two, and was finished in a red paint finish, and chassis 78610, which came one year later in 1987, finished in yellow. The name, 4RM, is an abbreviation for ‘4 Ruote Motrici’, which translates to four-wheel drive. It was this unprecedented four-wheel drive system and innovate hydraulic system, which made the 408 RM4 a seriously unique machine. The chassis of the prototypes were developed with the help of TVSA (Technique de véhicule à structure d’aluminum), using a mixture of aluminum and stainless steel, while the actual bodies of the car were crafted with the help of Canadian mining company and aluminum manufacturer, Alcan. Notably, TVSA also helped to developed the chassis of the Jaguar XJ220, and the Ferrari F40. The project was supervised by a talented engineer named Mauro Forghieri, who was appointed at the time to become director of Ferrari’s advanced research office. The car offered a number of unique styling elements such as a movable rear wing, and an interior that included things generally only found on production cars, such as air conditioning. While the car was developed using high quality production standards, Ferrari ultimately never produced the 408 4RM, however, the prototypes were used for key research for the development of future models. Both the red, and yellow examples had a very impressive total weight of just 2,954lbs. The 408 4RM remained as the only four-wheel drive Ferrari until 2011, with the announcement of their first four-wheel drive production car, the Ferrari FF.
How many made? 1 of 2
Engine: Ferrari 328 derived 4.0L DOHC V8 - 300hp
Debut: June 1987
Top Speed: n/a
0-60mph: n/a
Photo Credit: carpersonjersey
Research: @rarecarsonly
1987 Ferrari 408 Intergrale 4RM Prototype
11.11.2025
Ferrari