Ferrari’s First Four-Wheel-Drive Supercar: 1987 Ferrari 408 4RM

For decades, Ferrari built its reputation on one simple idea: power should go to the rear wheels.

So when the company quietly developed an all-wheel-drive prototype in the late 1980s, it marked one of the biggest engineering departures in Ferrari's history.

It was called the 408 4RM.

Built in 1987 under the direction of legendary Ferrari engineer Mauro Forghieri, the 408 4RM wasn't created for an auto show or planned for production. Instead, it served as a rolling laboratory, allowing Ferrari to explore whether four-wheel drive could improve traction, stability, and high-speed performance without compromising the character of a Ferrari.

More Than Just Four-Wheel Drive

The name itself explained the concept: 4.0 liters, 8 cylinders, 4-wheel drive.

Power came from an all-new 4.0-liter Tipo F117 DOHC V8 producing around 300 horsepower, paired with a five-speed manual transmission. Rather than using a conventional mechanical transfer case, Ferrari engineers developed an experimental hydraulic four-wheel-drive system known as 4RM (Quattro Ruote Motrici). Under normal driving, the system sent most of the engine's torque to the rear wheels while automatically transferring power to the front when additional traction was needed.

It was a completely different approach from the all-wheel-drive systems being developed by other manufacturers at the time.

An Engineering Test Bed

The drivetrain was only part of the experiment.

The 408 4RM also became Ferrari's platform for testing lightweight construction techniques and new chassis technologies. The first prototype used a stainless-steel monocoque, while the second switched to a bonded aluminum structure—an approach Ferrari wouldn't fully embrace for many years.

Double-wishbone suspension at all four corners, electronically adjustable ride height, composite body panels, and magnesium structural components made the 408 one of the most technically advanced Ferraris of the 1980s.

Only two prototypes were ever built.

The first wore red paint in 1987, followed by a yellow development car completed in 1988. Both remained strictly engineering exercises rather than styling concepts.

Why Ferrari Walked Away

Technically, the project worked.

The problem was weight.

The hydraulic four-wheel-drive system added roughly 200 kilograms to the car, increasing complexity while dulling the lightweight, responsive driving experience Ferrari valued above everything else. After several years of development, the company quietly ended the project in 1991.

The prototypes disappeared into Ferrari's collection, and the company returned to building exclusively rear-wheel-drive road cars.

The Prototype That Finally Paid Off

Although the 408 4RM never reached production, it wasn't forgotten.

When Ferrari introduced the FF in 2011, it became the company's first production all-wheel-drive road car. Even more telling, Ferrari revived the 4RM name for its entirely new drivetrain—a nod to the experimental prototype that first explored the idea nearly twenty-five years earlier.

The technology had changed completely.

The philosophy had not.

Technical Specifications

Engine: 4.0-liter Tipo F117 DOHC V8

Power: 300 hp (221 kW)

Transmission: 5-speed manual

Drivetrain: Experimental hydraulic 4RM all-wheel drive

Layout: Mid-engine, AWD

Suspension: Double wishbone front and rear with hydraulic ride-height adjustment

Construction: Stainless-steel monocoque (Prototype 1); bonded aluminum chassis (Prototype 2)

Production: Two prototypes built (1987–1988)

Conclusion

The Ferrari 408 4RM never became Ferrari's first all-wheel-drive production car.

It became the prototype that proved Ferrari could build one when the time finally came.