Most of the modern Ferrari’s are powered by a mid-engine. But there was a time when the Italian sports car manufacturer only produced street legal cars with the engine in the front. Since the Berlinetta Boxer, Ferrari changed its approach drastically. So in essence, our Rosso Corsa 512 BBi is a genuine trendsetter. The first place this classic was handed over to its owner, was in Switzerland. The last owner, a German collector, possessed the Berlinetta Boxer for 25 years. We know that through the eyes of a classic Ferrari fan, perfection is everything. So as soon we got our hands on the 12-cylinder supercar, we decided to bring back the technique in perfect condition. Full history is included, making it a collector’s item for at least another 25 years.
History
The 1st series Berlinetta Boxers, called 365 GT4 BB, was introduced in 1973. As the name suggests, this Ferrari succeeded the legendary 365 GT4 “Daytona” in order to compete with the Miura and Countach. With its Formula 1 technology, the Berlinetta Boxer was ahead of the bulls when it comes to pure driving experience. The further developed 1981 512 BBi got more engine capacity and a new fuel injection system from Bosch. We bought this Italian beauty from a German owner who had owned the Ferrari classic since 1997. In May 1982, the 512 BBi was first registered in Switzerland. However, yellow plates also look good on it. If you know what we mean…
Exterior
From the inside and outside the Ferrari BB is more of a revolution than an evolution. The 512 BBi distinguishes itself from other series with tiny turn signals in the front bumper and fog lights in both the front and rear bumpers. The NACA side air ducts, front lip spoiler, double round rear light units and ditto exhaust tailpipes were already introduced on the 512 BB without the “i” at an earlier stage. Furthermore, each Berlinetta Boxer can be recognized by a super sharp front with folding headlights and additional light units behind orange glass. But above all, the Ferrari 512 BBi is a gorgeous sleek supercar. No wonder many successors were inspired by the Pininfarina designed Berlinetta Boxer. Take for instance the Ferrari 208, 308 and 328. And yes, they all look stunning with a Rosso Corsa paintjob.
Interior
The cockpit is in excellent shape as well. Daytona Style seats, steering wheel, dashboard, and center console are alle finished with Nero leather. While the 3-spoke sports steering wheel has Bianco stitches, the dashboard is all black. Very colorful is the bright red floor, matching the exterior brilliantly. However, we can’t help staring at the classic aluminum gear shift pattern anyways. Time to give it a go!
Technique
Ferrari’s racing DNA is all over this 512; a type designation based on the 1969 World Sportscar Championship competitor. Number 5 refers to the engine capacity of almost 5 liters. Furthermore, the 12-cylinder stands out because of the 180-degree layout. Essentially it’s a ”flat 12” setup and not a boxer configuration. Nevertheless, the longitudinally positioned V12 is a magical machine with 360 hp and a new Bosch K-Jetronic CIS petrol injection. Only 1,007 units of the BBi were delivered worldwide between 1981 and 1984. But whether they are all still as perfect as this one…?
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