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Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer - the first mid-engined Gran Turismo from Ferrari

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Created on July 10, 2011

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Bruno von Rotz

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Bruno von Rotz

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ZG Archiv

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Bruno von Rotz

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ZG Archiv

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Archiv

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - the balloon tires from Michelin are typical of the time

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - long front overhang

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - Pininfarina achieved a masterpiece with the BB

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - Silhouette

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - the two-tone paintwork was considered chic at the time

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - fully unfolded

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - despite the opening rear hood, the engine is not optimally accessible

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - inspired by the racing car

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - strikingly designed front indicators

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - Front

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - there is room for the carburetors underneath the raised sections

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - two rear lights on each side of the 512 model

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - Interior with air conditioning

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - classic wheel design by Cromodora

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - only the 512 models benefited from the additional downforce of the front spoiler

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - flat and stretched

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - the wing nuts disappeared later

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Ferrari 512 BB (1980) - on a fast lap on Ferrari's Fiorano test track

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - the longitudinally mounted engine seen from the left

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - the longitudinally mounted engine seen from the right

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Ferrari 365P Berlinetta (1966) - the early predecessor of the BB - Pininfarina's provocative study of a mid-engined sports car with three seats, central steering and 12 cylinders

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Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale (1968) - Prototype by Pininfarina defined the essential design elements

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Ferrari BB (1971) - Color sketch by Pininfarina

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Ferrari BB (1971) - Work on the prototype

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Ferrari BB (1971) - Work on the early prototype

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Ferrari 365 GT/4 BB (1971) - a captivating shape and perhaps one of the most beautiful designs from Pininfarina

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Ferrari BB (1971) - harmonious lines, reminiscent of two shell halves

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Ferrari BB (1971) - a pre-production vehicle seen from the front at an angle

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Ferrari BB (1971) - the early models came without a front spoiler

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Ferrari BB (1971) - front view

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Ferrari BB (1971) - early version photographed at Pininfarina

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Ferrari BB (1971) - four rear lights and four exhaust pipes on this pre-production model

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Ferrari BB (1971) - Sketches of the rear section

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Ferrari BB (1971) - early sketches

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Ferrari BB (1971) - the sketches show only four lamps and exhaust tips

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Ferrari BB (1971) - the single-arm windshield wiper outlined

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Ferrari BB (1971) - Roof spoiler on the sketch

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Ferrari 365 GT 4 BB (1975) - unchanged attractive

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Ferrari 365 GT 4 BB (1971) - Premiere in Turin 1971

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Ferrari BB (1971) - at the 1971 Turin Motor Show

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Ferrari 365 GT 4 BB Berlinetta Boxer (1973) - at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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Ferrari BB (1971) - at the Turin Motor Show - Interior

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Ferrari BB (1971) - at the Turin Motor Show - Single-arm windshield wiper

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Ferrari BB (1971) - at the Turin Motor Show - creative solution for the sun visor

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Ferrari BB (1971) - Steering wheel and dashboard of the prototype

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Ferrari 365 GT 4 BB (1976) - at the OSMT 2008

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - the engine after an overhaul

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Ferrari BB (1971) - the flat twelve-cylinder with 180 degree angle

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Ferrari BB (1971) - the twelve-cylinder Ferrari engine

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Ferrari BB (1971) - at the Turin Motor Show - the flat engine with open intakes - not taken over into production in this form

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Ferrari 512 BB (1982) - racing version of NART at Le Mans 1981, driven by Ludini-Morton

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Ferrari 512 BBi (1982) - the Berlinetta Boxer was also the spearhead of the Ferrari model range in 1982

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Ferrari 512 BB (1981) - at the Montreux GP 2006

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Ferrari 512 BB (1980) - Studio photo from the 1980 sales brochure

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Ferrari 512 BB (1980) - Insight into the engine compartment - Photo from the 1980 sales brochure

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Ferrari 512 BB (1980) - the defoliated sports car from above - from the 1980 sales brochure

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Ferrari 512 BB (1980) - cockpit of the 80s model - from the 1980 sales brochure

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Ferrari 512 BB (1980) - Interior with popular color material combination leather-black - from the sales brochure of 1980

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Summary

This was the car to beat in the car quartet! The Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer was the most expensive and, at least according to official factory specifications, the fastest sports car of its time. It also had more cylinders (or at least the same number of cylinders) than the others and accelerated exceptionally fast. Victory in the quartet competition was (almost) certain. From 1973 to 1984, a good 2,300 BBs were produced, a great success for Enzo Ferrari. During this time, the car was continuously developed further, the engine was enlarged and the last edition was equipped with fuel injection.

This article contains the following chapters

Put under pressure
Replacement for the Ferrari Daytona
Presented in 1971, production announced in 1972
The fastest production sports car in the world?
Everyday comfort for two
Further development in two stages
The ride in the Ferrari 512 BB
Built for fast highways
Also to be found in motor racing
Not a cheap pleasure, but cheaper than others
Driving performance of the various models compared to the competition
Further information

Estimated reading time: 10min

Preview (beginning of the article)

This was the car to beat in the car quartet! The Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer was the most expensive and, at least according to official factory specifications, the fastest sports car of its time. It also had more cylinders (or at least the same number of cylinders) than the others and accelerated exceptionally fast. Victory in the quartet competition was (almost) certain. Ever since Lamborghini had presented the Miura, and that had already been in 1966, de Tomaso had followed up with the Mangusta and even Peter Monteverdi had presented the Hai super sports car, Ferrari had been under pressure to offer a car with the mid-engine design that had proven itself in racing. The Dino 246 GT already had the engine in the right place, but it was not a "real" Ferrari with twelve cylinders. The Daytona, which was produced parallel to the Miura, was more practical than its competitor, but no longer corresponded to the fashionable trend of installing the engine amidships.

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