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1977 Ferrari 512 BB

The first Ferrari 'Boxer,' the 365GT/4 BB, reasserted Ferrari at the pinnacle of the supercar hierarchy. Ferrari raised the bar even higher by introducing the 512BB in October 1976 at the Paris Auto Show. The '512' was a Dino-type nomenclature, abandoning the company's long-standing practice of denoting a model by the capacity of an individual cylinder, instead, the '5' represented liters and '12' the number of cylinders. The increase in engine size from the original Boxer's 4.4-liter was done to comply with increasingly stringent emissions targets without sacrificing performance. The bore and stroke size increased, as did the compression ratio, and the previous wet sump lubrication was replaced by a dry unit. Power remained unchanged at 360 bhp, but torque improved to 332 lb-ft at 5,000 RPM. With revised gear ratios and the larger engine, the 512 was more tractable than its predecessors.

Subtle styling changes came in the form of the nose gaining a small chin spoiler, NACA ducts added in front of the rear wheels, larger rear arches to accommodate wider rear wheels, and four tail-lights replacing the six on the 365. Engine cooling was improved by an increased number of vents in the engine cover.

Production of the Ferrari 512 BB lasted from 1976 to 1981, with 929 units built. It was replaced by the Bosch fuel injection BB512i. The 512 BB was built during an era of expression and excess when automobile buyers were seeking alternatives from the norm, favoring options that were both mechanically and visually different than other standard road-going vehicles. Enzo Ferrari had been reluctant to offer a mid-engined road car to his buyers, believing that it would be too difficult to handle. Following years of convincing arguments from his engineers, and steadily losing ground in motorsports to mid-engined competitors, Enzo adopted the layout. The mid-engined four-, six-, and eight-cylinder Dino racing cars were the result, and Ferrari later allowed the production of road-going variants.

The first 'Boxer' was the 365 GT4BB was introduced in 1971 at the Turin Motor Show. Intended as a rival to the Lamborghini Miura, it was released for sale in 1973 at the Paris Motor Show. A total of 387 examples were built, with 88 in right-hand drive configuration, including 58 for the U.K. market. It shared its numerical designation with the Daytona, but it was radically different. Like the Dino, it had a mid-engine configuration, and the now flat-12 engine was mounted longitudinally rather than transversely. The internal dimensions of the engine were shared with the V12 from the Daytona but spread out to a 180-degree angle, similar to Ferrari's 1970 Formula One car. A five-speed manual transmission was mounted underneath.

1977 Ferrari 512 BB photo
Coupe
In 1976, the 365 was updated as the BB512, resurrecting the name of the earlier Ferrari 512 racer. The (Tipo F102 B) engine's displacement measured 4,942cc and had a compression ratio of 9.2:1. The dry sump lubrication system was used to prevent oil starvation in hard cornering due to revised rear suspension and wider rear tires. A new dual plate clutch was added to cope with the added power and ease pedal effort.

The Chassis
The chassis was formed from steel tubing with design inspiration sourced from the 250 LM and the Dino (206 and 246). Additional rigidity was provided by two large diameter tubes that traversed diagonally from the engine cradle to the roof, providing additional strength during a rollover. The central bodywork formed a semi-monocoque with the steel chassis, with the front and rear unstressed bodywork supported by subframes. In the event of a crash, the front subframe and bodywork were designed to deform and absorb energy.

The wheelbase measured 98.4 inches, had a width of 72 inches, stood 44.1 inches tall, and had an overall length of 173.2 inches.

1977 Ferrari 512 BB photo
Coupe
The suspension was independent via double wishbones and anti-roll bars, with a single coil spring and shock absorber for each front wheel and a pair for each rear wheel. The steering was by a non-powered rack-and-pinion setup.

The Bosch K-Jetronic CIS fuel-injected BB 512i was the last of the series. Produced from 1981 to 1984, a total of 1,007 examples were built. Combined with the 387 examples of the 365 GT4BB, 929 of the BB512, and 1007 of the BB 512i, the total production of the Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer was 2,323 units. When the Berlinetta Boxer entered retirement, it was replaced by the Testarossa, which received a revised version of the flat-twelve-cylinder engine.


by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2023

Related Reading : Ferrari 512 BB History

The Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer was produced between 1973 through 1984 with a total of 2,323 examples of all BB models produced. This was a very important model for the Ferrari marque, and one that followed in the footsteps of the mid-engined road car, the 206 GT Dino. The mid-engine placement had been proven to be a useful technique in improving handling and performance Cooper was one of the first....
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Related Reading : Ferrari 512 History

Raced in 1970 and 1971, the Ferrari 512 was a sports vehicle, related to the Ferrari P series of sports prototypes that was eventually withdrawn from competition after a change in regulations in 1968. A year later Ferrari decided to do what Porsche did six months earlier and build 25 5.0 L cars at one time to be homologated as sports car prototypes. The surplus vehicles were intended to be sold to....
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Performance and Specification Comparison

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$2,194-$85,000
1977 512 BB
$85,000-$115,000
1977 Ferrari 512 BB Base Price : $85,000

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512 BB

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
98.40 in.
12 cyl., 301.58 CID., 355.00hp
$85,000 - $85,000
98.40 in.
12 cyl., 301.58 CID., 355.00hp
$85,000 - $85,000
98.40 in.
12 cyl., 301.58 CID., 355.00hp
$85,000 - $85,000
98.40 in.
12 cyl., 301.58 CID., 360.00hp

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