Origin: Maranello, Italy
Engine: 12-Cylinder
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
The Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, often shorted to BB, was produced from 1973 to 1984. It was designed to be a replacement for the Daytona and was a first for Ferrari in many ways. It was also the first road-going Ferrari to have a mid-mounted flat-twelve engine. It was also the first mid-engine road car to bear the Ferrari name and famous Cavallino Rampante (prancing horse) logo. Believe it or not, but the creation of the BB was a difficult choice for Enzo Ferrari to make. He felt that a mid-engine road cars would be too difficult for his buyers to handle. He was wrong.
The first BB model was the 365 GT4 BB. It was succeeded by the BB 512 in 1976, which had a larger displacement engine. This BB is a 512i, the little ‘i’ standing for the new fuel-injected engine, which produced cleaner emissions and offered a better balance of performance and drivability. Introduced in 1981, it was the last BB. Only 1,007 were produced.
Ferrari Berlinetta Boxers were imported to the United States during the bulk of what was known as the Grey Market Era (1976-1988). During this time period, cars were imported through channels other than the maker’s official distribution system because they did not meet the safety and emissions regulations of the time. The BBs that came in the US would be modified upon arrival, another first for this iconic Ferrari.