Production of the BB was a major step for Enzo Ferrari, who felt that a mid-engine road car would be too difficult for his buyers to handle: it took many years for his engineers to convince him to adopt the layout.

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Masterfully designed by Pininfarina’s Leonardo Fioravanti, the car, which could hit 179mph, maybe should have been called a Berlinetta Bialbero, a reference to its dual camshaft. Moreover, Mauro Forghieri, the enormously accomplished engineer on the project, stated clearly that the beautifully constructed supercar did not have a Boxer engine.

So what happened? Well, Fioravanti asserted that he and others involved with the car’s design were so taken by this beautiful vehicle that they would refer to it as ‘Brigitte Bardot’, the gorgeous French actress. In turn, this nickname became reduced to ‘BB’.

But before the model was first introduced at the 1971 Turin Auto Show, Ferrari officials came up with the Berlinetta Boxer tag – with true Italian machismo the company found it inconceivable to name one of their vehicles after a woman!

As befitted one of the ultimate supercars, the Ferrari BBi Berlinetta Boxer had a superstar designer: the aforementioned Leonardo Fioravanti, who in 2017 would be awarded the International Historic Motor Award Lifetime Achievement Award by Octane magazine. Born on 31 January 1938 in Milan, Fioravanti had studied mechanical engineering at the Politecnico di Milano, specializing in aerodynamics and car body design. For 24 years he worked with Pininfarina, the esteemed Italian design house, joining as a stylist in 1964, aged 26, and then for 18 years becoming Managing Director and General Manager of Pininfarina’s research arm, Pininfarina Studi & Ricerche. Leonardo Fioravanti then became Ferrari’s Deputy General Manager, although in 1989 he moved to Fiat’s Centro Stile as Director of Design.

Right now at Beverly Hills Car Club we have a splendid example of Leonardo Fioravanti’s genius, a highly-collectible 1983 Ferrari 512BBi Berlinetta Boxer featured with only 30,713 miles on the odometer. This wonderful automobile is finished in Rosso Corsa, complemented with a black interior with cloth trim. As an exotic class car, the 512BBi certainly holds a special place in the hearts of collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Its rarity and historical significance make it a standout in any collection, while its performance capabilities and timeless design continue to captivate those who appreciate the art of driving.

Under the rear deck of our Berlinetta Boxer lies the heart of this beast, a Flat-12 engine that is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, offering an engaging and visceral driving experience that is quintessentially Ferrari. Additional equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes, quad exhaust outlets, a gated shifter, Cibie front fog lights, 17-Inch Etoile 55B wheels with prancing-horse badges in the center caps, Nitto tires, and a toll roll. Convenience features include air conditioning, bucket seating, power windows, center console, and a Sony radio.

This extraordinary 512BBi comes with a clean CARFAX report, underscoring its documented history in the sunny state of California. Accompanying the vehicle are $28,955.51 worth of receipts, a testament to the dedication and investment made into the vehicle. Notably, a recent service was completed at a cost of $21,010.30 just 1,183 miles ago, ensuring that this Ferrari is in optimal mechanical condition and ready to deliver an unparalleled driving experience. Do not miss the opportunity to own this rare and highly coveted Italian sports car that is mechanically sound.

The 512BBi was the final statement of the Berlinetta Boxer family. It arrived at the 1981 Frankfurt Auto Show as the 512 BBi, as in ‘i’ for ‘injection.’ The Bosch fuel-injected 512 was the culmination of all Ferrari had learned from its boxer cars, and the vehicles were optimized for emissions – as optimized as early 1980s Ferraris could be. When BB production ended in 1984, with it went the last links to the old-school Italian way of building Ferraris – entirely by hand.

The car’s low profile and the longitudinally mounted, horizontally opposed engine were well suited. And the 512 BBi was of course also extremely fast.

But for buyers in the USA – always Ferrari’s greatest market – there was a small problem. The Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer 512 BBi did not comply with U.S. or Canadian safety and emissions regulations.

Accordingly, both individual buyers and/or authorized Ferrari dealers would pay extra to modify their motors to match United States Environmental Protection Agency and United States Department of Transportation rules. Which was precisely how the 512 BBi was allowed onto U.S. roads. Meanwhile, its successor, the Ferrari Testarossa, would come off the Italian production line modified for the US market.

Now, of course, American federal law exempts vehicles older than 25 years from all design, safety, and emission regulations.

Which means…Happy motoring!

-Alex Manos, Owner