Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer

Infobox Automobile


name=Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer
manufacturer=Ferrari
parent_company = Fiat Group
class=Sports car
layout=RMR layout
production=1973–1984 2,323 produced
predecessor=Ferrari 365 GTB/4
body_style=Berlinetta
transmission=5-speed manual
successor=Ferrari Testarossa
assembly=Maranello, ItalyInfobox Automobile generation


name=365 GT4 BB
production=1973–1976 387 produced
engine=4.4 L H12Infobox Automobile generation
name=BB 512


production=1976–1981 929 produced
engine=5.0 L H12Infobox Automobile generation
name=BB 512i


production=1981–1984 1,007 produced
engine=5.0 L FI H12

A Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer is one of a series of cars produced by Ferrari in Italy between 1973 and 1984. They used a mid-mounted flat-12 (Boxer) engine, replacing the FR Daytona, and were succeeded in the Ferrari stable by the Testarossa.

Production of the BB was a major step for Enzo Ferrari. He felt that a mid-engined road car would be too difficult for his buyers to handle, and it took many years for his engineers to convince him to adopt the layout. This attitude began to change as the marque lost its racing dominance in the late 1950s to mid-engined competitors. The mid-engined 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder Dino racing cars was the result, and Ferrari later allowed for the production Dino road cars to use the layout as well. The company also moved its V12 engines to the rear with its P and LM racing cars, but the Daytona was launched with its engine in front. It was not until 1971 that a mid-engined 12-cylinder road car would appear.

365 GT4 BB

The first Boxer was the 365 GT4 BB shown at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Designed to answer rival the Lamborghini Miura, it was finally released for sale in 1973 at the Paris Motor Show. Only 387 were built, including just 58 with right hand drive. This was the rarest and fastest of all Berlinetta Boxers.

Though it shared its numerical designation with the Daytona, the Boxer was as different as could be. It was a mid-engined car like the Dino, and the now flat-12 engine was mounted longitudinally rather than transversely.

The engine shared its internal dimensions with the V12 from the Daytona, but was spread out to 180° as on Ferrari's 1970 Formula One car. It produced convert|344|hp|abbr=on at 7200 rpm (7700 rpm redline), convert|302|ft.lbf|N.m|abbr=on of torque at 3900 rpm, and was mounted above a five-speed manual transmission. One major difference in this engine was its use of timing belts rather than chains.

The Pininfarina body was an angular wedge with popup headlights and remains quite modern looking.

Test performance: Weight (kerb with Convert|120|L|usgal impgal|0|abbr=on fuel) convert|3417|lb|kg|abbr=on, acceleration 0-100 km/h 5.6 s, 100-200 km/h 12.8 s, top speed convert|181|mi/h|km/h|0|abbr=on.

512 BB

The 365 was updated as the BB 512 in 1976, resuming the name of the earlier Ferrari 512 racer. The engine was larger at 4942 cc, but peak horsepower was off slightly to convert|340|hp|abbr=on at 6200 rpm (redline 7000 rpm). Torque was up to convert|46|kgm|Nm ftlbf|abbr=on from convert|44|kgm|Nm ftlbf|abbr=on at 4600 rpm, largely as a result of larger displacement and a longer stroke. Dry sump lubrication was used for a lower center of gravity.

External differentiators included a new front spoiler, wider rear tires, added NACA side air vents ducting air to the brakes, and four tail lights (instead of six).

929 BB 512s were produced.

512i BB

The Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injected BB 512i introduced in 1981 was the last of the series. The fuel injected motor produced cleaner emissions and convert|340|hp|abbr=on at 6000 rpm and convert|333|ft.lbf|N.m|abbr=on of torque at 4200 rpm.

External differentiators from the BB 512 besides badging include a change to metric sized wheels and the Michelin TRX metric tire system, small white running lights in the nose, and red rear fog lamps outboard of the exhaust pipes in the rear valance.

1,007 BB 512i models were produced.

Measured performance: 0-100 km/h 5.9 s, 100-200 km/h 14.8 s, max convert|288|km/h|mph|abbr=on.

References

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Links

[http://www.fiorano-publishing.co.uk Fiorano Publishing. Publishers of the book "Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer; The Road & Race Legends".]