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Ferrari Cars ›› Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer
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Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer Introduction
In 1971 Enzo Ferrari and long-time stylist Sergio Pininfarina revealed the 365 GT4/BB at the Turin Auto Show. The car was the hit of the event. With some lateral thought and brilliant development, Ferrari ushered in a new paradigm at the top of its product range. Even before the first production model hit the streets in 1973, the BB - for Berlinetta Boxer - became the supercar of its era, an icon of the carefree 1970s that remains vastly desirable in the 21st Century.
Enhancing North American interest was Ferrari's uncompromising view of the relationship between US and Canadian government regulations and the purity of his sports cars: the former would not dictate the latter. As a result, the 365 GT4/BB and its successors, the 512 BB and 512 BBi, were never officially imported or sold in North America. Nonetheless, enthusiasts could not be kept away from the car and a good many were brought over, legalised, and continue to thrill drivers today.
The heart of Ferrari's top models has always been a V12 engine. The new car was powered by a 4.4 liter 180-degree V12, which made 360bhp at 7500rpm. In 1976 the 512 BB was released with a 4.9 liter Flat-12 making 340bhp, a slight reduction in power which was more than offset by a 10% increase in torque. In 1981 the engine, threatened with strangulation by European emissions rules, was given fuel injection and retained a power rating of 340bhp, and another slight increase in torque.
The sensuous Pininfarina design and the powerful Ferrari engine are the things which superficially define the Boxer. The car is really set apart, however, by its surprising degree of comfort. The 365 GT4/BB was designed as a Gran Turismo, a high performance touring car. For this reason, the cabin was made spacious, the windows made large, the rearward vision excellent, and the suspension compliant.
The Boxer offered much to lure the cognoscenti: a mid-rear, Flat-12 engine based on contemporary F1 technology, a luxurious and amazingly spacious interior, a ride of sublime comfort, and one of the sexiest bodies over to clothe four wheels. And it remains very, very fast.
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