Ferrari 512 BB

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Ferrari
Ferrari 512 BB
Ferrari 512 BB
512
Production period: 1976-1984
Class : Sports car
Body versions : Coupe
Engines: Otto engine :
5.0 liters (264 kW)
Length: 4400 mm
Width: 1830 mm
Height: 1120 mm
Wheelbase : 2500 mm
Empty weight : 1515 kg
Previous model 365 GT / 4 BB
successor Testarossa
Rear view

The Ferrari 512 BB is a sports car model from the Italian car manufacturer Ferrari . The designation Ferrari 512, analogous to the racing car Ferrari 512S from 1970 with a 5-liter V12 engine, was adopted for a series of road cars as the 4.4-liter engine of the 365 GT / 4 Berlinetta Boxer to around 5 liters Displacement was increased. According to the previous designation for V12 engines, in which the individual displacement of a cylinder in cubic centimeters resulted in the type designation, it would now have been 412's turn, see Ferrari 412 .

Ferrari 512 BB / 512 BBi

The Ferrari 512 BB was presented as a sports car for the road at the 1976 Paris Motor Show. The 512 Berlinetta Boxer was the revised successor to the 365 GT / 4 Berlinetta Boxer with 4.4-liter twelve-cylinder - mid-engine . An essential feature of the 512 BB was the 5-liter capacity enlarged twelve-cylinder (no boxer engine , but a V-engine with a 180 °  bank angle ), similar to the three-liter racing engines in the prototype Ferrari 312PB and the Ferrari 312B and Ferrari 312T in the Formula 1 , the u. a. were driven by Niki Lauda .

External differences from the 365 to the 512 were four tailpipes and four rear lights. In addition, a small front spoiler, a new bonnet and additional NACA air inlets were installed in front of the rear wheels. Wider tires were just as much a part of the changes as a slightly wider and longer tail. The vehicle also gained weight.

In 1981 further technical changes were made. Due to the stricter emissions standards in the USA, the carburettors gave way to mechanical intake manifold injection , whereby the name 512 BB was changed to 512 BBi (for iniezione ). The injection system was a K-Jetronic from Bosch; Compared to the carburettor engine of the 512 BB, consumption was also reduced by around 15 kW, and torque was also slightly lower. At the same time, a slight facelift was carried out: the front hood received air outlet grilles in the same color as the car, wider tires, new rear fog lights and parking lights. In addition, the front grille became narrower. In the official BBi sales brochure, however, the now better ventilated backrests of the leather seats were primarily advertised. With the introduction of the Ferrari Testarossa , production of the 512 BBi ran out in 1984 .

Test values ​​AMS 15/1983 for BBi (AMS 9/1978 for 512 BB)

  • 0-80 km / h 4.9 s (4.0 s)
  • 0-100 km / h 5.9 s (5.7 s)
  • 0–120 km / h 7.6 s (7.5 s)
  • 0–140 km / h 10.0 s (9.9 s)
  • 0–160 km / h 12.8 s (12.5 s)
  • 0–180 km / h 16.4 s (15.7 s)
  • 0-200 km / h 20.7 s (19.1 s)
  • 1000 m with standing start 25.0 s (24.9 s)
  • V max 288 km / h (283.5 km / h)

The 512 BB claimed to be the fastest road car in production with a top speed of 302 km / h specified by Ferrari, but in 1978 only a disappointing 263 km / h were measured in a test by British magazine Autocar , in the AMS comparison test it was 4.5 km / h slower than the Lamborghini Countach LP 400 .

At the customer's request, a longer ratio of the first two gears was possible (1st gear up to 110 km / h, 2nd gear up to 150 km / h). As a result, the acceleration time to 100 km / h was improved by eliminating a gear change. In addition, camshafts with modified timing and higher compression pistons were available; this "LM kit" was retrofitted for special customers of the company at the customer's request.

Ferrari 512 BB Le Mans

Ferrari 512 BB Le Mans (1979)
Ferrari 512 BB Le Mans (1979)

With the support of the factory department for customer competition vehicles, four slightly modified racing versions of the 512 BB were created for use in Le Mans 1978 and with the support of general importers from France (Pozzi), Belgium (Ecurie Francorchamps) and North America (NART). None of the four racing cars reached their destination, but they were immediately faster than the previous 365 GTB / 4 models. The factory reacted accordingly and, in collaboration with Pininfarina, prepared a GfK body optimized in the wind tunnel for the following years , which definitely made the car lighter and faster (V max : 350 km / h in Le Mans).

The 25 vehicles were officially registered as customer vehicles and started a total of 26 times at just seven events, including Daytona , Sebring and Le Mans . In the IMSA GTX category, the 512 BB of the Andruet / Ballot-Lena team achieved fifth place in the overall standings in 1981. Overall, the racing 512-BB was not very successful. Until 1994 ( Ferrari 333SP ), no Ferrari achieved any notable results at Le Mans.

Ferrari 512 TR / 512 M

In 1984 the 512 BBi was replaced by the Ferrari Testarossa . This was in 1991 512 TR Ferrari renamed In 1994, after a model care measure again renamed Ferrari 512 M .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ autocar.co.uk .
  2. ^ Auto, Motor and Sport 9/1978
  3. ↑ 25 Ferrari 512 BB LM All 25 chassis in a graphical overview in: Zwischengas.com (last accessed April 8, 2016)

literature

  • Godfrey Eaton: The Complete Ferrari. Edited by Geoff Willoughby. Cadogan Books, London 1985, ISBN 0-947754-10-5 .

Web links

Commons : Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer  - Collection of images, videos and audio files