NART Ferrari 512 BB/LM on the auction block for $2 million
NART Ferrari 512 BB/LM – Click above for high-res image gallery
When Ferrari debuted the Berlinetta Boxer to replace the iconic Daytona in 1971, it was a revolutionary step forward. It was the first mid-engine Ferrari road car, and following hot on the heels of the Lamborghini Miura, one of the first mid-engined sports cars on the market. Unfortunately it was never homologated for the North American market, but every rule has its exceptions. And this is one of them.
After replacing the 4.4-litre flat-12 in the initial 365 GT4/BB with the 5.0-litre unit in the 512 BB, Ferrari got back into the endurance sports racing game with the 512 BB/LM. Of only 25 examples made, only 19 saw race action – 14 of those at Le Mans – including this particular example. One of the last to be made, this boxer was commissioned by Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (NART).
Chassis 35527's bodywork features a longer tail to go with the extended nose of the existing 512 BB/LM – whose Pininfarina styling was aped by the 365 GT Speciale we reported on recently – and an engine tuned up to 560 horsepower to push a chassis parred down to less than 2,500 lbs. The transmission was also beefed up in response to the breakdowns suffered by previous examples, which unfortunately didn't prevent this car's gearbox from giving up the ghost at the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans while running 3rd overall – not just in its class – close to the end of the race.
The car has since had numerous owners, but is now going up for auction at Bonhams' Les Grandes Marques à Monaco this weekend, complete with spare parts and even an extra engine. Pre-sale estimates place its value at between €1,250,000 and €1,450,000 – about $2 million Cdn at today's rates. Follow the jump for more details of the car's considerable history and check out the trio of images in our high-resolution gallery.
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