Ferrari 512 BB / BBi (1976–1984) Price Guide

The Ferrari 512 BB and 512 BBi are two generations of the same car. The Berlinetta Boxer in its second and third iterations, sharing the same fundamental architecture, the same Pininfarina body, and the same 4,943cc horizontally-opposed flat-twelve engine. Together they cover a decade of production from 1976 to 1984, distinguished primarily by the switch from carburettors to fuel injection that the ‘i’ suffix records.

The 512 BB (1976–1981)

The 512 BB was announced at the 1976 Paris Salon, replacing the 365 GT4 BB and enlarging its flat-twelve from 4.4 to 4.9 litres; five litres, twelve cylinders, hence 512. The engine produced a claimed 360bhp from four triple-choke Weber carburettors. The Pininfarina body was revised from its predecessor with a distinctive NACA duct on the sill and revised rear treatment. The five-speed transaxle sat beneath the engine in a stacked configuration that kept the wheelbase short while placing the centre of gravity higher than a pure transverse arrangement would allow. Only 929 were built, of which 101 were right-hand drive. No USA-market versions were ever produced. The 512 BB is the most sporting and most sonorous of the family: the carburettor intake note and the mechanical directness give it a character the injection car approaches but cannot fully replicate.

The 512 BBi (1981–1984)

The 512 BBi, introduced at the 1981 Frankfurt Salon, replaced the Weber carburettors with Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection – the ‘i’ suffix marking the change. Maximum revs dropped slightly from 6,800rpm to 6,600rpm, and power remained at around 340bhp, but the injection provided more consistent delivery across the rev range and considerably easier cold-starting. External changes were deliberately subtle: a revised rear bumper, a black-finished NACA duct, and a body-coloured door mirror distinguished it from the 512 BB. Air conditioning and central locking became standard. Exactly 1,007 examples were produced in the chassis number range 38121 to 52935.

What Goes Wrong

The flat-twelve’s cam belts require engine removal to change; a major scheduled service item whose cost must be budgeted before purchase and whose history must be documented on any car under consideration. The cooling system requires meticulous maintenance: these engines run hot, and correct thermostat condition and coolant specification are not optional. The Bosch K-Jetronic injection on the BBi requires period-specific specialist knowledge when it develops faults. Both cars demand a specialist who understands flat-twelve Ferraris specifically.

Buying

The 512 BB is the more characterful and slightly rarer car; the 512 BBi the more practical daily proposition. Right-hand-drive examples particularly scarce – only 101 right-hand-drive 512 BBs were produced across the full run. Cam belt documentation and Ferrari Classiche certification are the primary credentials to demand on any purchase.