The landmark 512 BB, or Berlinetta Boxer, shared the same flat-12 engine configuration as some of Ferrari’s most accomplished racing designs—notably, the contemporaneous 312B2 and 312B3 Formula One cars. It succeeded the 365 GT4 BB, which was the Italian automaker’s first-ever mid-engine, 12-cylinder production car. Both shared an innovative architecture that placed the engine atop a five-speed gearbox to minimize the wheelbase and maximize interior space. For the 512 BB, the 12-cylinder "boxer" engine—so-called for its horizontally opposed pistons—gained dry-sump lubrication and a longer stroke, which significantly improved drivability. Meanwhile, the car’s trendsetting Pininfarina styling evolved from the preceding 365 GT4 BB with subtle tweaks.

In 1981, the third and final iteration of the series debuted. Newly designated 512 BBi, it abandoned the four triple-barrel Weber carburetors and replaced them with cutting-edge Bosch K-Jetronic ignition—accounting for the “i” in the model name. This modification had a negligible effect on absolute performance, but mid-range torque increased by around 20 pounds-feet, rendering the 512 BBi yet more tractable than its carburetor-fed equivalent. The BBi was blessed with performance figures of 0–60 mph in 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 179 mph. Still impressive by today’s standards, it was otherworldly in the early-1980s.

This example, chassis 39927, is one of just 1,007 of the 512 BBi models constructed from 1981 through 1984. Said to have been originally delivered to France, it is believed to have been imported into the United States in 2019, though no documentation was available at cataloguing time to confirm those claims.

While the exterior is finished in familiar Rosso Corsa paintwork, the interior sports a truly special and believed to be uncommon Nero Stoffa interior with gray wool inserts, said to have been developed in conjunction with fashion house Zegna, renowned for producing luxurious wool fabrics. With 72,068 kilometers (44,781 miles) on the odometer as of cataloguing time, the Ferrari had its windshield wiper mechanism and motor, spark plugs, ignition wires, and distributor cap and rotor replaced in January 2023.

The ideal Ferrari for those with an appreciation of rarity and high fashion, this 512 BBi undoubtably checks both boxes.