The first ‘Boxer’ and indeed the first mid-engined Ferrari to wear the prancing horse was unveiled at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Penned by Leonardi Fioravanti of Pininfarina and intended to square up to Lamborghini’s Miura, it was a major change for Enzo Ferrari who had hitherto stuck faithfully to a front engine layout for his V-12 engined flagship road cars, believing his customers would struggle to control the mid-engine design. Conspicuously, the longitudinally mounted engine was a 180 degree, 380 bhp flat-twelve, rather than a boxer as the name would suggest. The name ‘Berlinetta Boxer’ was later invented by Ferrari officials prior to the model's introduction at the Turin Show.

This particular example was delivered to its first Italian owner in February 1974 and was the 23rd 365 GT4 BB to be built. It was subsequently exported to France in the late 1970s, before being owned by Formula 1 driver, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, who reportedly purchased the car as a project in a tired state. Unfortunately, the restoration never took place and the car spent in excess of twenty years being used for ancillary parts at Charles Pozzi’s Ferrari distributorship outside Paris. It is not known exactly why the car was taken off the road at this time, although evidence of the rear clamshell opening at speed and damage to the lower bodywork on its right-hand side was found prior to the restoration. Thankfully, its major components (including the original engine and gearbox) were never separated and it was rescued by its current owner as a project in 2005, who then set about a comprehensive restoration to restore it to its former glory.

Today it presents in beautiful condition throughout and one glance at the 200-page book that chronicles the entire restoration of the car will demonstrate the love, care and attention for detail that went into the rebuild. It is a testament to its owner and the specialists whom he enlisted to carry out the work: YMA for the engine and gearbox, Carroserie Lecoq for the some body repairs and paintwork and over €145,000 worth of replacement parts from various suppliers; paperwork for all of which accompanies the sale. Painted in its original scheme of Rosso Chiaro with Nero leather, it has covered only 3,000 km since being put back on the road and is a wonderful example of one of the finest of 1970s supercars, sure to thrill its next owner.