The Ferrari 512 BB LM was a factory-developed endurance racer based around the roadgoing 512 BB. Honed in Pininfarina's wind tunnel, the extended nose and roofline-enveloping tail increased the length of the car by eighteen inches, but overall weight was 1235lb less. The 5.0-litre flat-twelve was tweaked to produce 480bhp (120bhp up on standard), with power meeting tarmac via tyres that were 10" wide at the front and a monstrous 13" at the rear.
They were never enormously competitive or successful, finishing far down the rankings on the occasions that they didn't retire or crash out. But that's not really the point of the BB LM; the fact that any factory, let alone one as proud and meticulous as Ferrari, should put such vast efforts into developing a racer from a road car to compete at the very top levels of contemporary motorsport when there's so little to be drawn in return is truly something to cherish. And, of course, the cars look and sound astonishing - quite a legacy for the development teams to be proud of.
You can see more photos here.
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