The 1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB has not traditionally featured heavily in the ‘greatest ever Ferraris’ lists but it’s starting to feel like this previously underrated offering from Maranello could be a stone cold classic in the making.
It sure has the backstory. Ferrari’s first mid-engined 12-cylinder production car, launched as a response to the beautiful Lamborghini Miura, it was capable even then of hitting 175mph and became the fastest and most expensive car in the world at launch.
Designed by Pininfarina, with Scaglietti coachwork, its Seventies styling has hints of both its classic Sixties lineage and the more muscular design direction to come. It would be replaced by every Eighties kid's favourite, the Testarossa.
The 'BB' in its name was officially said to stand for Berlinetta Boxer, though there is some evidence it might unofficially and internally have taken French actress and, at the time, preeminent global megastar, Brigitte Bardot, as its inspiration.
It certainly has rarity value too. Only 367 were made, and only 58 of them in Right Hand Drive. And by all accounts it's rather a decent car to drive too, especially given the reputation for supercars of this era.
"The mid-located engine gave near-perfect balance and ensured that the Boxer's handling matched its stupendous straight-line speed," says the listing on the Bonhams auction site, which will be selling this particular model at the Goodwood Members' Meeting this weekend.
This particular car was delivered new to Elton John in 1974, the year he set up the Rocket Record Company, released the classic 'Benny And The Jets' and collaborated with John Lennon, who in November of that year joined Elton onstage at Madison Square Gardens for what would turn out to be the Beatle's last live performance.
All that going on and Elton, then just 27, still found the time to spec and order this Ferrari as his runaround too. For the record, he added aircon and a Voxon radio as extras.
Whatever stories it could tell, the car still has fewer than 10,000 miles on the clock, which makes your Gran's Nissan Micra look used and abused.
It's listed at £250-300,000 and should have a new owner by next week. As tastes in car aesthetics change, and a new generation of collectors matures, we reckon this car will find a new and very appreciative fanbase. That's just the circle of life.
The Goodwood Members' Meeting runs from April 6-7th
