Brigitte Bardot: The Unexpected Muse Behind Ferrari's BB Models

Officially, the “BB” suffix on the 1971 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB stood for Berlinetta Boxer, a reference to its coupe body style and flat twelve-cylinder engine. But behind the scenes, Ferrari insiders knew there was another meaning entirely. The initials were also a discreet tribute to Brigitte Bardot, the French film icon whose beauty and charisma defined an era. Bardot, often referred to simply by her initials “BB,” passed away on December 28 last year at the age of 91. During the 1960s, she was one of the most recognizable cultural figures in the world, symbolizing glamour, sensuality, and modern femininity. According to Ferrari lore, confirmed decades later, the designers found her so captivating that when a radically new Ferrari GT prototype emerged as exceptionally beautiful, it was informally nicknamed “BB” in her honor. What began as an internal nickname ultimately became part of Ferrari’s official model names, cleverly disguised within traditional nomenclature. Ferrari’s Shift to a Mid-Engine V12 By the late 1960s, the advantages of a mid-mounted engine were undeniable in motorsport. Formula 1 had already embraced the layout, and in 1966 Lamborghini brought it to the road with the groundbreaking Lamborghini Miura, often cited as the world’s first true supercar. Ferrari cautiously followed suit, first with the V6-powered Dino 206 GT. When it came time to replace its flagship front-engine V12 GT, the legendary 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Ferrari could no longer avoid the transition. Enzo Ferrari himself reportedly doubted that a mid-engine road car could match the elegance and sensuality of the Daytona’s long-hood proportions. Nevertheless, the task was handed to Pininfarina, with a clear mandate: preserve Ferrari’s aesthetic grace despite the radical change in layout. A Design Worthy of an Icon The result was a low, compact, and strikingly elegant coupe penned by Leonardo Fioravanti. Its smooth bodywork, flared fenders, and black lower section visually lightened the silhouette, while pop-up headlights and a subtle fastback profile reinforced its futuristic presence. Internally, Ferrari engineers and craftsmen, including Sergio Scaglietti, were so taken by the car’s proportions that the Bardot-inspired nickname stuck. At its 1971 debut at the Turin Auto Show, Ferrari officially named the car 365 GT4 BB. The designation followed Ferrari tradition: 365 cubic centimeters per cylinder, Gran Turismo, and four camshafts. The “BB” was explained as Berlinetta Boxer, even though the engine technically wasn’t a true boxer. Unlike classic boxer engines, where pistons move in opposite directions, Ferrari’s 180-degree V12 had paired pistons moving together, closer in concept to a conventional V engine. The name remained, and the tribute stayed hidden in plain sight. Evolution of the BB Line In 1976, Ferrari introduced the Ferrari 512 BB, increasing displacement from 4.4 to 4.9 liters to improve torque and drivability while maintaining 360 horsepower. Five years later, the Ferrari 512 BBi replaced carburetors with mechanical fuel injection, slightly reducing output but improving emissions and reliability. The BB era ended in 1984 with the arrival of the Testarossa, whose aggressive styling and new naming convention marked a clear break from the Bardot-inspired lineage. Still, the flat V12 architecture lived on, evolving through the 512 TR and 512 M before being retired in 1996 with the front-engine Ferrari 550 Maranello. A Hidden Chapter in Ferrari History Looking back, the Berlinetta Boxer models represent a lot more than a technical turning point for Ferrari. They capture a moment when design, culture, and engineering converged, and when one of the world’s most prestigious automakers quietly honored a global icon. Three decades after the last BB-powered Ferrari left production, the story remains one of the most fascinating and human chapters in Maranello’s storied past.