Back in its day, Ferrari’s Berlinetta Boxer was no slouch, packing a 4.9-liter flat-12 good for 355 hp—a champion’s figure in 1978. But Koenig Specials, based in Hanover, saw raw potential in those Italian bones. One year off the factory floor, the BB found the tuner’s shop and came out the other side with flared fenders, Campagnolo wheels, and a suspension beefier than anything Ferrari dared sell to the public. Breathing mods bumped that horsepower up to 444—already wild for the era.
Then, in 1986, things got real. The owner wasn’t satisfied with just “better.” He wanted “outrageous.” So Koenig rebuilt the engine from the inside out, swapped out carbs for fuel injection, and bolted on a pair of Rajay turbos. The result? 644 horsepower unleashed, demolishing the Lamborghini Countach’s 449 hp benchmark and making Ferrari’s Testarossa and every other supercar sweat bullets. This was all before anyone uttered words like traction control—the driver’s right foot was the only thing keeping chaos at bay.
Ferrari wouldn’t outdo this BB until the Enzo arrived in 2002 with 651 hp. Sixteen years passed before the legendary Italian brand put that kind of power in customer hands. That lag shows just how far ahead tuners like Koenig were thinking, and why their work deserves a place in automotive lore.
Today, the Koenig-modded Berlinetta Boxer wears its widebody curves and turbo hardware like a badge of honor. Only 10,000 miles on the clock, but every single one tells a story of excess—rough, loud, a bit rowdy, and a whole lot of fun. Asking price? €249,900 out of Belgium’s Rock n Roll Classics. Considering run-of-the-mill examples fetch 15-30 percent more, this BB is a stone-cold bargain, packing more muscle and a whole lot more attitude.
For years, some collectors sneered at modified supercars, blind to the cult following and madcap engineering that made them legends. Times have changed. Appreciation for Koenig’s work and for rare, high-power builds like this is finally ticking up. If you’ve got a fat wallet, an ego to match, and a soft spot for boost, ’80s excess, and flat-12 fireworks, it’s time to stop looking. This wild horse is calling your name.
