Stunning video tribute to the Ferrari 312B will massage your eyes and ears.
Some people see a car as a tool for getting from A to B. For petrolheads, the fear, noise, pursuit of speed, competition, man and machine in unison ─ it is a potent mix that keeps us hooked. If the latter description got your attention, the following video will be time well spent.
The YouTube video from Petrolicious is a short documentary on the last sports prototype Italian manufacturer Ferrari ever built, the 1971 312PB (officially known as the 312P), with current owner Steven Read justifying his purchase with ease.
This monster of a machine managed to dominate just about every race it was entered into during the 1972 World Sportscar Championship season. The 312PB was, unfortunately, unable to shine at Le Mans. Ferrari was concerned about the engine durability over such a long race.
Success is hardly surprising given Ferrari’s attention to detail and engineering prowess. It helps, too, that the 312PB is basically a Formula One car in a different suit. Underneath the wafer-thin bonnet is a potent 3.0-litre flat-12 that takes ten minutes to get the water and oil to the correct temperature before it can be driven.
The star of the show is, of course, that engine sound. As the 312PB tears around Willow Springs International Raceway, you get a chance to really appreciate an almighty symphony of horsepower and torque. Few, if any, cars sound as good. We’re not sure how much Mr Read paid to own it, but it was certainly money well spent.
“It’s difficult not to get wrapped up in the noise. It is so beautiful, but you have to drive. You lose attention for a nanosecond and you’ve covered about 20ft,” Read said, before explaining his biggest concern was maintenance. Not everyone has the luxury of a 20-man mechanic crew.
As somebody said in the YouTube comments, how amazing would it have been to see these mad machines racing at full tilt from a GoPro camera perspective?
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