The Ferrari 512 S was developed for the purpose to compete with the Porsche 917 in the sports car world championship. The people of Stuttgart have shocked the experts with the already used twelve-cylinder in 1969 and thus forced Maranello to act. But the 512 S came a year too late and could not really exist compared to the Porsche, except of a few notable successes. However, in the year of its debut - in 1970 - the 512 S also equipped with a 5.0-liter V12, landed at least on fourth and fifth place overall in Le Mans. Depending on the track conditions, there were 512 S, as well as Porsche 917 versions with short and long tail. CMR already has some of these sports cars in program and now presents the continuation of the story with the 512M under the article number CMR015.
Ferrari developed the 512 S only at the end of the season in 1970. The car is more reminiscent of the Porsche 917 than its predecessors and was ready for the 1000-kilometer race on the Austrian ring. The further development was baptized on the name 512 M - M for Modificato - and proved immediately as the superior of the 917 in Austria. The new Ferrari even set some lap records, before the race ended, due to problems with the alternator for the driver pairing Jacky Ickx / Ignazio Giunti. The following race in Kyalami, had been won by the duo with two laps ahead of the Porsche 917 of Joseph "Jo" Siffert and Kurz Ahrens. But in 1971 it was still not enough for the Ferrari 512 M to break the Porsche dominance: While the 917 achieved the second overall victory, the modified 512 landed at least in the ranks three and four.
The real model of our model with the number 9 - used by the Ecurie Francorchamps with the drivers Hughes de Fierlant and Alain de Cadenet - failed at the 39th edition of the traditional race with gearbox damage. Tragic especially for the Belgian De Fierlant, who parked the 512 S in 1970 in fifth place overall and thus almost sniffed victory. A winner is our model car, however, despite the failure of his model, because the outstanding quality of the already well-known 512 S is also demonstrated at the 512 M of CMR: The proportions are perfect, the details shine in terms of design and build quality. For friends of the brand from Italy, it is certainly a good thing to come a step closer completing the replica of the history of Ferrari's involvement in the 1970s Sports Car World Cup.