Twin-turbo conversions and outlandish bodykits are commonplace nowadays, with tuners like Liberty Walk both inspiring and upsetting purists in equal measure with their supercar reimaginations. But this isn’t a new thing. In fact, it’s more than a few decades old.
One name at the forefront of the original charge was German tuner Koenig Specials.
Koenig Specials was founded by Willy König, whose fortunes made in publishing allowed him to pursue his true passion – racing. Competing under the pseudonym ‘Robert Frank’, König won the German Hillclimb Championship in his Ferrari 250 GT SWB, before racing other iconic vehicles through the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, including a Ford GT40, BMW M1 Procar, Porsche 935 K3 and Porsche 962.
In the ’70s, after feeling a little disheartened by the performance of his Ferrari 365 BB, König turned his hand to mechanical and cosmetic modification of various sports cars. At first it was a side interest, but having developed a reputation for wild styling and a fastidious approach to mechanical tuning, he made it official. Koenig Specials launched in 1977.
A total of 929 Ferrari 512 BBs were ever produced, with only a handful of these receiving the aftermarket Koenig Specials treatment. So when this stunning example appeared locally at The Classic Motor Hub, I had to go in for a closer look.
The Koenig Specials 512 BB exterior upgrade leaves little untouched, with aerodynamic enhancements made to either aid cooling or reduce lift. This aspect of the car was designed by another recognisable name from the ’80s tuning world – Vittori Strosek.
The diminutive 512 BB wore relatively narrow 15-inch wheels from factory, but in the Koenig Specials version they grew to 9 inches wide up front and 11 inches at the rear, shod in bulbous 225/50 and 325/35 tyres respectively.
Those more familiar with Koenig Specials will notice this car is missing the trademark side strakes the brand became synonymous with, but it still retains other styling cues. NACA-style ducts along the sills feed air to the rear brakes, while vents in the lower front lip cool the front brakes. Huge side intakes feed the intercoolers, and dual air boxes breathe through the finned deck lid.
The 512 BB rolled off Ferrari’s production line with around 355hp from its 180-degree V12. Koenig Specials offered a few states of tune, ranging from 385 up to a frankly ludicrous near 700 horsepower, which this car has.
Thanks to a comprehensive rebuild and addition of twin turbos (originally finding use in aircraft, modified by Franz Albert), the Koenig Specials 512 BB could go 0-60mph in well under four seconds, and crack the 200mph (321km/h) barrier for those committed enough to try.
The turbos sit where the original Ferrari rear silencers once did, while spent gasses exit out of what barely passes as an exhaust, with wastegate dump pipes alongside.
One of the biggest changes was the removal of the engine’s factory carburettors to fit modern electronic fuel injection and ignition systems. In this particular car, the ignition was recently updated again to provide a more stable spark and to take full advantage of better quality fuel. This modification has likely increased the power and torque output even more.
The interior is left largely standard, save for the electronic Lifeline fire suppression controller and additional gauges to monitor oil temperature and boost pressures. Yes, plural – each turbocharger has its own gauge.
Not many cars have ashtrays in their sills, but this just shows how low you sit in the car. The iconic gated shifter takes pride of place in the narrow centre console, with driver and passenger in close proximity to one another.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, it’s not hard to imagine what it would be like to wind out the motor along a straight stretch of road. In true ’80s fashion, you’d have a degree of lag before the turbos delivered their full boost, and the audio system would have been largely a suggestion, being barely audible over the wastegate chatter and exhaust cackle on the overrun.
This car perfectly sums up the forward thinking mentality of tuners in that era – take an already accomplished model and turn it up to 11. There are many things this car is, but discreet is certainly not one of them. So much so that Ferrari issued a legal notice stating no Koenig Specials could be marketed or sold using their name.
Koenig Specials continued strongly into the ’90s, tuning all manner of performance cars, from Mercedes-Benzes to Jaguars. It still exists today, but is sadly now just a shadow of its former self.
So while modern tuning houses are doing some rather crazy things, remember none of this is new – fashion goes in one big cycle. Think of it as an evolution, rather than a revolution. I’m not sure what we’ll see come the next cycle, but the OGs are always hard to beat.
Thanks to George, Nigel and everyone else at The Classic Motor Hub for accommodating me. Click here to see and hear this Koenig Specials 512 BB rolling out of their showroom.
Chaydon Ford
Instagram: chaycore