1970 Ferrari 512 M

The Ferrari 512 was Maranello's answer to the FIA's 1968 rule change permitting 5-litre engines in Group 5 if 25 examples were homologated. The original 512 S debuted in early 1970 with a 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12 producing around 550 hp; the 512 M (Modificato) followed in autumn 1970 with revised aerodynamics by Mauro Forghieri and engineering staff at Maranello, an updated cylinder-head specification, and reduced weight. LEGO® 76906 models the 512 M's distinctive long-tail Le Mans-spec body (see Brickset 76906).

The 512 M took its only outright victory at the 1970 Kyalami 9 Hours in November, driven by Mario Andretti and Ignazio Giunti. By that point Ferrari's official racing department, Scuderia Ferrari, had committed to focusing on Formula 1 for 1971; 512 M chassis were sold to private customer teams (Penske/Sunoco, NART, Scuderia Filipinetti, Escuderia Montjuich) for the 1971 season. The customer cars finished second, third and fourth at the 1971 Daytona 24 Hours but never broke through to a Le Mans win against the Porsche 917s.

By the end of 1971 the FIA had announced that 5-litre Group 5 would be phased out in favour of 3-litre prototypes, killing both the Ferrari 512 and Porsche 917 categories. Only around 25 of the original 512 S/M cars were built, and only a handful exist in original specification today; the LEGO® version in 76906 commemorates the M version, which is significantly rarer than the early-1970 S variant.