1972 Ferrari 246 Dino

The prototype for the 246 appeared in the early part of 1969, with the production version being rolled out only months later. The design was by Pininfarina, construction by Scaglietti, and the Ferrari-designed engine was built by Fiat.

Although Enzo Ferrari was reluctant to accept the mid-engine placement and V6 (Tipo 156) engine, the combination would birth several successful motorsport-oriented derivatives ranging from sports car racing applications to Formula One. To homologate the Ferrari for racing, the mid-engine production V6 coupes went on sale in 1967 in a two-liter configuration. A larger 2.4-liter Dino appeared in 1969, named the 246 GT or GTS in the case of the Spider.

The mid-engine Ferrari was called the 'Dino' in honor of Alfredo 'Dino' Ferrari, the only legitimate son of 'Il Commendatore', who died of muscular dystrophy in 1956.

Just like the first road-going Dino (the Dino 206 GT), the Dino 246 did not wear any Ferrari logos or badges. There were a few aesthetic changes and a larger wheelbase (2.1-inch increase). It used a tubular chassis with an independent wishbone suspension, a transversely mounted four-cam engine, and a five-speed gearbox located ahead of the rear axle. The 65-degree, 2,419.20cc (2.4-liter) engine delivered 192 horsepower at 7,600 RPM (European specification). Body styles were initially a fixed-top GT coupe, with a Targa-topped GTS version available after 1971.

While the 206 had been formed from lightweight aluminum, the 246 was built using steel. Three series of the Dino 246 GT was built, with differences in engine ventilation, wheels, and windshield wiper coverage.

The Dino 246 GT (and later GTS) remained in production from 1969 through 1974, with 3,569 examples built, including 2,295 GTs and 1,274 GTSs.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2005