1967 Fiat Dino Spyder

The Ferrari Dino and the Fiat Dino were named after Enzo's late son Alfredo 'Dino' Ferrari, who is credited with inspiring the design of the V6 powerplant found in the Dino car. The Dino was originally to be a marque name in its own right and intended as a lower-priced, entry-level Ferrari. The mid-engined car arrived for 1968.

After a long battle with muscular dystrophy, Dino Ferrari died in 1956. The Dino car became a memorial to him. The engine was designed by Alfa Romeo's renowned engineer Vittorio Jano. The engine was attractive to Enzo Ferrari because it could be used in Formula 2 competition, after homologation requirements of 500 production vehicles were satisfied.

There were 1,650 examples of the Fiat Dino produced between 1966 and 1969. Through 1968, 1,133 Fiat Dinos were built at Turin. In 1969, the engine was enlarged to 2418cc and produced 178 bhp. The live rear axle was replaced by an independent coil-spring setup. The 424 subsequent cars were produced by Ferrari at Maranello, alongside the mid-engine 246GT. The Fiat Dino was produced through 1973. Ferrari's Dino, which eventually included a V8 version, lasted through 1976.

This Fiat Dino is a two-liter car pained in red with a tan interior. It was sold new in Belgium and had been built to European specification. Its arrival date to the United States is not known. In 2005, it was sold publicly by Barrett-Jackson in Florida. In the 1990s, the car had undergone a $40,000 restoration. At auction, the car was purchased by gene Ponder of Marshall, Texas. After he passed away, the car was purchased by the Oldenburg Family.

In 2010, this Spyder was offered for sale at the Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia auction presented by Bonhams. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $46,800 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2010