1973 Fiat Dino 246GT news, pictures, and information

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Sport Coupe
Designer: Bertone
Chassis Num: 135BC0004008

The world was introduced to the Fiat Dino Spyder at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. The coupe version appareled on year later at the Geneva Motor Show. Ferrari had created the Dinos, but they could not meet the minimum road car production of 500 cars to enter their V6 into the Formula 2 series. Ferrari was able to increase distribution of the Dino's V6 enigne with a deal with Fiat. Beginning in 1966, Fiat produced an affordable front-engine, car with a Ferrari powerplant. The engine originally displaced 2-liters but was later increased to 2.4-liters. The 2.0-liter engine produced 158 horsepower while the 2.4-liter unit produced nearly 200 horsepower (originally producing 178 hp). Production would continue until 1973.

The Ferrari and Fiat parts were interchangeable. The Girling brakes for the 2.4s were shared with the De Tomaso Pantera and the Lamborghini Miura. Aston Martin used the ZF gearbox.

This car was originally owned by a gentleman in Boulder, Colorado. It was restored in the mid-1990s, including a complete stripping and repainted in its original color. The car was sold in 1999 to an individual in The Woodlands, Texas. The car was sold in 2008 and sent back to Colorado to a shop owner in Denver. Currently, the car shows 89,000 klm - or about 52,000 miles. It has a ZF five-speed transmission, a 2.4-liter engine rated at 195 horsepower, and four-wheel disc brakes.

In 2009, this Sport Coupe was offered for sale at the Houston Classic Auction presented by Worldwide Auctioneers and held in Seabrook, Texas. The lot was estimates to sell for $30,000 - $40,000. The lot was sold for $24,000 plus buyer's premium.

In 1966 at the Turin Motor Show, Fiat introduced their Dino Spider. It was built in cooperation with the Ferrari Company, helping them achieve the necessary production numbers to homologate Alfredo (Dino) Ferrari's V6 engine for Formula 2 competition. A minimum of 500 examples were required. Ferrari was not in the situation to produce this many cars, as they were generally a low production, exclusive company; they joined forces with Fiat to create three different vehicles, a coupe and Spider Fiat version and the Ferrari Dino 206. The V6 engine would be used by Ferrari for their road-going mid-engined cars, while Fiat used them in their front-engined, rear-drive sports vehicles. Fiat's production of the Dino began in 1966 and continued until 1973. A coupe version was shown at the Geneva Motorshow in 1967 with production commencing a short time later.

The V6 engine originally displaced 2-liters and produced 160 horsepower. Later, displacement size rose to 2.4-liters and horsepower followed similar suite, rising to 180. The Dino was a sporty car, with its five-speed gearbox, live axle, and leaf springs, which were later replaced with coil-springs and an independent rear setup similar to the Fiat 130.

Pininfarina bodied the spiders while Bertone was responsible for the coupes. The Bertone bodied-cars had classic-1960s designs with rounded shapes and subtle hints of the 1970s, most noticeably in the tail section.

The Dino has made it to the 'Big Screen' on at least two occasions. It was seen in the movie, 'Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo' where it was painted red and had a few decades and a black numeral '5'. It also was in 'The Italian Job' where it was painted black and driven by the Italian Mafia boss.

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