1972 Ferrari 246 Dino news, pictures, and information

The prototype for the 246 appeared in the early part of 1969 with the production version being rolled out only months later. Production continued until 1973. A total of 2,487 246's were produced.

Scaglietti built the vehicle while the Ferrari designed engine was built by Fiat.

The Dino 246 was almost identical to the 206. Just like the 206, it did not wear any Ferrari logos or badges. There were a few aesthetic changes and a larger wheelbase (2.1 inch increase). Under the hood, however, they were differences. The 246 had a more reliable and larger V-6 engine that was capable of almost 200 hp (European version). The American version had a slightly lower horsepower rating.

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Coupe
Designer: Scaglietti

The Dino story began with a Dino Berlinetta Speciale concept car designed by Aldo Brovarone at Pininfarina. It debuted at the 1965 Paris Auto Show with a longitudinally mounted V-6.

Enzo Ferrari named the road-going Dino, his first attempt at a mid-engine production street car, as a tribute to his son Alfredino Ferrari, who died in 1965. The first production Dino 206 hit the road in 1967 with a 2.0-liter Transversely mounted dual-overhead-camshaft aluminum V-6 engine and a Scaglietti-built aluminum body. Later models wore easier-to-build and less-expensive steel bodies. The Dino's name was changed to 246 GT for 1970 when its engine was enlarged to 2.4 liters. Fed by a trio of twin-barrel downdraft Weber carburetors, it pumped out a healthy 195 horsepower.

Known more of voluptuous design and perfect dynamic balance than for speed, the Dino's commercial success led to further development of mid-engine Ferraris up to the modern supercars enjoyed by affluent enthusiasts today. A total of around 3,600 Dinos were produced, very few in this color.

GTS Spyder
Designer: Scaglietti
Chassis Num: 03128

The Dino 206S was introduced at the 1965 Paris Auto Show. It was named in honor of Enzo Ferrari's son Alfredino. Alfredino had earned an engineering degree; upon completion, he began work on developing a new V6 race engine for Ferrari. Sadly, his life and the task were cut short, as he passed away at the very young age of 24. Enzo tasked engineer Vittorio Jano to complete the work in honor of his son. The engine would later be used in road going cars and to power various Ferrari Formula 1, 2, and 3 cars.

The Dino 206S was powered by the V6 engine. A Dino Berlinetta GT version was later shown at the 1966 Turin Show. The V6 engine displaced 1986cc and produced 180 horsepower. It was placed mid-ship and became Ferrari's first mid-engine production car.

The Dino car was devoid of any Ferrari badging. During this time in history, Ferrari and Fiat had formed a relationship. Fiat produced the engine and in return, was able to use it in their front-engined coupe and spyder, and later in the Lancia Stratos.

In 1969 the V6 engine was enlarged to 2418cc and power reached nearly 200 horsepower. The GTS featured a targa-roof which allowed for open-air driving while offering the true benefits of a sports car. More versions of the coupe were produced, leaving the GTS a very sought-after commodity in modern times. Some have had their coupe's converted into Targas. That is what happened to this car, bearing chassis number 03128. It is a matching numbers example that has traveled a mere 29,000 miles during its existence. It is finished in metallic silver with deep red Daytona style seats with black inserts. It is equipped with power windows and factory air conditioning. It was the subject of a professional three-year restoration that was done to the highest of standards.

In 2008 this 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Spyder Conversion was brought to the Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions where it had an estimated value of $150,000 - $157,000. When bidding had subsided, the lot had been sold for a high bid of $156,750.

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Coupe
Designer: Scaglietti
Chassis Num: 03656

In 1969 the V6 engine was enlarged to 2418cc and the output was increased to 195 brake horsepower. There were nearly 3,800 examples of the 246 Dinos in the years spanning 1969 to 1974. 2,476 of these were GT coupe versions.

This 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT has had just three owners since new and remains original and un-restored. In the early 1980s, the car was apparently repainted as the original factory paint had begun to fade. The interior is reported to be entirely original, including the Becker radio, seats, dash, and carpets.

In 2008, this vehicle was offered for sale at the 'Sports & Classics in Monterey' presented by RM Auctions where it was estimated to sell for $125,000 - $150,000. It was offered without reserve and sold for $118,250.

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GTS Spyder
Designer: Scaglietti
Chassis Num: 04370

The 246 GT began in 1969 after the 206. The 246 had a larger engine with cast-iron block and produced 195 bhp. Even though the engine was larger, so was the weight of the vehice.

In 1972 the 246 GTS was unveiled. This featured a removable targa roof panel without the small rear side windows.

The 246 model continued until 1973. In total, 2,732 GT's and 1,180 GTS's were produced.

It is interesting to note that none of the 246's were sold with the Ferrari badge.
This 1972 Dino GTS has been owned by its current owner for almost 30 years, and after a number of competition events, the car is now 'retired.' As a younger car this 246 GTS raced at Sears Point, competed for 10 years at the Virginia City Hill Climb, and ran at club track days at Laguna Seca. The 246 GTS, with its removable top panel, arrived with the advent of the Series III V6 Dinos. Aside from the new Spyder configuration, these cars featured minor changes over the earlier ones, such as new gear ratios and a revised fuel system.

The 206 Dino was built by Enzo Ferrari as a tribute to his son who passed away in 1956 at the age of 24 due to kidney disease. Alfredo Ferrari, more commonly known as Dino, was Enzo Ferrari's only son (Alfredo was also Enzo's brother and fathers' name). Afredo had been trained in Switzerland as an engineer, after which he returned to the family business and received tutoring from his father. It was Enzo's dream to one-day hand over the keys to the company to his son. Sadly, that never transpired.
The 206S first debuted in 1965 at the Paris Salon. The Dino Berlinetta GT Prototype was debuted later in 1966 at the Turin Show and again in 1967 at the same show but this time as a production model. The Dino Berlinetta was Ferrari's first transverse-mounted mid-engine vehicle.

The design was done by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti at the Maranello assembly facility. The body was alloy and the frame was steel.

The Dino 206 did not receive any Ferrari marque. It was void of the signature 'horse' logo, making it never officially a Ferrari. Rather, it was marketed as a separate marque.

The Dino was also built to compete against the Porsche 911. In order to meet the Formula Two racing regulations, over 500 production units had to be made. Ferrari was not capable of producing such numbers. So Ferrari relied on other resources. The engine was supplied by Fiat with half the number of cylinders that Ferrari was accustomed to working with. It was an all-alloy 2-liter, quad-cam, V-6 engine capable of producing between 140 and 180 horsepower. Side vents were located on the car which helped with cooling the engine.

Production continued until the end of 1969.

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