1973 Ferrari 246 Dino Targa Coupe

The Dino came not from Enzo Ferrari's head, but from his heart. The Dino was a tribute to the great man's love for his son, Alfredino, who died of kidney disease. The first Dino was introduced at the 1965 Paris Auto show as a concept car along side the debus of the legendary 275 GTB. The overwhelming attention the Dino garnered overshadowed the introduction of 275 GTB and convinced Enzo to produce his tribute and offer it to the public. The 1966 Turin Auto show featured a working prototype of the Dino called the Dino Berlinetta GT. Powered by a transversely mounted mid-engine V-6, it was the beginning of Ferraris's departure from the front engine V-12 to the more agile midship engine design utilized by present generation Ferrari road cars.

With sparkling performance, small girth, and mid-engined layout, it handled like a go-kart, and could be hustled around town with enormous aplomb. Beautifully sculpted by Pininfarina, the 246 won worldwide acclaim as the high point of the 1970's automotive styling. In its day, it was among the most fashionable cars money could buy. The rarest Dino is the GTS Targa-roofed 'spyder' which offered the open air experience of a true sports car to Dino buyers.

The engine was designed by Vittorio Jano, and in 2.4 liter form won the 1958 F1 world champion ship, driven by Mike Hawthorne. Phil Hill won the F1 championship in 1961 in a 1.5 liter Dino, Ferrari's first mid-engined car. The performance became even more exhilarating when its engine was upgraded in 1969 to utilize a transversely mounted 2418 cc V-6 that produced an amazing 195 bhp and is backed by a 5-speed gear box. It has four overhead cams, a four-bearing crankshaft and breathes through three twin Weber DCF carburetors. The engines distinctive roar is a Ferrari legend.

The example offered here has spent its entire life in California as listed in the registry. It has been treated to a full cosmetic and mechanical restoration less than 2,000 miles ago. The restoration includes a bare block overhaul of the motor. It's brilliant giallo Fly (yellow) paint is complemented by a set of beautiful Cromodora wheels and the interior is optioned with the very desirable Daytona seats, more commonly referred to as 'chairs'. Additionally it comes equipped with air conditioning and power windows.

The Dino is an amazing success story for Ferrari, it's popularity has been discussed in many recent publications, and had been described as having 'one of the most beautiful bodies ever to grace an automobile and the shape is the perfect blend of style and performance'.

Source - Russo & Steele