1967 Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione

With its wild wings, futuristic curves, and total lack of practicality, the Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione was the quintessential concept car. A radically designed prototype, the Competizione combined typical Ferrari values of charm, charisma, and technically advanced engineering prowess.

The Dino name in the Competizione's title is in reference to Enzo Ferrari's son, Dino. When Ferrari first developed a V6 engine for the 1957 Formula 2 series, he named it Dino. After that, the name of Enzo's son was used to designate six-cylinder and lower-cost Ferraris. The 206 nomenclature used on Ferrari's 1967 prototype indicates that it was built on a 206 S chassis. The 206 S was a capable racing car, with a body that resembled that of the V12-powered 330 P3. Using 206 S chassis #10523 to underpin the Competizione gave the car racer roots that were rarely seen on concept cars. The Dino 206 Competizione distinguished itself as a concept that was not just functional but built on a thoroughly race-proven chassis.

That proven chassis was endowed with four-wheel disc brakes, front and rear independent suspension, and an advanced steel space frame design that gave high strength in a lightweight package. The total weight of the 206 Competizione was just 1,400lbs, making even its small engine more than enough to create an unquestionably fast car.

The Dino V6 used in the Competizione displaced just 2.0-liters, but was able to generate 218bhp. Peak power was reached at redline, which was 9,000rpm. The lower rotational inertial of the small V6 gave an even higher redline than the V12 mounted in the 330 P series. The V6 was constructed of aluminum and mounted amidships within the space frame of the prototype, as it was in the standard 206 S. A 5-speed transaxle directed the engine's power to the rear wheels.

Despite its racing car foundation, the Dino 206 Competizione was not created to compete. As a dedicated concept car, it was created to showcase excellent design and possible styling cues for Ferrari's future. The Competizione had an advanced appearance that flaunted the talents of a young designer named Paolo Martin. Only 23 when he designed the car, the Competizione came very early in Martin's career. He later would admit he felt 'a very strong emotion' as he watched his project unfold into a true supercar.

Paolo Martin was working under Pininfarina when he developed the Competizione's styling, so the car wears Pininfarina 'f' badges. Pininfarina was also responsible for the construction of the prototype's body. Martin's shape was free of hard edges, with abundant curves and a large glass area with a circular cross-section. Viewed from some angles, the odd shape of the car's glass lends the greenhouse a bubble-like appearance. This is particularly evident from the front, where the vast windshield sweeps up and to the sides like a bulbous take on a jetfighter's canopy.

The Competizione had exaggerated mid-engined proportions, with a short, low nose and a long, high tail. The front lighting fit the shape perfectly, with transparent, aerodynamic coverings over clusters of three lights. The light clusters were angled down towards the center of the car's nose. The lighting's covers blended seamlessly with the unusually round curve at the front of the car, and combined with front vents ahead of the large windshield to create a design that looked organic, but not earthly. From the front, the design had a cartoonish look that was exotic and alien, as if the Competizione was designed on a different planet to resemble some distant species.

Distinctive spoilers added to the effect. Though the strange spoilers didn't seem out of place on the car, they almost looked as if they were tacked on as an afterthought. This was not surprising, as Paolo Martin himself admitted that the spoilers 'were added only at the last minute, since the Management thought the design had to be enriched.' The spoilers used black wings attached to the body by metal arms that looked too much like pieces from an Erector Set to match the rest of the design.

All of the vents and air intakes found on the Dino 206 Competizione—and there were plenty—blended gracefully with the smooth curves on which they were placed. They looked like gills, and they enhanced the car's alien image. A single windshield wiper protruded like a tentacle reaching towards the windshield. Gullwing doors with a huge glass area contributed to the otherworldly effect, as did the jarring, bright yellow paint that covered the prototype's aluminum skin.

James Glickenhaus, a wealthy car collector with a special interest in Ferraris, recently became the first private owner of the Dino 206 Competizione. The car had been kept in Pininfarina's museum for over thirty years until a purchase was agreed upon in 2007 and Glickenhaus bought the stunning vehicle. Since Glickenhaus purchased the car, it has been shown with success and driven regularly.

Sources:

Abuelsamid, Sam. 'Meadow Brook Concours 2009: 1967 Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione by Pininfarina.' Autoblog 02 Aug 2009 Web.6 Aug 2009.

'Ferrari Dino Berlinetta Competizione.' Car Body Design 21 Sep 2007 Web.6 Aug 2009.

Owen, Richard. '1967 Ferrari Dino 206 Competizione Prototipo.' Supercars.net Web.6 Aug 2009.

by Evan Acuña

Competition Berlinetta
Chassis number: 10523
Engine number: 231/B

Alfredo 'Dino' Ferrari was credited with the design of the Ferrari V6 engine. With help from the legendary engineer Vittorio Jano, Dino influenced Enzo Ferrari's decision to produce racing cars in the 1950s powered by V6 and V8 engines.

Enzo Ferrari was hesitant to adapt the mid-engine layout for his customer cars, fearing they might be unsafe. He eventually relented and Sergio Pininfarina was tasked with designing a mid-engined concept for the 1965 Paris Motor Show, but demanded that it wear the Dino badge alone. At the Turin car show in 1966, the Dino 203S was well receipted and production soon followed.

The production Dino 206GT had many updates, modifications and changes such as softer edges and curving lines typical of earlier Italian cars. The 2-liter all-aluminum engine was transversely-mounted mid-ship and offered 160 horsepower. The V-6 engine featured dual overhead camshafts and 9.7:1 compression ratio. The crankshaft featured four main bearings with induction via three Weber 40 DCN/4 2-barrel carburetors. The frame of the 206GT was made from lightweight aluminum and fitted with full independent suspension. Disc brakes could be found at all four corners. The wheelbase of the car measured a short 90-inches. Top speed was a very impressive 146 mph. In total, there were only 152 examples built during 1968 and 1969.

This unique prototype followed the Dino 206 racing cars that raced at Le Mans and were powered by the Dino V6 engine. First seen at a 1966 Ferrari press conference, the standard 206 was bodied at Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria and featured light alloy bodywork and a semi-monocoque chassis. Only 18 were built, so the model was restricted to the Group 6 prototype class. This one-off 206 chassis, built by Ferrari, then went to Pininfarina to receive a new custom body. The plan was to use race-car engineering in a road-going supercar; it used an engine from one of three Dinos that raced at Le Mans in 1966. Designed by Paolo Martin, the car was shown at the 1967 Frankfurt Auto Show as a 'Dino' Berlinetta Prototype Competition, to much acclaim. Pininfarina preserved the car in their private museum until 2006, when they offered the current owner the opportunity to purchase the car and become its first owner.