Page 99 - Decadence

of his racing machines for use on the road as well as on the track. They were also willing to pay handsomely for the privilege, which if this were to help subsidise his racing budget, Ferrari thought, why not?
Early Ferraris were fast and thrilling to drive as well as being cars still capable of winning races against the best opposition in the world so naturally would appeal to enthusiasts as road cars.
The Dino was created to market a lower priced more “affordable” sports-car aimed squarely at the 911 Porsche. As the big Ferrari V12s were more expensive and higher performing than the 911. Ferrari not wanting to lessen his exclusive Ferrari brand with a cheaper car created the “Dino” to ll the void.
In memory to the Ferrari heir Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, many of the smaller Ferraris and their engines were given the ‘Dino’ nameplate, unfortunately he died in 1956, never to hear the engines that were to bear his name red up in anger for the rst time nor see the last incarnation, the beautiful little Dino which apparently translates from the Italian meaning into “ Little Sword.”
Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari is credited with designing the V6 engine used in the marque. Dino had inherited his fathers love of racing and it is with some measure of his father’s love for him that Dino was never allowed to experience rst hand what driving on the limit to win was like. But he was actively encouraged to help in the design and development thus being groomed to ll the old man’s shoes. He and engineer Vittorio Jano in uenced Enzo’s decision to form a stable of race cars in the 1950s with V6 and V8 engines, although some historians say that Dino wasn‘t directly involved in the design of the eventual engine which ended up in the “Dino”.
“Dino, born of, and evolved on track from a race car.” The racing Dino 206S, a curvy, elegant mid- engined coupé with a cut off tail, described by some as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, nothing more than a Grand Prix car under a GT racing body. From this track car Pininfarina drew heavily to in uence the design of what would ultimately become the Dino road car.
At the time the thought of using a mid-engined layout in a production car was considered quite
daring, although the design was common in the world of sports-car racing. A mid-engined layout placed more of the cars weight over the driven wheels, allowing for a streamlined nose, but with this came sacri ces, the passenger cockpit was cramped and with the weight over the wheels the handling became somewhat challenging to say the least.
In 1966 Lamborghini created a stir with its stunning showstopper, the Muira. A mid-engined car, in response to Ferraris big front mounted V12s. The Muira is credited with the rst use of the word “Supercar” and deservedly so.
Ferrari though still thought a mid-engined car in the hands of his customers would be unsafe, but he eventually relented and commissioned designer Sergio Pininfarina to design and build a mid- engined concept car for the 1965 Paris motorshow, but demanding it wore the ‘Dino’ badge alone, not to be Ferrari badged. By 1966 for the Turin motorshow the car featured was a more re ned 206S and was a closer prototype to what would become the actual production car.
From the public’s reaction to the radically newly designed car proving overwhelmingly positive, Ferrari allowed the car to go into production. His rationale being the lower powered V6 engine would keep his customers out of trouble.
In the Dino series the rst two numbers identi ed the total engine capacity and the last was referring to the number of cylinders. The 246 was therefore a 2.4 litre six cylinder engine, the 206 was a 2.0 six cylinder engine.
The rst road going Dino was the 1968 206GT, it had a traverse mounted 2.0 litre aluminium V6 engine, with an aluminium body, independent suspension and all round disc brakes. Only one hundred and fty two of these rst cars were built between 1968 and 1969 and all in left hand drive so a very rare car and instantly a collectors item and very much sought after to this day. These rst cars can be identi ed by triple eared knock off hub spinners and exposed chrome ller caps.
“Seldom has a road car been so like a race car.”
In 1969 the 206GT was superseded by the more powerful 246GT and GTS. It was powered by the bigger 2.4 litre V6 engine which produced
nearly 200bhp (192 stated) at 7,600 rpm and improved torque, but as Ferrari was sometimes coy in revealing this it is stated as being 165.5 ft lb. This compared to the outgoing 206GT’s 2.0 litre engine producing 178hp at 8,000 rpm.
The 246GT Berlinetta a xed head coupé was joined after 1971 by a targa topped GTS. As the car had evolved from 206GT to 246GT some notable changes had occurred along the way. More notably that the body was now made of steel instead of aluminium and was also 2.4 inches longer.
Throughout its life from 1969 until 1974 there were three series of the 246 built, many of the differ-ences were cosmetic, from the Campagnolo’s, wipers and engine ventilation. With a total production run of just 3’500 they are now becoming in their own right a very desirable and collectable Ferrari (and expensive, with values up to £400’000 and above) and to most they have always been referred to as a baby Ferrari, but Ferrari none the less.
In The Persuaders Danny Wilde‘s car was a red left hand drive Dino 246GT on Italian plates (MO221400) possibly a factory lent car as the MO represents Modena, Ferrari’s headquarters being based there. The exact whereabouts of Danny’s Dino today is unknown, but reliable sources believe it to be in the hands of a private collector in Italy. This Rossa Corsa, (Race Red) Dino would be the choice of most people, but for me though, the time spent with “ our ” Dino, any colour will do as long as its Giallo Fly Yellow, and I make no apology to the purists, and to further upset some I would have the GTS. Sacrilege to cut the roof off, but if you are going to be seen in a yellow Ferrari you might as well be seen properly.
The Italians have an expression which could have been written with the Dino in mind, and with a misguided hope for the day when such cars would be more affordable to own and run, (bearing in mind the macho Italian male still holds chauvinism in high regard).
“Donne e motori - gioie e dolori“
Which translates as;
“Women and cars give both pain and joy “
Dino, born of, and evolved on track from a race car...
Seldom has a road car been so like a race car.
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