Before Ferrari opted to increase the engine’s size to 2.4 liters and produce the 246 GT for the 1970 model year, only 152 Dino 206 GT cars were produced. While the five-speed manual transmission was kept, many other changes were made, such as switching the majority of the bodywork and the bottom end of the engine from aluminum to steel (to improve cost and production efficiency), slightly lengthening the wheelbase for more stable handling, and introducing a GTS model with a detachable Targa-style roof panel in 1972. With the larger engine capacity, horsepower was boosted to about 195, and torque was also enhanced. A total of 2,295 GTs and 1,274 GTS vehicles were produced before the end of the 1974 model year. Just over 3,700 vehicles in all, including the 206 GT versions, may not sound like a lot, but at the time, it was the most Ferrari had ever produced for any model. Ferrari assembled every Dino by hand in Modena on the same assembly lines as V-12 vehicles.
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206 GT and 246 GT Dino
Ferrari built and sold the Dino206 GT, Dino246 GT, and Dino246 GTS, three mid-engined V6 sports vehicles, between 1967 and 1974.
The first car that Ferrari produced in large quantities was the Dino 246. Many people praise it for its innovative design and inherent driving prowess. The vehicle was ranked sixth in Sports Car International’s list of the Top Sports Cars of the 1970s in 2004. The 206/246 was ranked seventh among the “Greatest Ferraris of All Time” by Motor Trend Classic.
1971-74 (E Series)
Ferrari launched the E Series with s/n 02132, introducing a number of additional minor improvements. However, it can be difficult to tell them apart from prior vehicles. For instance, all L and M series vehicles had wipers that parked in the middle of the cowl and resembled clapping hands. These wipers were still used on early E Series models, but starting in 1972, they both swung in the same direction and rested to the left of the windscreen when not in use.
The real kicker is that it’s not a set rule. For instance, the few right-hand-drive cars Ferrari constructed would continue to use the older center-park wipers throughout the production run, while cars heading for the U.S. may have remained using the earlier wiper system as late as s/n 05100. The majority of E Series automobiles featured steel doors as well, however the hood was frequently made of aluminum, though not always.
Ferrari first offered the 246 GTS in 1972, the first model to feature a targa roof, with s/n 03408. Only the 1972–1974 period saw the 246 GTS available. According to the Dino Register, Ferrari started supplying the Dino 246 GT with 7.5×14 Campagnolo “Elektron” wheels and a fender flare option with serial numbers “around the 4000s.” The option raised the regular Dino’s cost by $680.
The owner of Dino 04878 allegedly claimed to “have a letter from the Ferrari factory which states that his car was the first to be equipped with Daytona seats by the factory,” according to the Dino Register. The seats and wider wheels were frequently ordered together, giving rise to the nickname “chairs and flares,” but the seats and wheel flares were two separate options.
With 2897 units produced, the E Series Dino 246 is by far the most plentiful. Of those, 1274 246 GTS vehicles and 1623 246 GT coupes both had targa roofs.
Beyond the series alterations, it’s crucial to comprehend the variations between vehicles made for Europe, England, and the US.
European automobiles: The turn signal lamps on the 246 GT and GTS that were flush with the bodywork served as a telltale clue that they were domestic variants. These lenses were typically transparent. The front fenders of the European cars also had redundant turn signals that were small, circular, and amber in color. The windshield pillar had a sticker with the chassis number stamped on it, although it’s crucial to note that this information is frequently missing.
British vehicles: Vehicles destined for England were right-hand drive and had amber turn-signal lenses instead of the clear ones that are often found on domestic vehicles. The chassis numbers switched from the aforementioned tag to a stamping directly on the steering column after serial number 04830.
American automobiles: American automobiles have a third type of front turn signal. Instead of being flush mounted like those on European and British cars, they were amber, recessed into the bodywork, and the lens rose vertically from the body. Along with reflectors installed on either side of the license plate, vehicles headed for the United States also have rectangular marker lights at each of their four corners. Every vehicle destined for the United States had the necessary emissions controls and a serial number stamped on the steering column that was visible through the windshield.
Ferrari produced the 206, 246 and 308 models of the Dino series from the late 1960s through the early 1970s. aside from
Some prototypes, the range of which was from S/N to S/N, each had their unique even number only chassis series.
from 00102 to s/n 15604. That totals at around 7,750 Dinos. The 308 GT4s of the latter were
Different side markers and indicator lights were used on the US and Euro versions. The pollution-control machinery choked
Three different series were produced; the early models lacked lights and license plate holders and had bumpers that touched the grill.
Since Maranello pioneered these, Dinos never left the factory with Plexiglass headlight coverings.
Flared wheel arches required special rims, and no 206/246 or Pirelli P7 tires could be specified for late 308 GT4 models.
Dino never wore a Ferrari insignia when he left the factory; all such badging is “after market.”
Ferrari’s First Sports Car to Be Mass-Produced
The Italian automaker would have wanted not to be linked with mass-produced vehicles at all, preferring to focus its efforts on racing. Prior to 1967, Ferrari wasn’t the low volume automaker that it is now.
However, racing is a costly sport. Ferrari, now owned by Fiat, nonetheless needed to balance its accounts, therefore additional vehicles were created for the road. After six years of manufacturing, 3,761 Dinos were created, making it the first Ferrari road car to be made in any substantial quantity.
How long did Ferrari spend creating the Dino?
Dino, pronounced [‘di:no] in Italian, was a brand that Ferrari used from 1957 to 1976 to build mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars. A front-engined Formula Two racer equipped with a brand-new Dino V6 engine launched the name in late 1956. Some vehicles with engines under 12 cylinders were given the moniker Dino in an effort by the manufacturer to provide a sports car at a reasonable price. Up until 1976, only its top-tier V12 and flat-12 models could use the Ferrari name; after that, “Dino” was phased out in favor of full Ferrari branding.
The Ferrari Dino is it rare?
Now, enthusiasts and collectors can own a unique piece of Ferrari history. This month, the 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS will be auctioned off at RM Sotheby’s in Paris.
Alredino Ferrari, the late son of Italian racing driver and entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari, built a dual-overhead-camshaft V-6 engine before he passed away, and the sports car bears his name. Beginning in 1971, the Dino was introduced as an expanded open-air version of its coupe; the reinforcements were required as the open roof added barely 20 kilograms to the kerb weight, maintaining the car’s outstanding handling.
According to Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, this specific Dino traveled approximately 48,000 miles on California’s serpentine roads before being shipped to Japan in March 1995. It then spent more than 20 years there before returning to California, Switzerland, and finally the Paris auction floor.
According to a press release from Sotheby’s, “this Dino would undoubtedly be a thrill to drive and appreciate,” boasting a fascinating history spanning three continents.
The automobile has managed to keep its original gearbox and distinctive extended bumpers from the American market. The yellow shell, however, has been given a dramatic Nero Black refinish, and the interior has been similarly blackened out. Along with being modified, the original engine was of the incorrect type and was given turn indicators in the European fashion.
The 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS is currently up for auction on the website of RM Sotheby’s and might bring in up to US$463,586.
What is the value of a Ferrari Dino?
In the early years of the Hagerty Price Guide, 15 years ago, a 1973 Dino 246 GTS was valued at $135,000 in condition #1 (Concours, or best-in-the-world). Sounds almost cheap! It is now $420,000, a 238 percent gain. Old jokes that claimed Dinos weren’t “genuine” Ferraris are a thing of the past. These low-slung beauties are now seen frequently on concours lawns and at high-end auctions, where they are given the respect they have always deserved. A timed online auction, though? Not really. That’s why when the bid timer for this beautiful red Dino on Bring a Trailer finally struck zero this past week, the price completely shocked us.
It sold for $635,000, more than 50% over our top valuation. It is not just the most costly 246 Dino ever sold in an online auction, but also the most expensive 246 Dino ever offered for sale in a general American public auction. Only far older and rarer 206 Dinos have ever sold for more in the US. We have observed a few 246 automobiles bring more over in Europe. A 246 GTS with one owner sold in Italy four years ago for EUR529,000 ($636,969 at the time), and a mostly original 246 GTS in a rare color sold in Monaco three years ago for EUR533,750 ($637,885 at the time).
The fact that this Bring a Trailer Dino isn’t a high-end vehicle despite its exorbitant price is even more astonishing. The factory-installed “chairs and flares,” also known as Daytona-style seats and fender flares, can both increase a car’s worth and add a total of 20% more in our price guide. However, this Dino is not a show car and does not have chairs or flares. The pictures display a few paint imperfections as well as a crack in one of the seats that has since been fixed.
The car’s advantages include original US delivery, factory air conditioning, a rare original color (Rosso Bordeaux), low mileage (26,000), factory books and a tool kit, a verified history, and all matching numbers. When you’re spending six figures for pixels on a screen, the Houston-based selling dealer is also transparent and responsive, and that matters a lot.
In today’s market, record prices don’t seem to last for very long. Whoever sells a Dino in the near future will undoubtedly have the link to this one bookmarked, whether it be a case of two bidders getting carried away or a curve-setting outcome for the model.
A Dino is either a Ferrari or a Fiat.
From 1966 through 1973, Fiat developed the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Dino (Type 135) sports car. The Ferrari Dino V6 engine, made by Fiat and placed in the cars to reach the production numbers required by Ferrari to homologate the engine for Formula 2 racing, is known by the name “Dino.”
A 1969 Ferrari Dino is how much?
The Ferrari Dino 246 GTL was first made available in 1969 for about $25,000. At the time, most Ferraris were outrageously costly, so this price was relatively reasonable. The automobile was equipped with a V6, which made it very affordable, but because Ferrari only ever produced a small number of V6 vehicles—the Dino being one of them—its value has since skyrocketed. Recently, a perfect 1969 Dino sold for roughly $320,000 and had over 100 bids. The 246 GTS with a Targa top, which was an even more uncommon variation of the Dino, is now worth well over $500,000.
When it comes to practicality and sensibility, the 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GTL was an extraordinary vehicle that was much ahead of its time. However, most people didn’t fully appreciate its worth until several decades later, and as a result, the price of these cars has been rising steadily ever since.