Introduced at the 1967 Turin Motor Show, the Dino 206GT was developed to meet Ferrari’s need for a Formula 2 power plant. The car featured a mid-engine layout and a sleek aluminum coupe body, styled by the legendary Pininfarina. Its two-liter, 180bhp engine enabled the Dino to reach speeds of up to 142mph. Despite its impressive performance, the high cost of aluminum construction limited its sales.
In late 1969, the Dino 206 was replaced by the 246GT, which featured a longer wheelbase, a steel body, and a cast-iron cylinder block. The new 2.4-liter engine produced 195bhp at 7,500rpm, offsetting the weight increase. A Targa-top version, the 246GTS, followed in 1972. Although it wasn’t as fast as Ferrari’s larger V12 models, the nimble Dino excelled on twisty roads.
As Ferrari’s first series-produced mid-engined cars, the early Dino V6s are significant in automotive history. They laid the foundation for a successful line, with 2,487 GT coupes and 1,274 GTS spiders produced by the model’s end in June 1974.
Photos by Digital Macdaddy Photography courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
