1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS

1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
Sold for $429,000 Including Commission
RM Auction, Amelia Island, Florida 2014
Chassis no. 08286
190 hp, 2,418 cc DOHC V-6 engine, five-speed manual transaxle (rear), unequal length A-arm front and rear suspension with coil springs and anti-roll bars, and front and rear disc brakes. Wheelbase: 92.1 in.

•Ferrari's first mid-engined, road going sports car
•Recent mechanical and cosmetic refreshening by Ferrari specialists
•Documented by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini
•Matching-numbers engine and transmission
•Last year of production for the 246 Spider


It was no question to anyone involved with Ferrari that Alfredino Ferrari, also known as "Dino," was going to be the future head of the company. Enzo was racing for Alfa Romeo at the time of Alfredino's birth, but he formally backed out to guarantee that Alfredino would not lose his father to a racing-related death. Enzo adored his son and, cultivating him from a young age, had him study both economics and engineering in university, as he was optimistic that Dino would lead the company to a bright future. Like his father, Alfredino had a passion for racing, and he suggested that Enzo produce a dual overhead-camshaft V-6 engine for use in both racing and road going Ferraris.

Sadly, it was no secret that Alfredino's health was poor, as he suffered from a form of muscular dystrophy. Doctors could not properly diagnose his ailment at the time, and as a result, young Alfredino never got to see the car that bore his name. He passed away at the young age of 24, on June 30, 1956. In his honor, Enzo named both of Ferrari's V-6-powered road and race cars in honor of his son.

The 246 GT was first introduced as a successor to the Dino 206 GT, and it was intended to compete with sports cars that were comparatively lower priced than Ferrari's typical offerings. Enzo created the Dino brand specifically for these smaller sports cars, keeping the Ferrari name affixed to his more powerful and expensive race cars and V-12 road cars. As usual with Ferrari, Pininfarina handled the design and the bodies were produced by Scaglietti. The 246 Dino is often considered one of Pininfarina's most beautiful designs, as it is inviting and almost sensual, with voluptuous curves and flowing bodywork. When production ended in 1976, following the introduction of the 308, the Dino was Ferrari's most popular model yet, with the total production topping 6,000 units. Only 1,274 of those were open-top GTS variants.

As Alfredino would have wanted, a 190-horsepower V-6 engine, which is located just behind the passenger compartment, powers the Dino 246. Tipping the scales at only 2,394 pounds, the Dino 246 boasts a near-perfect weight distribution, thanks to its mid-mounted engine. Handling is fantastic, and the Dino 246 is truly a darling to drive. Appointed as such, the Dino 246 handedly outperformed its primary competitor, the Porsche 911.

This 246 Dino GTS, chassis number 08286, was produced in May 1974, as a U.S. model that was fitted with air conditioning, power windows, and standard Cromodora wheels, according to noted Ferrari historian Marcel Massini. It has since been fitted with the desirable factory Daytona seats, adding to the sporty interior. It was imported to the U.S. by Chinetti-Garthwaite Import Inc., of Paoli, Pennsylvania, and it was delivered to its first owner shortly thereafter.

This Dino has remained in the state of California since 2005, and under the stewardship of its current owner, it has benefitted from a thorough mechanical and cosmetic servicing by Ferrari specialists at Fast Cars Ltd. in Redondo Beach, California, which took place this past October and November. While the car appeared to be in fine condition overall, there were several details that the owner wished to be addressed in order to make the car factory correct. Invoices for this totaled to over $25,000 and included such work as refinishing all the chrome on the car, rebuilding the steering rack, replacing ball joints in the suspension, rebuilding the brake calipers, installing new stainless steel sill plates, installing a new battery, removing and repainting the grille, and touching up the paint on the lower nose section of the car. Additionally, copies of receipts from Fast Cars Ltd. and the Massini report are included on file.

This Dino is currently finished in silver, over a red leather interior with black Daytona-style seat inserts, and there is no doubt that it is eye catching. The silver perfectly accentuates the Dino's brilliant Pininfarina-designed curves, while the interior offers the perfect amount of patina. With under 42,000 miles showing on its odometer, this Dino has certainly been no stranger to the open road, and when considering its most recent service, it is certainly ready to be driven by its new owner.

Robert Myrick Photography