The cheapest Ferrari ever marketed, and Ferrari's first mid-engined production model, the Dino 246 was a beautifully balanced car, visually and mechanically. It evolved from the Fiat Dino 206 launched in 1966 using a detuned Ferrari designed V6.

Mid-engined

Two years later Ferrari introduced its own Dino 246, and in 1969 replaced it with the Dino 246 GT. This still had the 65 degree V6 mounted transversly behind the two-seat cockpit, and for this car it was enlarged to 2.4 litres, and still made by Fiat. It was rated at 195 bhp in European form, while engines detuned for the USA had two Weber carburetters instead of three and produced 175 bhp. In its road guise, the V6 was a smooth engine, with a wide effective rev range.

Timeless lines

A tubular-and -sheet steel chassis frame was used, while the body was aluminium. Two thirds of the 3900 production run were coupes, the rest GT's. Unlike some Italian cars, the cockpit was comfortable and sensibly laid out, and visibility in most directions was good. The 246GT was considered a little heavy, but its weight probably contributed to its cornering, handling and braking qualities. This Ferrari was not developed for racing as the Dino 206 had been, and in 1973 it gave way to the 308GT on broadly similar lines.

There was nothing fussy about Pininfarina's body lines for the 246GT, and incidentally a Ferrari prancing horse badge was not carried.

Photo Autopresse
MCMXCI, Edito-Service S.A. D1 078 02-09