1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS

Coachwork by Pininfarina/Scaglietti Registration no. UEC 691M Chassis no. 07252

Footnotes

'It is a thrill to drive a car like the Dino, one whose capabilities are far beyond what even an expert driver can use in most real-world motoring, and that is the Dino's reason for being. The real joy of a good mid-engined car is in its handling and braking and the Dino shone as we expected it to. The steering is quick without being super quick, and it transmits by what seems a carefully planned amount of feedback exactly what is going on at the tyres. Thanks to the layout's low polar moment of inertia the car responds instantly to it. The Dino's cornering limits are very high...' – Road & Track.

It was the need for a production-based engine for the new Formula 2 that had prompted the introduction of a 'junior' Ferrari, the Dino 206 GT, at the Turin Motor Show in 1967. The latest in a line of Dino V6 'quad-cam' engines stretching back to the late 1950s, the new unit proved as successful on the racetrack as in the showroom, Derek Bell and Ernesto Brambilla both winning races in the European Championship, while Andrea de Adamich triumphed in the 1968 Argentine Temporada series.

Building on experienced gained with its successful limited edition Dino 206S sports-racer of 1966, Ferrari retained the racer's mid-engined layout for the road car but installed the power unit transversely rather than longitudinally. A compact, aluminium-bodied coupé of striking appearance, the Pininfarina-styled Dino - named after Enzo Ferrari's late son Alfredino Ferrari and intended as the first of a separate but related marque - was powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cam V6 driving via an in-unit five-speed transaxle. The motor's 180 brake horsepower was good enough to propel the lightweight, aerodynamically-efficient Dino to 142mph, and while there were few complaints about the car's performance, the high cost enforced by its aluminium construction hindered sales.

A 2.4-litre version on a longer wheelbase - the 246 GT - replaced the original Dino 206 in late 1969. Built by Scaglietti, the body was now steel, and the cylinder block cast-iron rather than aluminium, but the bigger engine's increased power - 195bhp at 7,600rpm - adequately compensated for the weight gain. A Targa-top version, the 246 GTS, followed in 1972. The Dino 246 was built in three series: 'L', 'M', and 'E', these designations reflecting detail changes in the specification.

A late example (production ceased in 1974), right-hand drive chassis number '07252' was completed on 3rd October 1973 and delivered new to Colonel Ronnie Hoare's Maranello Concessionaires Ltd in Egham, Surrey. Its accompanying Massini Report also reveals that this car's original colour scheme was Rosso Cordoba with black leather interior, and that it was delivered fitted with power windows and standard Cromodora wheels. The Dino was sold via H R Owen in London and first owned by one P H Middleton.

By 1983 the Ferrari was owned by one D P Dye of Birmingham and had been reregistered as 'AJW 19M'. The next owner listed in the Massini Report is one S F Timms of Cheshire (1985) and it is noted that the car subsequently passed through the hands of marque specialists DK Engineering.

Said to start 'on the button', '07252', noteworthy features include a Nardi wood-rim steering wheel, a rare and desirable Becker Mexico radio, Michelin tyres, and a sports exhaust system that produces a delightful competition-car sound.

The accompanying history file consists of sundry invoices, a 2020 Massini report, old style MoT certificates (most recent expired 2014), ownership change records, a V5C Registration Certificate, and bills from 2012 – 2020 with renowned marque specialist Foskers totalling c. £20,000 where it has been stored and serviced, with noteworthy work including a new clutch cable, new windscreen, new exhaust heat shields, and new starter motor.

While not quite as fast in a straight line as its larger V12-engined stablemates, the nimble Dino was capable of showing almost anything a clean pair of heels over twisty going. Truly a driver's car par excellence, it is still highly regarded today. Every Ferrari collection should have one.