Ferrari Classiche certified
1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT 'E' Series
Chassis no. 02650
Engine no. 1117

"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 led to the introduction of a 'junior' Ferrari, the Dino 206GT, 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 coupe 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 through an in-unit five-speed transaxle. The motor's 180bhp was good enough to propel the lightweight, aerodynamically-efficient Dino to 220km/h, 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 246GT - replaced the Dino 206 in late 1969. 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 - was adequate compensation for the weight gain. A Targa-top version, the 246GTS, followed in 1972. The Dino 246 was built in three series: 'L', 'M', and 'E', these designations reflecting detail changes in the specification.

As the first series-produced, mid-engined Ferraris, the early Dino V6s are landmark cars. The line they founded would prove to be an immense commercial success for Maranello, production amounting to 2,487 GT coupés and 1,274 GT Spyders by the time the model was deleted in 1974. 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.

This Series 'E' Dino 246 GT Berlinetta was sold new in Florence, Italy. It was ordered in September 1971 and delivered in February 1972 via the Nocentini Automobili SpA dealership. Originally finished in Azzuro Dino with rare Pelle Nera interior, it is one of only 90 cars finished in this attractive blue colour scheme. The Dino's first owner was one Roberto Bresci of Prato, Italy. In 1994, having enjoyed a handful of subsequent owners, all in Italy, the Dino was exported to the USA, passing into the ownership of David W Weisel of Bloomington, Minnesota. In January 1995, Mr Weisel sold the Ferrari to Mike Sheehan's European Auto Restorations of Costa Mesa, California, who in turn sold it on to Mr David Chow in Switzerland. Maintained by Garage Autosport in Geneva, the Dino was sold by Mr Chow via Bonhams' Gstaad auction in December 2005, passing into the ownership of Mr Andrew Stear, who gave it to his daughter as a present. Painted red at this time, the Ferrari was registered on French plates as '817 BTH 06' and received the all-important Ferrari Classiche certification in April 2008. The Ferrari 'Red Book' accompanying the car confirms this Dino retains its original matching numbers engine, the gearbox is of the original type 607 E. The car later returned to Switzerland. Around 2012 the Dino moved to Germany where it was serviced with Ferrari Specialist Eberlein (invoice on file), more recently the Dino was professionally restored (cosmetically) to a very high level from bare metal, refinished in its original and attractive Azzuro Dino livery. This beautiful 246 GT is offered with a list of past owners, German registration documents and the all-important Ferrari Classiche certification.