Fiat Dino

In the mid1960s Ferrari wanted to go racing in Formula 2. The rub was they needed  a 2 liter engine.  And they needed to produce it to the tune of  500 units  to placate the FIA.  The FIA required the engine to be production based and to have no more then 6 cylinders.

Ferrari as a company was not producing enough engines per year yet alone enough cars to put them in. Ferrari turned to Fiat to build the engines.

The engine designed by Vittorio Jano was entrusted to Aureilo Lamprey to engineer it for road and series production. The engine, like all other 6 cylinder engines since the 50s was called a Dino.

With all these engines being built, here was a chance for Fiat to have a new car for themselves.

They produced two. A 2+2 Coupe penned by Bertone and a two seater Spyder designed by Pininfarina. Somehow the Spyder had more of the Ferrari mystique and charm, lines and curves more similar to it’s 12 cylinder fratelli maggiori.

Both cars carried the same two liter  all aluminum DOHC V6 mated to a 5 speed gearbox. At the same time the engine found it’s way into the new Ferrari 206 Dino and as if by magic the Ferrari engine was rated at 180 bhp while the same engine in the Fiat was rated at 160bhp hmm…

Even though all engines were built by Fiat workers in Turin on the same production line with no knowledge of their final destination.

The Fiat Dino became the first Fiat to employ four overhead camshafts and a limited-slip differential as part of standard line-up.It was also the first production car to have an  electronic ignition system. ( A gigantic one!) but the first. It also featured independent front suspension with wishbones and coil springs, a live rear axel and disc brakes at all four corners.

The  early spyders had rather cheap interiors. A short time into the production this was rectified with a wood rimmed steering wheel and a new wood trimmed dash board. There were very few options offered. You could have a radio, leather upholstery , metallic paint and for the spyder a vinyl covered hardtop.

Flying under the radar for many years these marvelous little open cars are just now getting the notoriety  and credit they deserve.

Other then the four letters in the middle of the steering wheel telling you what you are in,your mind tells you different.  Full compliment of Veglia gages, check. Wood wheel and dash reminiscent of a 275 GTB or a 330 GTC,check. Pininfarina logo,check. Your in a Ferrari. And the mystery continues with a turn of the key and a very familiar Ferrari sound starts emanating from somewhere behind you. That lovely little six cylinder symphony starts a performance that you want to conduct with your right foot.

The car is light and well balanced and it is just the right size to chuck about on a small country road, but at the same time it’s large enough to take you on a long drive in relative comfort.. The steering is so delicate yet precise you just have to think where you want it to go and there you are. The gearbox? Like butta! you don’t feel like you are in a 48 year old machine. The brakes do their job with no drama just cool efficiency. The Fiat and Ferrari Dino’s DNA becomes obvious when you start looking at the fender lines of both cars you can see how they are related both on the surface and under the Pininfarrina skin.

The word Fiat in a red  circle instead of a yellow rectangle with the name Dino keep this auto from the stratospheric prices  of the 206 and 246. But it still has that Ferrari lineage, that undeniable sense of power and elegance.. Your in a car that hugs the road and you at the same time. Your in a joyous Italian fairytale that tells you it’s story as the miles wind along.

Thanks to Nick Soprano and Motorclassic & Competition

for the ride in the Ferrari..I mean Fiat!