1972 Fiat Dino 2400 Coupe (LHD)
Sold: $34,000
Specifications
| Engine | V6,2418cc |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 5-speed manual |
| Body Work | Coupe |
| Colour | Silver |
| Interior | Red/Grey |
| Trim | Cloth |
| Wheels | Cast Alloy |
| Brakes | Disc |
Description
Ever since it was unveiled more than four decades ago, the Fiat Dino has always lived in the shadow of its more glamorous cousin. However, it's a double-edged sword, because you can buy this enigmatic sports car with the same engine as Ferrari's Dino, for a fraction of the price.
The Fiat Dino came about thanks to a Formula 2 rule change in the mid-Sixties. Any car racing in the series would have to use an engine built at the rate of no less than 500 units in total. Ferrari felt it important to be represented in Formula 2, but at that time, it didn't have the necessary factory capacity. There was no way it could expand dramatically to fit in with the new rules, so a tie up with Fiat was arranged. Ferrari had a suitable engine to use as a start point; originally penned by Vittorio Jano in 1956, this highly stressed racing V6 was redesigned by Aurelio Lampredi to make it more suitable for road use. With an initial displacement of 1596cc, Lampredi settled on a production capacity of 1987cc, later expanded to 2418cc.
Design and production would be outsourced; it's no surprise that the spider and coupe look so different, as dropheads were styled and built by Pininfarina, while Bertone was responsible for the fixed heads. Although the spider was unveiled first, Bertone had been working on its coupe design since 1963, with the car initially intended to replace Fiat's 2300S. While the spider is something of an acquired taste stylistically, the understated lines of the coupe are universally admired. Not only is it less fussy, but the proportions are better too thanks to a stretched wheelbase to accommodate full-sized seats in the rear.
Dino production lasted six years, ending in 1972. By then, just 1557 spiders had been built, and 6043 coupes all left-hand drive. Of these, 1133 spiders and 3629 coupes featured the smaller engine. Over the years many cars have been scrapped, but it doesn't happen anymore; they're too sought after for that.
Constructed in Maranello - the same as a 246 Ferrari, with the same ZF gearbox and Girling brakes, people are now overlooking the Fiat badge and realizing they are not that far apart.
