Ferrari Dino 246: The Ferrari That Wasn't Allowed to Say Ferrari
A genuinely excellent sports car, deliberately badged to distance it from its own maker's name — a decision that seems almost unthinkable by today's branding standards.
Illustration for editorial purposes
Protecting the Brand by Hiding the Brand
Most manufacturers want their most desirable badge on every car they can justify it on. Ferrari did the opposite here, deliberately, to protect the exclusivity of its flagship V12 models.
History & Development
Introduced in 1969, its V6 engine used a configuration developed with input from Enzo Ferrari's late son Dino, after whom the sub-brand was named. Ferrari made the deliberate decision to sell it without the prancing horse badge, positioning it as a distinct marque so the smaller, less expensive V6 car wouldn't dilute the exclusivity associated with the company's V12-powered flagship models.
Generations at a Glance
| Version | Years | Engine | Gearbox | Body | 0–60mph | Top Speed | Price New |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dino 246 GT/GTS | 1969–1974 | 2.4L V6, 195bhp | 5-speed manual | Coupe (GT), Targa (GTS, from 1972) | approx. 6.5–7.0s | 146mph | not reliably documented |
Design & Engineering
Styled by Pininfarina, its curvaceous, mid-engined proportions were considered among the most beautiful of any car from the era, arguably surpassing some genuinely badged Ferraris of the same period in pure visual appeal. Its mid-engined layout, still relatively novel for a road car at the time, gave it genuinely excellent handling balance that reviewers of the era praised extensively.
Cultural Significance
Its critical and enthusiast reception was strong enough that the "Dino" naming decision has since been widely regarded as a marketing curiosity rather than a reflection of the car's actual quality, and today it's usually discussed as a Ferrari in every meaningful sense. Later Ferrari models eventually dropped the separate Dino branding entirely, folding the sub-brand back into the main marque.
Value Today
Well-preserved examples have seen significant collector interest and rising values in recent years, as enthusiasts increasingly recognise it as one of the era's genuinely great sports cars regardless of its unusual badging history.
Watch & Explore
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Sources: Ferrari Classiche archives, Wikipedia.