1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS - CHASSIS NO: 05848
• 1 of just 1,274 Dino GTSs built
• Beautifully restored to a high standard
• Accompanied by a Massini Report
• Attractive black over black color scheme
• The recipient of a recent full servicing
• Retains original owner’s manual, jack and tool kit
The Ferrari Dino is one Italian sportscar that has far surpassed its designer’s wildest expectations. It has come to be regarded as one of the most captivating silhouettes ever produced by Ferrari with an over-delivery of sheer driver enjoyment. This particular 1973 Dino GTS, elegantly styled in a timeless black-on-black is a definitive example of the car’s striking beauty. Nevertheless, the Dino was a departure from Ferrari and wasn’t even badged with the prancing horse. The Maranello firm built the Dino to compete with the likes of Porsche’s relatively affordable 911 and its peers. It was Ferrari’s first V-6 production car and was built as a road-going sportscar, not a racecar civilized for the road at a more palatable price point. Although it was produced in relatively larger numbers and was treated as an offshoot of Ferrari initially, it is highly prized by collectors today and Dino’s desirability and fiscal worth only continues to rise year after year.
The project began as a labor of love for Enzo Ferrari who named the Dino after the nickname of his beloved deceased son. Designed by Pininfarina’s Aldo Brovarone and manufactured at Scaglietti, the lithe body of the Dino was mounted onto a steel tubular frame with independent wishbone suspension. With just 153 examples built, the Dino 206 GT began production in February 1968 after a tepid debut at the 1967 Turin Motor Show because it lacked the power associated with Ferrari. The 246 GT would change all that a year later and would make the sports car the Dino we all yearn for today. In 1969, the Dino 246 GT was unveiled with a two-inch longer wheelbase, a revised interior, and a more powerful 2.4-litre engine that featured dual-overhead cams, two valves per cylinder, triple Weber carburetors, a five-speed gearbox, and four-wheel disc brakes. The Dino 246 was an overwhelming success and led to the production of 2,295 GT examples.
The Dino continued to evolve and was refined in development and the 246 GTS “Spider” was unveiled at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show with a new Targa-style, removable roof panel, which would only enhance the curvaceous styling that captured the public’s imagination. The Spider was incredibly well-received, especially on our shores, and 1,274 GTS Dinos would be handcrafted between 1972 and 1974. The 246 bested its aimed competitor, Porsche’s 911S, with more than 12 miles per hour in top speed and narrowly outperformed in 0 to 50 acceleration with an impressive 5.5 seconds. This was just further proof that Ferrari could go head-to-head with Porsche in producing a more affordable sportscar that would optimally perform and still deliver all the Italian design panache for which the marque was adored. With ideal weight distribution, superior responsive handling, and a sports car that was just ridiculously fun to drive, the Dino exceeded Ferrari’s initial hopes for the car and its legacy has only continued to soar over the course of the past 50 years.
Classicly dressed in black over black and restored to a very high standard, this enchanting 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS boasts a mere 24,000 miles. Chassis 05848 finished production in Maranello Rosso Bordeaux over Beige. It has since undergone a world-class restoration that boasts a flawless black body only enhanced by gleaming brightwork, quad exhaust pipes, and the original Cromodora magnesium wheels with Dino-badged centers. The restored cockpit stars a pair of Daytona-style ‘chairs’ reupholstered in black with red centers.
The ‘chairs’ are among the most desirable factory options for the Dino, and they beautifully contrast with the clean, black cabin, which includes a stainless, three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel with a Dino-badged center and understated, restored gauges as well as an original radio. Chassis 05848 finished production in Maranello in July 1973 and is still accompanied by its original owner’s manual, toolkit and jack, which rest inside the correctly carpeted trunk compartment. Beneath the bonnet lid is a spare tire wrapped around a spare Cromodora magnesium wheel. This heartbreakingly beautiful Dino has it all. Just 1 of only 1,274 GTS models produced, this carefully restored black-on-black Dino has recently undergone major servicing and is primed to join a world-class collection, delight at myriad concours or deliver a joy-filled drive beneath its open roof.
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