1967-1969 Ferrari Dino 206 GT

No one knew it at the time, but a car on Pininfarina's stand at the 1965 Paris Salon was a forecast of roadgoing Ferraris to come. Titled "Ding 206 S Speciale," it was a shapely, compedtion-inspired coupe powered by a twincam, 65-degree Ferrari designed 2.0-litre V-6 mounted amidships.U Jnfortunately for would-be buyers, it was a styling exercise, built on a racing chassis (number 0834) with a nonfunctioning engine. But a real mid-engine Ferrari road car was on the way. It first appeared at the 1966 Turin show as a running prototype labelled Dino Berlinetta GT. (As on the earlier V6-powered sports-racing Ferraris, the Dino name honored Enzo's deceased son.) A year later, again at Turin, Ferrari showed the production version, now simply called Dino 206 GT It was a big departure for a Maranello road car: the first with V6 power and the first to employ the competition-inspired mid-engine configuration, then predicted to be the wave of the future in production sports-car design.

It was also Il Commendatore's first (and so far only) attempt at a companion marque, the Dino bearing no Ferrari nameplate or prancing-horse badge anywhere. Like the '66 prototype, the production 206 employed the 2.0-litre V6 (hence the numerical designation) originally developed for racing, but mounted transversely instead of longitudinally. Though Ferrari engineered it, Fiat mostly built it. The chassis, designed and built by Maranello, had all-independent suspension in the classic mold: upper and lower wishbones and coil springs at each wheel. Scaglietti again supplied bodies to a Pininfarina design, and also assembled the car.

As marque loyalists expected, the new "junior" Ferrari reflected lessons learned from racing, where Maranello now ran nothing but mid-engine cars except for 275 GTBs. Front-rear weight balance was almost ideal, with the heaviest components situated in the middle of the car for a low polar moment of inertia. This made the Dino extremely maneuverable, a car that really shined through tight, twisty stretches thanks to its quick transient response. But as in other "middies," there were tradeoffs, mainly a lot more cockpit noise and marginal luggage space. Dino owners learned to travel light, and it's likely that the cars did most of their miles in the cities and suburbs than on the open road. Dino styling was equally predictive of future Ferraris, especially the "flying buttress" roofline that would later appear on the flat-12 Berlinetta Boxer and V8-powered 308. The view to the front and sides was thus good, but terrible astern and over the shoulder. Still, owners didn't seem to let such drawbacks overshadow the cars many good points-not the least of which was the fact that this was a true Ferrari, even if it didn't have 12 cylinders. It certainly acted and sounded like one. This first Dino didn't last long, being phased out in late 1969 for the more powerful and refined 246. Most of the 100 or so built were sold in Europe (though a few found their way into other countries), so the 206 isn't as well known in the U.S. as its successor indeed, it was conceived mainly for Europe, where smaller engines mean a smaller tax bite on buyers.

Ultimately, though, Ferrari couldn't ignore the U.S., where a larger engine was allmost mandatory given the much longer distances between major population centres (in Europe you can drive through several countries in a few hours). It was also a more practical proposition for a land with a seemingly unlimited supply of low-cost fuel. Then too, Porsche and Lotus both had middies on the market by 1970, and a number of Yankee enthusiasts were drooling at the prospect of a lower-cost mid-engine Ferrari. The Dino 246 GT would answer their prayers-and the competition.

Like late 400 SAs and the smaller 330 GTC, styling was clean and conservative, with the same sort of low, rounded nose bearing an elliptical, eggcrate grille. Flanking the latter were slim half-bumpers that undoubtedly looked better than they protected. Headlamps again nestled in nacelles. European models covered these with clear plastic contoured to fender shape, precluded on American models by government regulations. An airy greenhouse with slim roof pillars afforded fine outward vision. Per Ferrari practice, Borrari wire wheels were optional, Cromodora alloys standard.

When the high-performance Daytona arrived in 1968, its lovely five-spoke rims became standard wear. Inside, the 365 GT 2+ 2 was positively sybaritic for a Ferrari. Power brakes and steering, electric window lifts, air conditioning, pleated-leather upholstery, and full carpeting were all standard. So was a full complement of easy-to-read needle gauges directly ahead of the driver. Radio, climate controls, the window switches, ashtray, and lighter were housed in a renter console for easy accessibility by driver or front passenger. There was little new mechanically. The chassis was Ferrari's characteristic steel-tube assembly riding the all-independent double-A-arm/coil-spring suspension as seen on the 275 and 330/365 models. With it came their single-disc dry-plate clutch and 5-speed torque-tube transaxle. The latter helped reduce driveline noise transmission to the cabin. Reflecting the new model's more luxurious character was Ferrari's first rear self-levelling system, developed jointly with Koni. Power was provided by the sohc "365" version of the Colombo V-12, with three downdraft Weber carburetors, 8.8:1 compression, and a rated 320 horsepower at 6600 rpm.

Despite its heft, the new 2+2 could run the standing quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds at 94 mph-"adequate," as Rolls-Royce would say. It reached 149 mph in a European test, about 12 mph faster than its 330 predecessor. Though purists sneered at its bulk and baubles, the 365 GT 2+2 proved very popular, accounting for more than 50 percent of Ferrari's total production during its three-year life. Ferrari had done its part to make the car state-of-the-art mechanically, and Pininfarina had done its part with the styling, which was not only au courant but apparently quite aerodynamic, with details such as flush door handles, modest Kamm-type tail, and that smooth "face." Undoubtedly, this was the best-ever "family" Ferrari-if thats not a contradiction in terms. Still, neither Ferrari nor PF had achieved their high success by standing still, and the obvious success of the "family" concept guaranteed a new successor model. It arrived in time for the 1971 Geneva show: the 365 GTC/4.