Last week, the world lost one of the automotive greats: Sergio Pininfarina. The son of Batista Farina, Sergio took over control of the design firm from his father in 1961, the same year he changed his last time from Farina to Pininfarina at the request of the Italian president, to match the name of the company. In 1966, Pininfarina became chairman of the company and in the same year, produced a prototype for a new mid engine Ferrari to bear the Dino name. Enzo Ferrari had originally been opposed to a mid engined vehicle, concerned that his customers would fall victim to tricky handling. But with the introduction of the Miura at his rival company Lamborghini, the temptation to move in a new direction was too great. These early mid engine Ferraris have been gaining steam in the collector market and this restored example for sale in California is a nice example of one of Sergio Pininfarina's earlier works.
1971 Ferrari 246 GT Dino
1971 Ferrari 246 GT Dino, targa top red classic. Restored, highly sought after by collectors worldwide. This great example of the 246 was just released from a private collection where it has been lovingly maintained for the last 20 years. Car has had mechanical engine rebuild approximately 12k miles ago. The mechanical inspection just completed shows compression of 190 psi on all cylinders. This is a fine example of an older restoration with the cosmetics in impressive condition - dash is in excellent condition, daytona style seats are supple and well cared for, wood steering wheel is superb and more. Mechanically vehcile runs and drives great.
This rust free 246 is truly a fantastic find. Do not miss the opportunity to own what experts believe is among the fastest appreciating sports car investment pieces. The Dino is coveted by collectors worldwide. Its mid-placed engine was a Ferrari first for a street car, while the quad cam V6 is a superb engine that capitalized on Ferrari's racing experience gained from building racing V6's. Styling is by Pininfarina and, the Dino has long been a favorite among Ferrari collectors and enthusiasts thanks to its beautiful lines and proportions, exceptional engine, and balanced chassis.
From the odometer, it appears this Dino has a little over 50,000 miles on the clock. Given that this is a restored example and not original, the asking price of nearly $270,000 seems a bit over the top. A nice example like this might bring closer to $175,000 in this market, with examples fetching more than $200,000 being unrestored originals or those with a special history.
-Paul