Ferrari required a road-going model for racing homologation back in 1968. Fiat had the answer – resulting in a Ferrari Dino V6-powered Coupé
Few cars outwith Maranello’s factory gates claim legitimate Ferrari DNA, yet homologation requirements during the 1960s found certain Fiats produced and sold in the shadow of Enzo Ferrari – with Dino V6 power.
An ultimately rare – and highly sought after – beast, one of these seldom seen Fiats is being offered at auction in Paris with RM Sotheby’s this February.
Each special car was installed with Ferrari's Dino V6 engine, an all-aluminium 2.0-litre unit constructed to allow Ferrari entry into Formula 2 racing. The agreement between the two Italian car companies found Fiat building the engines and re-engineered each powerplant for road use, with help from mechanical-guru Aurelio Lampredi.
Fitted with five-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential and four-wheel disc brakes, the Dino Coupé was capable of 158bhp, with some further involvement from Ferrari bringing the 1968 model to 180bhp. In total, Fiat made 384 examples of its front-engined grand tourer, which enticed buyers who would’ve normally opted for proper Ferraris, and may do so again at auction now.
One of the key leads for potential buyers was the Fiat's Bertone design, and its sleek shape certainly remains a head turner. A 2+2 seating format also meant that Fiat’s family customer base was not ignored with this model, although it attracted a whole new audience when it featured in the 1969 cult classic movie The Italian Job.
This specific car, chassis no. 135AC0002476 and engine no. 135B0000003535, left Fiat’s Turin factory in 1968 before delivery to a Parisienne industrialist. Boasting a medium blue finish and red leather interior, these colours are retained on the car today. It also still has its original “14 Cromodora alloy wheels, Frankfurt radio, brochure and jack. The car was sold in 1975 to an enthusiast, who held onto it for 35 years, finally sold for a third time in 2014. Since new it has been driven 56,500 miles.
To get your hands on this Dino, you’ll need to budget for €40,000 - €60,000. However, there may be further fees as the car has been temporarily imported into the EU for its February 6 auction slot at the RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale. The buyer can either use an approved Bill of Lading to take it back out of the Union, or pay VAT and import duties to keep the car on the continent.
