Reflecting on the Fiat Dino.

If you've watched the video of Jim Glickenhaus and the new Ferrari P4/5 Competizione in our news article you may have noticed a yellow convertible and wondered what it was. Actually you probably didn't, what with all the other mouth-watering machinery in the video, but if you did and were remotely interested, it's a Fiat Dino Spyder.

Enzo Ferrari wanted to use the Dino V6 engine in Formula 2 racing which required a minimum of 500 production units to be made, something it did not have the capacity to do in the mid-sixties. However, Ferrari was developing a good relationship with Fiat (which would lead to Ferrari being acquired by Fiat in 1968), and a deal was done whereby Fiat would produce the engines for Ferrari and in return Fiat would get to use the engines in a new car - the Fiat Dino.

Launched in November 1966 (predating Ferrari's mid-engined Dino 206 by just over a year), this new Grand Turismo provided the staid Fiat range with some much-needed glamour, since badging the car as a Dino enabled Fiat to cash in on Ferrari's use of the name on their F1 racers. As was often the case in the sixties, Fiat choose different body styles with Bertone styling the coupe, and Pininfarina the convertible. Bertone went for a subtle stylish design for the closed car which also featured a longer wheelbase, while the Pininfarina styling is somewhat more flamboyant, particularly in the frontal treatment. There are a few subtle Ferrari references, notably the Spyder's round tail light treatment.

Early cars all featured a 2.0 version of the Dino V6 producing 160bhp and utilised five-speed transmissions. Perhaps in a bid to save costs or speed up development time, suspension was derived from the Fiat 125, with an independent front setup, and a live axle and leaf springs at the rear. Later cars from 1968 featured the enlarged 2.4 litre V6 also found in the Ferrari Dino 246. In the Fiat application this engine is rated at 180bhp, slightly down on the 195bhp of its Ferrari cousin. Fiat also took the opportunity to update the rear suspension and fitted the independent setup up from the recently launched Fiat 130 saloon.

Production lasted through to 1971 and for the last car's production was transferred from Fiat to the Ferrari factory at Maranello. The coupe was replaced in Fiat's line by the coupe version of the 130 and there was no direct replacement for the Spyder. During its production run Fiat produced 6,038 coupes (2,398 being the later 2.4 version) and 1,593 Spyders (only 420 being 2.4s). New prices undercut the GTs from the likes of Maserati, Iso and Ferrari themselves but were very expensive for a Fiat. After the initial interest died down, demand trailed off (note the 2.0 was made in greater numbers despite being in production for less time than the 2.4).

The car was never offered in right-hand drive which made it a very rare sight on UK roads, although the coupe version is very familiar to fans of the classic British movie The Italian Job. The Mafia, out to stop Michael Caine and his gang from making off with the Chinese gold, use a fleet of black Fiat Dino Coupes.  

In general, the Fiat Dino has always suffered from the stigma of not quite being a Ferrari and took quite some time to receive any form of classic recognition. Many were bought by people looking for a Ferrari but without the means to acquire one, and as a result a lot have also gained stuck-on prancing horse badges and owners have neglected to keep up with servicing. Being an Italian car from the late sixties, rust is a significant problem for both body styles, and many tinworm-ravaged coupes in particular have been cannibalised to provide mechanical parts for the more valuable Ferrari Dinos.

Today, coupe prices remain relatively low with a number being available in the classifieda for around £12,000 (or equivalent Euro amounts since the continent is probably the best place to source one) which makes them one of the cheapest ways into into ownership of a Ferrari-engined car (well, Ferrari-designed engine, anyway). Spyders, especially the rare 2.4 litre version, are much more desirable and just under £50,000 is required for a good one. Even at this price, restoration of a basket case will mean you're unlikely to see all your money back (Glickenhuas indicated on Ferrarichat that he spent $100,000 on restoring his, which incidentally he has given to his daughter!).

Buying one of these cars is probably the same as buying a suit that's been designed by a top fashion designer, but from a high street chain (think Paul Smith designing for Marks and Spencer). It looks great great on you, but leaves you with a slight feeling of being a phoney. That's a shame because badge aside, it is a very cool car.

If you're interested in the history of the Dino-engined cars, whether they be Fiat or Ferrari (not forgetting the mighty Lancia Stratos), I would suggest getting hold of a copy of Dino - The Little Ferrari by Doug Nye, which I've used as a reference for this blog.

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