When Ferrari released the V6-powered 296 GTB, it was laden with references to the original Dino. Even its numerical designation is a reference to the original 206 GT and 246 GT Dinos.
The very first mid-engine road cars produced by Ferrari, they were officially not sold as Ferraris, but rather as Dinos. That, according to a brochure released by the company at the time, meant that the car was “almost” a Ferrari.
Its influence over the company, though, belies that assertion, pointing instead to the car’s important role in Ferrari history. Enzo chose not to sell the car as a Ferrari so as not to water down the company’s V12-powered reputation. He also, according to a video from Carfection, didn’t believe the average driver could handle the driving dynamics of a mid-engined car.
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Named after Enzo’s son, Alfredo “Dino” Ferrari, who helped design a 1.5-liter DOHC V6 racing engine shortly before his death at the early age of 24, all V6 engines came to bear his name, leading to the sub-brand’s designation. And although long thought of as less-than, the engine is a joy, reports host Alex Goy.
“The 2.4 V6 in the back of this, think of it as a proper Ferrari or not, is beautifully sonorous,” he says. “The noise is buzzy, is revvy, it’s exciting. It just wants to rev and it wants to scream and it wants to make noise, and it wants to pull.”
Despite not wearing a Prancing Horse, though, the car proved to be quite the performer and over time its reputation has improved.
“It’s light, it’s airy, it’s roomy, and it’s a literal dream to drive. What this represents the start of is some of the greatest Ferraris ever made,” argues Goy. “Without this mid-engine Ferrari, what would Ferrari have missed out on? 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari, the 458. This kickstarted something huge.”
It’s nice to know that, whether or not old man Ferrari intended it, his son’s influence has been shaping the company positively for years.