Descripción
This car is Lot 111 to be auctioned by Bonhams|Cars at The Bonmont Sale on 29 June, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Public Viewing:
Available Friday 27 June from 13:00 until 19:00, Saturday 28 June from 10:00 until 18:00 and Sunday 29 June from 10:00, at The Golf & Country Club de Bonmont.
Lot 111
1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
Registration no.
Chassis no. 07884
A desirable left-hand-drive GTS, delivered new to the USA
As delivered in lovely Celeste Metallizzato over Blue leather
Retains its matching-numbers engine
Includes Ferrari build records, Mattias Bartz Report, and books
Offered from over two decades of single ownership
Swiss Veteran Registration
'It is a thrill to drive a car like the Dino, one whose capabilities are far beyond what even an expert driver can use in most real-world motoring, and that is the Dino's reason for being. The real joy of a good mid-engined car is in its handling and braking and the Dino shone as we expected it to. The steering is quick without being super quick, and it transmits by what seems a carefully planned amount of feedback exactly what is going on at the tires. Thanks to the layout's low polar moment of inertia the car responds instantly to it. The Dino's cornering limits are very high... ' Road & Track.
Applying experience from its successful Dino 206S sports-racer of 1966, Ferrari retained the racer's mid-engine layout for a new road car aimed squarely at Porsche's successful 911. Enzo Ferrari always intended the Dino to be a separate sub-brand, and Ferrari badging was never officially used. The striking Pininfarina-styled Dino honoring Enzo's late son Alfredino, a champion of the V6 engine was powered by a 2. 0-litre, four-cam V6 driving via an in-unit five-speed transaxle. The engine's 180 brake horsepower was enough to propel the lightweight, aerodynamically efficient Dino to 142 mph, and while there were few complaints about the car's performance, the high cost of its aluminum coachwork hindered sales.
A new 2. 4-litre version on a longer wheelbase the 246 GT arrived in late 1969. The Scaglietti-built body was now in steel, and the cylinder block cast-iron rather than aluminum, but the bigger engine's increased power - 195bhp at 7, 600rpm - adequately compensated for the weight gain. The open-air GTS version, with a removable 'targa' top followed in 1972.
The Dino 246 was built in three series: 'L', 'M' and 'E', these designations reflecting detail changes in the specification. Of the three, the M-series is by far the rarest, built during the early months of 1971 only. Changes from the preceding L-series included a 30mm increase in rear track, five-bolt fixing for the road wheels, internal boot release, seat-mounted headrests, and various minor improvements to the engine and gearbox. The final 'E' series incorporated all the changes made to its predecessors together with further improvements to the engine and gearbox, resulting in the best-sorted and most user-friendly of the three variants.
While not quite as fast in a straight line as its larger V12-engined brethren, the nimble Dino could show a clean pair of heels to just about any contemporary once the tarmac got twisty. Truly a driver's car par excellence the Dino 246 is still highly regarded and beloved today.
This lovely E-series Dino 246 GTS is chassis number 07884, completed on the 25th of March, 1974. Built to USA specifications, it is reported by marque historian Matthias Bartz to be one of just 29 finished in Celeste Metallizzato which is paired quite strikingly with Blu Connolly Vaumol (VM3282) leather upholstery. Initially imported by Luigi Chinetti, it was sold by Swing Motors of Maryland, and the ownership chain is well documented in the accompanying Dino Compendium Report, following the car from Pennsylvania, to New York, and New Jersey between 1974-1989. In 1989, it was sold by official Ferrari dealer Wide World of Cars in Spring Valley, New York, to Mr. Frank Fischer of Wohlen, Switzerland, a noted Ferrari collector who retained it for 13 years. In 2002, the most recent owners acquired it, keeping it in his care for over two decades.
An accompanying history report compiled by the owner notes that upon the most recent owner's acquisition, the car was enjoyed throughout Europe for a number of years, before it was sent to Sweden for a more extensive refurbishment.
Changed to the ubiquitous red over black during prior American ownership, the owners decided to return it to its stunning and rare original shade of Celeste Metallizzato, obtaining the correct color codes and paint formula with Ferrari Classiche's assistance. A Swedish specialist performed a bare-metal respray, removing the unsightly USA-spec side-marker lamps in the process. The same specialist sourced new blue Connolly leather from Maranello, restoring the interior to as-delivered condition with new seat foam. Additionally, the numbers-matching V6 engine was pulled and reportedly underwent an extensive overhaul, and the MPH speedometer was replaced with a KM unit. The original MPH unit is included in the sale.
With its restoration and service work completed and the car returned to its original splendor, the owner repatriated it to Switzerland and obtained veteran registration in 2023. In addition to the aforementioned historical documents, it is accompanied by owner's manuals in a leather pouch.
Presented in rare and superb colors, this desirable open-air Dino 246 GTS is now ready for its next chapter of cherished ownership.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams|Cars website for all pertinent auction information.
