Consistently ranked among the most beautiful and engaging automobiles ever conceived, the Dino was an inspired product of Ferrari’s highly successful V-6 competition-engine development program of the 1950s and 1960s. The 2.0-liter 206 GT and 2.4-liter 246 GT/GTS road cars, along with their Fiat Dino Coupe and Spider counterparts, enabled Scuderia Ferrari to meet the FISA-mandated, 500-car production requirement to homologate the Ferrari Dino V-6 racing engine for Formula 2 competition starting in 1967.

Following the Dino 206 GT, the 246 GT debuted at the Torino Motor Show in 1969. The 246 GT featured a slight wheelbase extension for enhanced passenger space and a switch from aluminum to cast iron for the engine block. Main body panels were now formed in steel and the car featured 35 additional horsepower courtesy of its enlarged 2,418 cc displacement. The 246 GT was, and remains, an electrifying performer with outstanding balance and handling.

This original European-specification 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT, chassis 04860, has a particularly interesting history, beginning with its rarity as one of only 52 examples factory-finished in striking Blu Chiaro Metallizzato (Light Blue Metallic) over Nero (Black). Following assembly, 04860 was delivered new to Ferrari dealer Elie Ayache in Beirut, Lebanon. In 1977, it was imported to the US by Werner Schoch, proprietor of W. Schoch Porsche Sales Inc. in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. By 1982, the Dino was acquired by a resident of Huntington Beach, California, who retained it until 2015, when it was purchased by fellow Californian Chris Salay of Sherman Oaks.

Mr. Salay commissioned restoration work beginning in 2018, which is documented by detailed invoices on file itemizing over $50,000 invested, including a repaint, interior work, and refurbishment work to its engine. Following completion in 2019, the Dino was acquired by Tom Larsen and received further sorting, including attention to the brakes, suspension, and other systems.

With its stunning color combination, extensive documentation, and gorgeous lines, this is a particularly appealing 246 GT that would be an exciting prize for even the most seasoned Ferrari collector. The Dino is accompanied at auction by owner’s manuals, roadside jack, and tool roll, along with documentation, which includes a report by model expert Matthias Bartz, correspondence, articles, model information, detailed invoices, and a copy of the Ferrari Classiche Vehicle Production Data Report. Without the Targa top of the GTS model, the 246 GT showcases the pure, original form of Pininfarina’s fantastic design, making it one of the most beautiful of all 1970s sports cars. A superb example of the iconic 246 GT, this is an opportunity not to be missed.