Ferrari 246 Dino v 328 GTS

[Cotterik]

Everyone has a car that impressed them as a kid. Perhaps you have ended up owning your dream, but like as not it has remained a pure flight of fancy. That could well be the best thing - drive one now and the whole illusion could be shattered.



the Dino 246. It was never even a full-bloodied Ferrari, but a poor-man’s six-cylinder model in a world of Ferrari V12s. It was aimed squarely at Porsche’s successful 911 and, as a homage to Enzo’s son, it was bereft of Ferrari badging and merely called the Dino. It is arguably, however, the most beautiful Ferrari ever built. The proportions are as perfect as you can get, with flowing lines that are as organic as you can achieve in a car. Designer Pininfarina has still yet to match it, even though he’s come close on occasions.



Ferrari rentacar
The key problems with Dinos are that first, they are bloody expensive and second, most people are scared witless at the thought of anything going wrong. Costing around £7,000 new in 1970, optimistic dealers are now asking as much as ten times that. Italian cars of that vintage were far from perfect and Ferraris were little different. If it goes wrong you can be sure it will mean deep pockets are needed to put it right. I can, though, talk myself around these problems. Dinos don’t fetch silly money at auctions, and even private sellers have to be realistic if they truly want to sell. I know two nice examples that have been bought for under £40k this year. Ferrari 246 Dino


OK, that’s still big money, but the depreciation shouldn’t be a significant problem if you buy well. The quality of the car you select is more of an issue, especially if you buy at auction. But at least the rust side of the question should have been sorted out by now. And so it was that I visited Parc Ferme in Egham, near Heathrow, (www.parc-ferme.co.uk) to see if the Dino could live up to expectations. Philip and Sharon Moir run the company and they have a dozen rather special classic cars tucked away for loan to club members. The concept is that you pay between two and three thousand pounds annually to gain access to these cars for a set number of days each year. Dino dials


It’s not an orignal concept, but the quality of the cars on offer, plus the small membership – 60 maximum – means that it’s a system that promises high levels of pleasure. To make things even more interesting, we are taking out Parc Ferme’s Ferrari 328 GTS. More modern than the Dino, but now cheaper to buy, it will make an interesting comparison. There’s a bit to learn before setting off. Second gear is off limits until the oil has warmed up, so it’s a flick from first to third initially. The interior door handle is a slot so tiny you can only get your finger in – pull the more obvious door pocket and it won’t stay in place for long. The Dino’s on carburettors, so a couple of pumps on the throttle are needed when cold, but it springs into life instantly.

On the road
This is a seminal moment. The burble from the 2.4-litre V6 is unmistakably a Ferrari, even though it has fewer cylinders than it most. It is also fiendishly uncomfortable, at least for my frame. The classic low-backed bucket seats provide about as much lumbar support as a deck chair, and there’s that Italianate driving position that forces your legs to be hunched if you have any hope of reaching the steering wheel. It’s all slightly awe-inspiring, particularly as a lot of the front of the Dino is out of sight from the driver’s seat. But the steering is light enough despite no power assistance and the brakes sharp. I have this theory that if a car is easy to drive (or a new album sounds great the first time you listen to it) then you will tire of it more quickly than if you have to struggle initially.



So the fact the Dino is no pushover is actually rather welcome and over the next hour there’s the opportunity to get to grips with the way it drives and gradually explore the boundaries. The big surprise is that, 25 years down the line, this still feels like a quick car. 195bhp isn’t massive these days, but the combination of minimal kerb weight and absurdly low gearing helps the Dino cover ground at a pleasing rate. Certainly your friends in the passenger seat will be impressed, even before they delight at the wail of the V6 at full revs. The steering is precise and while no one in their right mind is going to explore the handling limitations of an old Dino, there’s plenty of grip and the feeling that this car has real pedigree.

32-Great
Switch to the 328 GTS and the fifteen-year age gap feels like much more. The later Ferrari feels far more modern - luxurious inside with the acres of cream leather, stronger performance and an altogether easier drive. The 328 may be aged next to the latest F430 but it doesn’t feel old. Well, not very. The roof on this GTS version lifts out easily and can be tucked behind the rear seats to give the full-fresh-air effect. Taller drivers will find this essential as the seating position is relatively high and headroom limited with the roof in place. The 328 ticks all the right boxes. It looks right, there’s a 270bhp V8 which means there is no argument about the performance and it sounds as good as the Dino, in a different way. Ferrari 328GTS



The gearshift does the essential Ferrari click-clack as it moves across the aluminium gate, and people look at you as you drive past. But not nearly as much as they do in the Dino. It’s the real head turner, the proportions and lines so obviously spot on that Pininfarina had an impossible job to better it next time around. Jump back into the older Ferrari and it immediately feels more focussed as a driver’s car. Less forgiving certainly, but lower, more racy, more Ferrari.


Verdict
So no misgivings, no disappointments about my childhood dream. I knew a good hot hatchback had the potential to make mincemeat of the Dino, but I learned that it doesn’t matter one bit. The Dino is plenty fast enough, charismatic to drive and still achingly beautiful. I’d love one in my garage just to stare at it. But Parc Ferme membership makes such financial sense it’s the immediate answer. I’ll even get to drive an E-Type, another gap in my repertoire.

courtesy of MSN cars

[whiteballz]

dino = sex on wheels

damned beauty

[Cotterik]

Dino:

[Cotterik]

328 Gts

[blackcat77]

I've always like the Dino's looks but it can't really run with the big Ferraris. But I imagine its still plenty fun and, really, anything over 140 or so is wasted on the roads anyway.

[Spastik_Roach]

Well I've had a good ride around a race track in a Dino (replica mind you but it had a real Dino engine), and the engine sounds like HELL ON EARTH. It is just an incredible sound. I recorded it on my phone while I was going down the straight, I'll send it on to the PC sometime....

[cuntukimushroom]

DINO all the way to kingdomcome!!

the 328 middle-ish

[McReis]

Some recent pics of the most perfect Dino I've ever seen.

[McReis]

The last two.

[Mustang]

i know a guy with a 328 GTS and its very nice to go in



never been in a dino so erm....

ach both

[Esperante]

Dino. I just can't say more.

[fcarrules]

i gotta go with the 328. like the dino the 328 wears well with time with an added exotic aggressiveness that creates a wonderful mystique behind the ferrari name. the dino looks sexy but the 328 just catches my eyes more.

[NicFromLA]

The Dino is stunning and a lot of fun to drive. However, because of the 65 degree V6 it vibrates like an SOB you'll need to take two asprin and a nap. The 328 is vibration free (it has other problems) and is a little nicer to drive day to day. Also, a perfect Dino will run you just shy of 200K, while a perfect 328 will cost 60k at most.

[The_Canuck]

I don't really like either to be honest...

[McReis]

Originally Posted by The_Canuck

I don't really like either to be honest...

Not a surprise at all.