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Once described by a cynical trader as 'an 800-quid car with a 10-grand engine', the Fiat Dino Coupe is one of the cheapest ways to own a Ferrari-engined exotic and is a cool car in its own right.
In the mid '60s, Ferrari needed a big company to build its Formula Two V6 engine in quantity, while Fiat wanted to produce an upmarket sports car with real credibility. The result of the liaison was the classic Fiat Dino coupe and the Spider (the latter being too sought after to qualify as a 'bargain').
The original quad-cam, all-alloy, 65-degree V6 found in the 2.0-litre models could trace its history back to the 1950s and famed engineer Vittorio Jano, but it was turned into a viable production road-car engine by Aurelio Lampredi, a one-time Ferrari employee. To comply with Formula Two homologation rules, it had to be produced in numbers of no fewer than 500 a year. That was where Fiat came into picture, beginning the courtship between the two companies that led to the Fiat take-over of Ferrari in 1969. That was the same year the engine gained its iron block and extra capacity - 2419 cc - pushing power up to 180 bhp at 6600 rpm. Much of the hardware found in the Bertone-styled Coupe sibling was stock Fiat. The floorpan and rear suspension on the 2.0-litre model was shared with the old 2300S Coupe, the coil-spring and wishbone front suspension with the 124 Spider, though suitably beefed-up. The gearbox was the 2300 four-speed unit with a separate casing bolted on the back for a geared-up fifth. The 2.4-litre cars, announced in 1969, had the sophisticated strut and trailing arm rear suspension from Fiat's upmarket 130 saloon. Production of both models ended in 1973. And 10 grand will buy you a minter...
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