The Ferrari Dino will forever be enshrined in the marque’s history as a poignant reminder of Enzo Ferrari's late son, Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari. At the time of its launch, the sports car was heralded for its sumptuous looks and enticing performance, while being the first Ferrari model to be offered at a more affordable price-point. Marketed as a standalone sub-brand, it accomplished an undertaking started by Alfredo, who had been tasked by his father to design a dual-overhead-camshaft V-6 engine.

Introduced as the 206 GT, it would not be until 1969 where mass-market success was achieved in the form of the more powerful, steel-bodied 246 GT. Power from the car’s mid-mounted 2.4-litre V-6 was sent through the rear wheels and paired with a five-speed manual transmission. This well-balanced layout allowed for a spirited driving experience that, when coupled with the Dino’s timeless profile and rounded rear windscreen, turned it into a sales hit. Early ‘L-Series’ cars were offered briefly before the introduction of the ‘M-Series’ in the summer of 1970, identifiable by their five-bolt Cromodora alloy wheels and parallel moving wipers.

The example offered here, chassis 01148, was completed by the factory on 9 October 1970 as one of 506 ‘M-Series’ cars made. Before falling into private ownership, the car was noted to appear in a promotional Ferrari Dino 246 GT brochure (numbered 41/70) in 1970—verified by mention in Matthias Bartz’s Dino Compendium book. A copy of the Ferrari brochure is included within this car’s history file. Chassis 01148 was then delivered to its first private owner via the Canarauto dealership of Toronto, Canada. It is thought to have resided in North America until later ownership was recorded in King City, Ontario, until 2013. From then until 2020 the Ferrari was retained by owners in Germany.

In March 2020, the Ferrari was acquired by its consigning owner, who took the car to the Middle East. Later that year, in December, the Dino was awarded Ferrari Classiche certification and the car is offered for sale with its coveted “Red Book”. During its time in the Middle East, the Dino was invited by Ferrari to participate in the 2021 Cavallino Classic Middle East concours, where it won the Platinum Award. Accompanying factory data confirms that chassis 01148 retains its matching-numbers engine, while it is presented in its factory-correct paintwork shade of Rosso Chiaro. Also, while in the ownership of its consigning owner, the Ferrari was subject to some £50,000-worth of restoration work with GTO Engineering in the UK between 2023 and 2024. Workshop notes list that the car had been presented after a period of static storage and was returned to good condition.

Presented with retrofitted air conditioning system that is fed through the existing air vents, this attractive ‘M-Series’ Dino would be an excellent addition to the garage of any astute collector.