At the beginning of the 70s, sales of V12 models were hit hard by the oil crisis and the first speed limits. Ferrari realised that it had to change its product range if it was not to perish. So it was decided to launch production of a small 2+2 V8-engined berlinetta to rival the Porsche 911, Lamborghini Urraco and Maserati Merak. Marketed under the Dino name, the GT4 went through several stages in its life. Finally integrated into the Ferrari range in 1976, and adorned with the prestigious prancing horse, it sounded the death knell for the Dino brand at the same time.

Despite its GT name, the Ferrari Dino 246 is very similar in design and handling to an authentic racing car from the 60s and 70s. Understand that long journeys will leave you deaf and with a sore back, as well as sweating a lot in hot weather! But it’s not thanks to these traits that the Dino has enjoyed unprecedented success in the history of Ferrari. In addition to its rather competitive price, the Dino’s handling is balanced, neutral and agile, thanks to its mid-mounted powertrain. It is this inimitable racing atmosphere, coupled with the fantastic sound and lively character of its V6, that will compensate for the weaknesses now well known to all its owners.

A car in a class of their own in the Ferrari chronology, the Dino 246 GT coupés enjoy a strong following among enthusiasts despite their initial status as ‘popular Ferraris’. Created specifically for the small V6 engine designed by Enzo’s son, the Dino brand was intended to be more accessible than Ferrari. It was the first road-going Ferrari not to be equipped with a V12 engine, which earned it the nickname of ‘poor man’s Ferrari’… at the time. A bad publicity stunt for the brand’s purists, but it didn’t spoil the renown of this model, portrayed by actor Tony Curtis in the famous TV series “Amicalement Vôtre”…

The ‘Dino’ trademark was created in 1964, partly to pay tribute to the late son and partly to legitimise an affordable entry-level model for Ferrari, without damaging the Ferrari name and reputation. The aluminium body, designed by Pinifarina stylist Aldo Brovarone, was produced by Scaglietti and mounted on a tubular chassis dear to Enzo Ferrari. With its attractive lines, the Dino 206 GT had a highly aerodynamic profile. The only difference from the Dino 206 GT prototype exhibited in Turin in 1967 was that the headlamp bubbles were dropped. The Dino is relatively light, with the Ferrari factory (always very optistic) claiming an unladen weight of 900 kg on the scale. In reality, the car was just over a tonne but still had an interesting power-to-weight ratio. Marketed as a low-cost model (for a Ferrari, that is), the Dino is priced at less than €15,000. The downside, visible in places, is the use of numerous Fiat components in the Dino’s cockpit.

Compared to its predecessor, the BB 512i has undergone a number of detailed changes. The front bumper has been fitted with an aerodynamic spoiler following studies in Pininfarina’s brand-new wind tunnel. This improves stability at high speeds. The front indicators slide into the thin blade of the bumper and the rear lights are now round in pairs of two instead of three. A Naca air intake has been added to the lower flanks in front of the rear wheel to optimise brake cooling. The roof was also slightly modified, as a result of the wind tunnel work. To give the car a better foothold on the ground and further improve its handling at high speeds, the wheels were made wider and the same size at the front and rear, making the body 3 cm wider.

When the Ferrari 365 GT4 BB was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in 1971, visitors were amazed by the pure lines of the new Ferrari and its central rear position. Just like a Formula 1 Ferrari! Maranello was quick to point out that the new 12-cylinder boxer engine (which gave its name to this Ferrari) was derived from the one used in its racing cars. However, the claim of such a filiation is daring, to say the least, since the newcomer has a… wet crankcase! Rather an incongruous choice for a car of this calibre and with such a high-performance chassis.

Finally, the latest model in the series is called the 412i. To make up for the power lost through fuel injection, Ferrari had no choice but to increase the engine’s displacement. The design was updated and it became the first Maranello to be fitted with ABS as an option.

Four years later, the 400 GTi marks the switch to K-Jetronic fuel injection. This meant a loss of 25 bhp. Despite this, the car was a huge success, with three times as many units sold as the carburetted version! With an unladen weight of 1,800 kg, compared with 1,700 kg for the carburettor version, the car’s sporty character has been seriously undermined…

Sacrificed on the altar of pollution, or rather American protectionism, the Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 was replaced in 1976 by the 400 (GT for manual gearbox or Automatic for automatic gearbox). As usual, the name refers to the engine’s displacement, with the V12 4AC increasing to 4,823cc for 340bhp, still powered by six Weber carburettors. Apart from the new headlamps, the main new feature of the 400 is its Hydramatic 3-speed automatic gearbox, designed by General Motors. Proof that this model was mainly intended for the United States, this was the gearbox supplied as standard. As you can see, the manual gearbox was optional on the 400 GT! The reputation of the 400 was forever tarnished by this and explains why only 501 examples were produced…