Thursday 12th December 2013

Fiat Dino Spider: Time For Tea?

It's definitely a Dino, just not the one we're all familiar with

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We all know homologation has produced some of the most iconic cars ever. What's the first car you think of when someone says 'homologation special'? Stratos? E30 M3? Sport Quattro?

Now there's another to add to the list in the shape of the Fiat Dino Spider. Sort of. The latest video from Petrolicious tells the tale of Danny Soukop's Dino Spider, a car built by Fiat to allow Ferrari to compete in F2 during the 60s. Ferrari knew it could never build enough models to comply with the regulations, and allowed Fiat a batch of its Dino V6s to build its own coupe and spider.

It's a pretty car, isn't it? Simple, elegant and resplendent in bright yellow, the Dino Spider really doesn't have a bad angle (yes, the owner says that but we're inclined to agree). There perhaps isn't as much heard of that gorgeous V6 as possible, but the noise that is there remains beautiful. We can only imagine what it sounds like wound up to 8,000rpm.

As is becoming the way with Petrolicious vids, there's a long and complex back story to how the owner obtained his car. Danny's is even more philosophical than usual, but still worth a listen. Not as much as that glorious V6 though. Cool vid.

See the video here.
 

[Source: Petrolicious]

 

[Aaron W]

what a car

[KMB]

Very nice... and probably going to last a lot longer in the southern US climate than it would in Europe!

[Oddball RS]

One of my favourites and hardly a secret car, 11 out of 10.

[Ari]

Beautiful car, beautiful story.

[belleair302]

A charming fellow and an interesting story. Design hits of a Daytona in there and one thinks of a Truimph Stag if looking closer to home for a similar car. Am sure that US cars are not rusting like those here and for cruising around town and into the CA hills or those in Italy it must be a wonderful toy.

[Mermaid]

What a stunner, nice choice. Hardly a poor man's Ferrari.

[Rumblestripe]

From when Ferrari (and Ferrari/Fiat in this case) used to make achingly beautiful cars, not the bloated blinged-up tarts and pimps wet dreams that seem to slough out of Maranello these days.

I actually prefer these to the Dino 206/246.

Just lovely.

[CAPP0]

HIGH on my lottery list, has been for a long time.

As I understand it, there is a Fiat version and a ferrari version - same shape but differently badged. Are there other differences?

Edited by CAPP0 on Thursday 12th December 16:17

[Justayellowbadge]

CAPP0 said:

HIGH on my lottery list, has been for a long time.

As I understand it, there is a Fiat version and a ferrari version - same shape but differently badged. Are there other differences?

Edited by CAPP0 on Thursday 12th December 16:17

That shape was only ever a Fiat.

Spyder by Pinin and a coupe by Bertone.

The Ferrari Dinos were the 206/246 and the 308 GT4.

Technically they should have been neither Fiat or Ferrari. Dino was supposed to be a sub-brand of both.

Edited by Justayellowbadge on Thursday 12th December 16:34

[carinaman]

Matt Bird said:

Dino Spider, a car built by Fiat to allow Ferrari to compete in F2 during the 60s. Ferrari knew it could never build enough models to comply with the regulations, and allowed Fiat a batch of its Dino V6s to build its own coupe and spider.

I never knew that.

[scubadude]

The man has good taste in cars, even if his description of early Italian electronics is as painful as the truth but he has terrible taste in shoes... I guess that's the American influence :-)

Nice to hear him giving it some stick too.

[DiscoColin]

I still think that it is the nicest thing ever to wear a Fiat badge. Potentially on my lottery list too actually, even though I'd never even heard of it until the year before last...

Edited by DiscoColin on Thursday 12th December 17:00

[swinnerton]

I'm sure I remember the Mafia driving one of these beautiful cars in the original Italian Job as they followed the convoy carrying the bullion.
A gigolo's car...what a wonderful description.

[Justayellowbadge]

They had the coupe.

[boyse7en]

Always fancied one of these since I had a pack of Top Trumps with one in when I was a kid

Should have bought one back then – bit out of my league now

[Amirhussain]

Rumblestripe said:

From when Ferrari (and Ferrari/Fiat in this case) used to make achingly beautiful cars, not the bloated blinged-up tarts and pimps wet dreams that seem to slough out of Maranello these days.

I was just waiting for someone to write something like this...

[fourwheelsteer]

swinnerton said:

I'm sure I remember the Mafia driving one of these beautiful cars in the original Italian Job as they followed the convoy carrying the bullion.
A gigolo's car...what a wonderful description.

That was the Dino coupé, which I prefer to the Spider.

You also see the Dinos parked up when the E-types and Aston get written off in The Italian Job.

A Dino 2.4 Coupé is definitely on my lottery win wish list.

[sideways man]

Nice car,but I was never convinced these were the achingly beautiful cars they might have been,due to the styling of the headlight area. This is unusual for me,as generally I adore a curvy body-I mean AC Cobra, not Nigella Lawson. Although I wouldn't kick Ms Lawson out of the bedroom Ok,back on thread...Seeing these photos anew, it occurs to me popup headlights would have improved matters, as fitted to the 60's lotus elan. Just my opinion,of course.

[Tib]

fourwheelsteer said:

swinnerton said:

I'm sure I remember the Mafia driving one of these beautiful cars in the original Italian Job as they followed the convoy carrying the bullion.
A gigolo's car...what a wonderful description.

That was the Dino coupé, which I prefer to the Spider.

You also see the Dinos parked up when the E-types and Aston get written off in The Italian Job.

A Dino 2.4 Coupé is definitely on my lottery win wish list.

And to this day, I've wanted one - has to be in gunmetal grey too.

[Pablo16v]

An old neighbour of mine in Holland had a blue one that he used regularly during spring and summer months. It was gorgeous and had a lovely well worn patina about it.