When the first Dino-badged Ferrari made its debut at the 1965 Paris Motor Show, the idea of a junior Ferrari was not a new one. Enzo Ferrari’s eldest son, Dino, had been a passionate proponent of V-6 engine design; the young Ferrari is credited with the design of the marque’s first such powerplant, though he would never live to see it. Diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Dino is said to have worked tirelessly from his hospital bed as the disease ravaged his body. He tragically succumbed to it at 24 years of age in 1956, just one year before the engine premiered to great Formula racing success.

After years of podium finishes with his “junior” engines, Enzo Ferrari, who had long desired a roadgoing production car to directly challenge his competitor, Porsche, charged his development team with designing a new car from the ground up, using the principles advanced by his beloved Dino. The resulting car was both midengined and V-6 powered, with “Dino” proudly cast in each camshaft cover. His son’s dream come to life, Enzo saw it only fitting that rather than the revered Ferrari rampante stallion, it would be Dino’s own signature adorning the car’s nose.

The Dino 206 GT first went on sale in 1967, wearing a stunning body designed by Leonardo Fioravanti of Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti. The chassis was powered by a 2.0-liter, double-overhead-cam, all-aluminum V-6 engine mated to a five-speed transaxle. The first major update came in 1969 with the debut of the 246 GT. The engine displacement was increased to 2.4 liters and the body construction switched to steel. The buying public and motoring press alike fell head over heels for the Dino, with near-universal praise for its gorgeous design and razor-sharp handling.

This 246 GTS, chassis number 08302, is one such example of this beloved machine. According to a report by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, this US-market Dino, finished in Rosso Chiaro over a Beige Connolly leather interior, was completed on 31 May 1974. The car was sold new via Bill Harrah’s Modern Classic Motors of Reno, Nevada to Rolf Lackner of Encino, California. The Dino found new ownership in 1978 and would remain with this Malibu-based individual until 2011. Over the next decade, the car was exchanged several more times before its acquisition by the consigner in 2022.

Massini’s report further indicates the car to have been optioned with power windows, air conditioning, Campagnolo wheels, flared fenders, and Daytona-style seats. Significantly, the Ferrari Classiche Red Book on file details the matching-numbers engine and gearbox. The extended documentation additionally contains a collection of invoices dating from 2009 to 2022 and indicate the level of care lavished on this 246 GTS over the last 10 years. The most recent work completed in January 2022 by Miller Motorcars of Greenwich Connecticut involved a 101-point inspection, oil and filter change, brake fluid flush, replacement of the ignition wire set, and installation of a new voltage regulator. The Dino will be accompanied by owner’s manuals, warranty card and owner’s service book, and a tool kit in addition to the previously mentioned Classiche binder.

This “Chairs & Flares” Dino 246 GTS is certainly one of the most desirable examples in existence thanks to its known ownership history, thorough maintenance record, and numbers-matching engine and gearbox. Research indicates that fewer than 150 GTS examples were built with both “Chairs & Flares” options, elevating them to the pinnacle of Dino production and making this sale a rare opportunity.