It was no question to anyone involved with Ferrari that Alfredino Ferrari, also known as “Dino,” was going to be the future head of the company. Whilst racing for Alfa Romeo at the time of Alfredino’s birth, Enzo formally backed out of racing to guarantee that Alfredino would not lose his father to a racing-related death. Enzo adored his son and, cultivating him from a young age, had him study both economics and engineering in university, optimistic that he would lead the company to a bright future. Like his father, Alfredino had a passion for racing and suggested that Enzo produce a dual overhead camshaft V-6 engine for use in both racing and road going Ferraris.

Sadly, it was no secret that Alfredino’s health was poor, as he suffered from a form of muscular dystrophy. Doctors could not properly diagnose his ailment at the time, and as a result, young Alfredino never got to see the car that bore his name. He passed away at the young age of 24, on June 30, 1956. Enzo was distraught after his son’s passing, and it was said that Alfredino’s mother, Laura Dominica Gaurello, never overcame the heartbreak of losing her only son. In his honor, Enzo named both of Ferrari’s V-6 powered road and race cars in honor of his son.

First introduced as a successor to the Dino 206 GT, the Dino 246 GT was intended to compete with sports cars that were comparatively lower priced than Ferrari’s typical offerings. Enzo created the Dino brand specifically for these smaller sports cars, keeping the Ferrari name affixed to his more powerful and expensive race cars and V-12 road cars. As usual with Ferrari, Pininfarina handled the design and the bodies were produced by Scaglietti. Often considered one of Pininfarina’s most beautiful designs, the 246 Dino is inviting and almost sensual, with voluptuous curves and flowing bodywork. When production ended in 1976, following the introduction of the 308, the Dino was Ferrari’s most popular model yet, with a total production topping 6,000 units. Only 1,200 of those were open top GTS models.

As Alfredino would have wanted, a 190-horsepower V-6 engine, located just behind the passenger compartment, powers the Dino 246. Tipping the scales at only 2,394 pounds, the Dino 246 boasted a near-perfect weight distribution, thanks to its mid-mounted engine. Handling is fantastic, and the Dino 246 is truly a darling to drive. Appointed as such, the Dino 246 handedly outperformed its primary competitor, the Porsche 911.

This very rare Nero over tan 1974 Dino 246 GTS was produced in May of 1974, and it was delivered new to its first owner in California, where it has spent the majority of its life. Highly optioned from the factory, it is a late E-Series production car and comes equipped with air conditioning and power windows. Also fitted were extremely desirable 7½-inch Campagnolo wheels. In order to meet road regulations, the 246 Dino’s body needed to completely cover its wheels, so Pininfarina’s designers widened the flared fenders. These cars were also often equipped with seats taken from Ferrari’s 365 GTB/4 Daytona, and the combination of both the flared fenders and Daytona seats is widely known as the “Chairs and Flares” package. Making this particular 246 Dino GTS even more desirable is that it sports black “inserts” on the Daytona style seats, which nicely complement the exterior color on the interior of the car.

Of particular note, only 63 Dinos were ever finished with factory black paint. Most of these were coupe versions, while the others were standard GTS Spiders. It is believed that only a handful of black cars were ever factory ordered with the desirable Chairs and Flares package—this car being one of the few. What makes this car even more unique is that it is fitted with original vinyl Daytona seats. This artificial leather option was often preferred among European clients because of the durability, making it particularly rare amongst U.S.-delivered examples.

Earlier this summer, this Dino went through a light refreshing, addressing mainly cosmetic issues, such as touching up paint chips, removing any orange peel in the paint, replacing all of the old rubber seals, repainting the car’s targa top, detailing all of the interior, aligning its door gaps, and completing a compression test of its engine to ensure that this Dino 246 GTS both looks and runs as it should. The mouse-hair dash, as well as the carpets and door panels, remain original. The odometer shows just 36,832 miles from new.

An RM specialist recently had the opportunity to drive the car and notes that it performed flawlessly. The gauges functioned properly, the car did not overheat, even when in traffic, the front headlights, signal lights, and brake lights all performed perfectly, and even the air conditioning unit blew cold. The car is fitted with an Ansa exhaust system, and the undercarriage presents nicely.

As described by the RM specialist, “The handling is go-kart-like, and the mid-mounted engine provides perfect weight distribution, resulting in one of the nimblest, most responsive sports cars of the era. Furthermore, at 70 mph down the 405 freeway in Southern California, one can simply let go of the steering wheel and the car shows no vibration and carries itself in a straight line.”

Although the Dino does not officially carry the Ferrari Prancing Horse badge, there is no question that the Dino is a car fully deserving of the Ferrari name, and it is certainly a true testimony to Alfredino. With a fantastic engine, painfully good looks, thrilling performance, and a fantastic story behind the name, the Dino 246 represents exactly what makes Ferrari one of the most storied and desirable names in automotive history.

This specific Dino 246 GTS is a fantastic example of a factory-original specimen that is equipped with the most desirable options, and it would undoubtedly make a fantastic addition to any collection.