All of the Ferrari Dino 248 GT models built from 1969 through 1974 were powered by a dual overhead camshaft V6 engine measuring 2.4-liters and delivering 195 horsepower in Europe. American models were slightly detuned via some emission-control components, lowering the output to 175 horsepower, but weighing just 2,380 pounds, the Dino 246 GT was surprisingly quick.
The Ferrari Dino 246 GT was able to dash from a stop to 60 miles per hour in just 5.5 seconds while the sleek bodylines led to a top speed of 148 miles per hour – both of which are better than the Porsche 911 from the same era.
While the Dino 246 GT was the first mass produced model from the Italian automaker, the company only made 2,295 examples of the coupe over the course of six model years for the entire world.
Big Money Collectable
The 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT shown here will roll across the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach in April and when the final gavel sounds, this car will likely bring at least a quarter of a million dollars. This car has been fully restored from the bottom up, inside and out, making it as nice as it was the day that it rolled off of the assembly line, even though it has almost 42,000 miles on the odometer.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
