Ferrari Boss Marchionne Says ‘The Dino is Coming Back’

BOLD RIDE

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Posted by Jonathon Klein

 

 

A few years back, I went to cover one of Road America’s vintage race weekends in Wisconsin. It was an absolutely astounding event. Race cars from every era, making up an entire field full of cars form every manufacturer, and from every racing discipline.

Part of the event was sponsored by a Ferrari dealership.

 Given their support, they brought along a few of the company’s cars to show off part of their inventory. A good move since someone actually bought an F12 that weekend from them.

 But in the lineup of Ferraris that would make any gearhead weak in the knees, one stood out: a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS. It was in a classic Rosso Corsa, with a black interior and a gated shifter. It remains my favorite Ferrari ever made, and it seems like it’s going to get a third generation.

Yes, according to FCA chairman Sergio Marchionne, the Ferrari Dino nameplate will make a comeback after having been killed off in the late 1970s. Marchionne stated that the new Dino won’t be the budget Ferrari that it once was. “We may produce a 500-horsepower Ferrari, but it will not be a cheap Ferrari. The brand is unique and needs to be protected. I would always rather build 500 fewer cars than the market demanded rather than 500 more. We must not mess with customer expectations of Ferrari as an exclusive brand,” he said.

 

These words come after Marchionne and former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo almost came to blows about increasing Ferrari’s production from around 7,000 cars a year to around 10,000. While Marchionne is still mum about when we are likely to see the new Dino, he says it most likely will be sooner rather than later. And with that odd sounding 488 test mule spied in Maranello recently, we may very well see it rather soon.

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