Ferrari SP series The Ferrari Dino SP was a series of Italian
sports prototype racing cars produced by Ferrari from 1961 through 1962. This first series of Dino-engined sports prototypes included the 246 SP, 196 SP, 286 SP, 248 SP, and 268 SP; distinguished from each other by use of V6 and V8 engines in different displacements. All shared a similar body and chassis with a rear mid-engine layout, a first for a Ferrari sports car. Major racing accolades include the 1962
European Hill Climb Championship, two overall
Targa Florio victories, in 1961 and 1962, and "
1962 Coupe des Sports" title. At first the SP-series used
Vittorio Jano-designed,
V6 Dino engines in both
SOHC 60° and
DOHC 65° forms. Later, Ferrari introduced a new SOHC 90° V8 engine designed by
Carlo Chiti. All used
dry sump lubrication and were mated to a 5-speed
manual transmission. After 1963, these Ferrari SP models were no longer used by Scuderia Ferrari and passed into the ownership of private individuals or independent racing teams. They were succeeded by the Dino 166 P in 1965.
Dino 166 P The 1965
Dino 166 P was created by Ferrari to compete in
endurance racing with categories up to 1600 cc or even 2000 cc. One chassis that raced, s/n 0834, sported brand new all-aluminium
berlinetta bodywork inspired by the
Ferrari P-series of cars but with smaller dimensions. It was designed and built by
Piero Drogo's
Carrozzeria Sports Cars in Modena. This new style would be carried over to the rest of the Dino race car family. This was the first Ferrari-made
sports prototype to bear the rectangular 'Dino' badge on the front of the car and also the first to be bodied with a closed body. A second car, s/n 0842, never raced and was converted into the works prototype of the
Dino 206 S.
Specifications The engine, mounted in the rear, displaced 1.6 L () from of bore and stroke. The compression ratio was 11.5:1 and with three
Weber 40DCN/2 carburettors and twin spark plugs per cylinder, resulting power was at 9000 rpm. From this moment on, every Dino race and road car would have a 65°, twin overhead camshafts per bank with two valves per cylinder engine. As a race engine it also used
dry sump lubrication. A tubular steel chassis now received full independent suspension, front and rear. The wheelbase was long. Disc brakes all-round were standard at the time. The whole car weighed only dry.
Racing After a failed attempt at the
1000km Monza in May 1965, the following month the 166 P was entered into the
GP Roma on the
Vallelunga track.
Giancarlo Baghetti won it outright, two laps ahead of a Porsche. The same month
Lorenzo Bandini with
Nino Vaccarella scored a respectable fourth place overall and second in 'Prototype 2.0' class at the
1000km Nürburgring, ahead of cars with much bigger engine capacity. Just after failing to finish the
1965 24 Hours of Le Mans race due to engine problems, the 166 P was developed into the Dino 206 SP with completely open bodywork and a bigger 2.0 L engine.
Dino 206 SP The Dino
sports prototype model that followed the 166 P was the
Dino 206 SP. The first example was an exact conversion from is predecessor, still with the same s/n 0834, but with new
barchetta body and a bigger 2.0 L engine. Designed specifically for the European hillclimb events, the car is also referred to simply as the Dino 206 P.
Specifications The biggest change was the engine enlargement to 2.0 L () so that car could make full use of the 2000 cc category limit. The engine was redesigned by Ferrari engineer Franco Rocchi for Formula Two use. This displacement would be carried over not only to the 206 S, the succeeding model, but also to the Fiat and Dino road cars as well. The larger displacement was due to bigger bore, now at , and stroke was the same as before. Power rose to at 9000 rpm, with all of the remaining specifications the same apart for all-new
Lucas fuel injection. All of the chassis and suspension configuration was carried over without change. The 206 SP received new low-slung barchetta bodywork that was a whole lower, now at . Only a small, wrap-around windscreen and a single roll bar protruded above the bodywork. Due to this mass reduction the overall dry weight of the car measured up to , that is more than a saving. All this was with twisty hillclimb competition in mind. Later the car was rebodied in style with the 206 S and received similar roll bar-roof treatment. Venturi then placed third in yet another hillclimb event at Monte Erice. Leandro "Cinno" Terra entered the 206 SP for the 1969 Targa Florio, but finished in a distant 25th place. Its last period race was the Coppa Collina, where it finished in second place.
Dino 206 S The last of the Dino prototype sports car models was supposed to become a Sports Car homologated in the new
Group 4 S 2.0 Litre class, hence called
206 S. The rules of the time required 50 to be made, with space to carry luggage and a spare wheel. While the
Porsche 906 Carrera 6 got introduced early in 1966, was raced several times as a Gr. 6 prototype until enough were made and sold to get homologated in spring of 1966, Ferrari only made 18
206 S in total until 1967, and always had to race as prototype. Its
S was never earned. Entering in the prototype classes, up to 2 litre, or above, gave Ferrari the liberty to modify the car and the engine, still the 2.0 L () V6 based on the 206 SP powerplant. Some received experimental 3-valve heads and Lucas fuel injection. The racing career of the
206 S in the
1966 World Sportscar Championship had some highlights, but it was mostly eclipsed by the V12 Ferrari P and the more numerous Porsche 906. This was the case at its debut in the
1966 12 Hours of Sebring, and at the first Italian home race, the 1966 1000km Monza. Then, the Dinos managed to beat the Porsches for 2.0 Prototype class wins in three consecutive WSC races, the
1966 Targa Florio, the 1966
1000 km Spa, and especially the 1966
1000 km Nürburgring with 2nd and 3d overall. The Targa class win earned Ferrari points in the P 2.0 class, but it actually was a defeat, as the overall win went to one of the customer 906 Sports Cars as the homologation was now in effect, and the numerous private 906 could earn wins and points in the S 2.0 class with hardly any opposition from other brands. In the
1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, three private Dinos as well as the factory V12s suffered DNFs while Ford won 1-2-3 followed by 4-5-6-7 Porsche 906. In 1967, Porsche upgraded to 910 and 907, and the 206 S was retired. ==Concept cars==