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Fiat Dino

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Fiat Dino
Fiat Dino Coupé
Overview
ManufacturerFiat
Production1966–1973
AssemblyItaly:Rivalta,Turin (1966–1969)
Italy:Maranello,Modena (1969–1973)
Designer
Body and chassis
ClassSports car(S)
Body style2-doorcoupé
2-doorspider
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel-drive
RelatedDino 206 GT and 246 GT
Powertrain
Engine2.0 LDinoV6(1966–69)
2.4 LDinoV6 (1969–73)
Transmission5-speedmanual
Dimensions
WheelbaseCoupé: 2,550 mm (100.4 in)
Spider: 2,280 mm (89.8 in)
LengthCoupé: 4,507 mm (177.4 in)
Spider: 4,109–4,237 mm (161.8–166.8 in)
WidthCoupé: 1,696 mm (66.8 in)
Spider: 1,709 mm (67.3 in)
HeightCoupé: 1,287–1,315 mm (50.7–51.8 in)
Spider: 1,245–1,270 mm (49.0–50.0 in)
Kerb weightCoupé: 1,270–1,380 kg (2,800–3,042 lb)
Spider: 1,150–1,240 kg (2,535–2,734 lb)

TheFiat Dino(Type 135) was afront-engine, rear-wheel-drivesports carproduced byFiatfrom 1966 to 1973. The Dino name refers to theFerrari DinoV6 engine,produced by Fiat and installed in the cars to achieve the production numbers sufficient for Ferrari tohomologatethe engine forFormula 2racing.

History

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Background

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The Dino road cars came to be because ofEnzo Ferrari's need tohomologatea V6 engine forFormula 2racing cars. In 1965 theCommission Sportive Internationale de la FIAhad drawn up new rules, to be enacted for the 1967 season. F2 engines were required to have no more than six cylinders, and to be derived from a production engine, from a road car homologated in the GT class and produced in at least 500 examples within 12 months.[3][4][5] Since a small manufacturer, like Ferrari was in the mid 60s, did not possess the production capacity to reach such quotas, an agreement was signed withFiatand made public on 1 March 1965: Fiat would produce the 500 engines needed for the homologation, to be installed in a GT car which remained to be specified.[4][5]

Dino was the nickname of Enzo's sonAlfredo Ferrari,who had died in 1956 and was credited with the concept for Ferrari's Formula 2 V6 racing engine, believed to be designed byVittorio Janowith a peculiar 65° angle between thecylinder banks.[3]In his memory, V6-engined Ferrarisports prototyperacing cars had been named Dino since the late 1950s. The conversion of this racing engine for road use and series production was entrusted to the engineerAurelio Lampredi,who had previously designed several 4-cylinder Ferrari engines. Interviewed in the early 1980s, Lampredi noted that "things didn't work out exactly as Ferrari had foreseen": Enzo Ferrari had counted on building the engines atMaranello,but Fiat's management insisted on taking control of production, to avoid any breaks in the engine supply. The resulting Fiat-built V6 ended up being installed in two very different vehicles: the Fiat Dino, a front-engined grand tourer assembled in Turin by Fiat, and in Ferrari's first series-producedmid-enginedsports car, built in Maranello and sold under the newly createdDinomarque. Even on the cylinder block casting, the name FIAT was visible which was not in line with the newly created DINO make.

Fiat Dino (1966–1969)

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Side view of a 1971 Dino coupé 2400
Rear 3/4 view of a Dino coupé

The Fiat Dino was introduced as a 2-seater Spider at theTurin Motor Showin October 1966;[6]a2+2Coupé version, built on a 270 mm (10.6 in) longerwheelbase,bowed a few months later at theGeneva Motor Showin March 1967.[7]The two bodies showed very different lines, as they had been designed and were manufactured for Fiat by two different coachbuilders: the Spider byPininfarina,and the Coupé byBertone—where it had been sketched out byGiorgetto Giugiaroin 1963 and finished after his departure toGhiaby his replacement,Marcello Gandini.[8]Curiously the Spider type approval identified it as a 2+1 seater.[3]The Spider had poorer interior trim than the Coupé, below par for its class: the dashboard was covered in vinyl, the metal-spoke steering wheel had a plastic rim, and the interior switchgear was derived from cheaper Fiat models.[5]After a few months this issue was addressed, and Spiders produced after February 1967 had a wood-rimmed steering wheel as well as a wood trim on the dashboard like the sister Coupé car had since the beginning.[5] Option lists for both models were limited to radio, metallic paint, leather upholstery, and for the Spider a vinyl-coveredhardtopwith roll-bar style stainless steel trim.

The car was offered with an all-aluminiumDOHC2.0 L V6, coupled to a 5-speedmanual transmission.The same 2.0-litre engine was used in mid-engined, Ferrari-builtDino 206 GT,which was introduced in pre-production form at the 1967 Turin Motor Show and went on sale in 1968. Fiat quoted 160 PS (118 kW; 158 hp) for the Fiat Dino, while in 1967 Ferrari—presenting the first prototype of the Dino 206 GT—claimed 180 hp (130 kW) despite both engines being made by Fiat workers in Turin on the same production line, without any discrimination as to their destination. Jean-Pierre Gabriel in "Les Ferraris de Turin" notes that, "La declaration de Ferrari ne reposait sur aucun fondament technique" —Ferrari's statement had no technical basis.[9]

Fiat Dino 2400 (1969–1973)

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1970 Fiat Dino 2400 Spider

In 1969, both Ferrari and Fiat introduced new 2.4-litre Dino models. The Fiat Dino 2400 premiered in October 1969 at the Turin Motor show; besides the larger engine, another notable improvements wasindependent rear suspension.[10] The V6 now put out 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp), and used acast ironinstead of the previous light alloyengine block;the same engine was installed on theDino 246 GT,Ferrari's evolution of the 206. Whereas the original Dino was equipped with arigid axlesuspended byleaf springs and 4 shock absorbers,2.4-litre cars used a coil-sprung independent rear suspension with 2 shock absorbers derived from theFiat 130.Rather than engine power and absolute speed, the most important consequence of the larger displacement was a marked increase in torque, available at lower engine speeds; the Dino 2400 had much better pickup, and it was found more usable, even in city traffic.[11]Other modifications went on to improve the car's drivability and safety: larger diameterclutch,newdogleg ZFgearbox with revised gear ratios, wider sectionPirelli Cinturatotyres,[12]and upsized brake discs and callipers.

Cosmetic changes were comparatively minor. Both models were now badged "Dino 2400". On the coupé the previous silver honeycomb grille with the round Fiat logo on its centre had been replaced by a new black grille and a bonnet badge. A host of details were changed from chrome to matte black, namely part of the wheels, the vents on the front wings and the cabin ventilation outlets—the latter moved from next to the side windows to the rear window. At the rear there were different tail lights. The spider also sported a new grille with two horizontal chrome bars, five-bolt instead ofknock-off wheels,as well as a new bumpers with rubber strips. Inside only the coupé received an entirely redesigned dashboard and new cloth seats, with optional leather seat upholstery; front seat headrests were standard on the coupé and optional on the spider.[3]

Production

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Spider and coupé bodies were produced respectively by Pininfarina and Bertone. 2.0-litre and early 2.4-litre cars were assembled by Fiat inRivalta di Torino.Starting from December 1969 the Fiat Dino was assembled in Maranello on Ferrari's production line, alongside the 246 GT. Between 1966 and 1969 there were 3,670 2.0-litre coupés and 1,163 2.0-litre spiders made; with only 420 built, the 2400 Spider is the rarest of the Fiat's Dinos.[3]Of the total 7,803 Fiat Dino produced, 74% were the popular coupés and only 26% were spiders.[13]

Specifications

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The Fiat Dino coupe used an all-steelunibodyconstruction. The Spider had an aluminum trunk lid. The dual-circuit braking system withvacuum servooperated on four wheeldisc brakes.The upgradedGirlingbrakes of the Dino 2400 were shared with sports cars like the De Tomaso Pantera and Lamborghini Miura.Steeringwas of theworm and rollertype by French manufacturer Gemmer.

Suspension

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Front suspension was of thedouble wishbonetype. The upper wishbone consisted of a stamped steelcontrol arm,the lower one of a stamped steel link and an adjustable forwardradius rod.Coaxialcoil springsand hydraulicdamperswere attached to the upper wishbone; ananti-roll barwas fitted.

On 2.0-litre cars, the rear suspension consisted of arigid axleonsemi-elliptic springs(single-leaf on the spider, two-leaf on the coupé) and twin hydraulic dampers on each side. It was located by a longitudinal reaction strut on each side, linked to the axle at the front and to the aft leaf spring attachment point at the rear.

On 2.4-litre cars, the independent rear suspension consisted on each side of a long oblique stamped steel link (incorporating the spring seat) and a transverse link, attached to the same crossmember which supported the differential; there were coil springs, single hydraulic dampers and an anti-roll bar.

Engines

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See also:Ferrari Dino engine

A peculiarity of Dino V6 engines was a 65° angle between thecylinder banks,instead of the usual 60°. The valvetrain consisted of 12poppet valvestimed by two chain-drivenoverhead camshafts.Compression ratiowas 9:1 on both engines. Fuel was delivered via three twin-choke downdraughtWeber Carburetors,normally 40 DCN 14 on 2.0 cars and 40 DCNF 12 on 2.4 cars.

The 2.0-litre V6 hadboreandstrokerespectively of 86 mm (3.4 in) and 57 mm (2.2 in), for a total displacement of 1,986.6 cc. Theengine blockwas alloy, with inserted specialcast ironwetcylinder liners;cylinder headswere aluminium as well, with cast ironvalve seatsandhemispherical combustion chambers. In 1968 the 2.0-litre Fiat Dino became the first car to haveelectronic ignitionas standard. The Dinoplex C electronic capacitive discharge ignition was developed byMagneti Marelliexpressly for the high-revving Dino V6 engine.[14]Performance was impressive, with a 0–60 mph time of less than 8 seconds. Early Dino's were later on equipped with the Dinoplex C ignition. Its primary function was to prevent fouling of the sparkplugs in town use.

The 2.4-litre V6 had bore and stroke respectively of 92.5 mm (3.6 in) and 60 mm (2.4 in), for a total displacement of 2,418 cc. The redesigned engine block was cast iron.

Model Type Configuration Displacement Power Torque Top speed
Dino 135 B.000 DOHC12v65°V6
aluminiumblock		 1,986.6 cc (121.2 cu in) 160 PSDIN(118 kW; 158 hp)at 7,200 rpm 163 N⋅m (120 lb⋅ft)at 6,000 rpm Coupé: 200 km/h (124 mph)
Spider: 210 km/h (130 mph)
Dino 2400 135 G.000 DOHC 12v 65° V6
cast ironblock		 2,418 cc (147.6 cu in) 180 PSDIN(132 kW; 178 hp)at 6,600 rpm 216 N⋅m (159 lb⋅ft)at 4,600 rpm Coupé: 205 km/h (127 mph)
Spider: 210 km/h (130 mph)

Transmission

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Both series cars used an all-synchromesh5-speedmanual transmission,with an hydraulic single-plate dryclutch(up-sized on the 2400), and alimited slip differential. Two-litre Dinos used a transmission of Fiat's own design. This was changed on the 2400 to aZF-sourcedS5-18/3dog-leg gearbox,the same found on theFiat 130as well as on other manufacturers' cars.

Motorsport

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The Fiat Dino was never raced officially, and only seldom byprivateerdrivers. The one notable participation was at the1968 24 Hours of Le Mans,where a two-litre Spider was entered by the French Fiat-Abarth importer in the sports prototype class.[5]Driven by Marcel Martin, Jean-André Mesange and Hubert Roche, it finished the race 18th overall.[5]

Concept cars

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1968 Fiat Dino Ginevra

The 1967Fiat Dino Parigiwas presented at the 1967Paris Motor Showand named after this venue, applying theKammbackdesigns and ashooting brakebody style.[15]A year later, at the 1968Geneva Motor ShowPininfarinashowcased theFiat Dino Ginevra,a specially bodiedberlinettabased on Dino Spider mechanicals.[5]Both concepts were designed byPaolo Martin.

Notes

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  1. ^"Italdesign Giugiaro".europeancarweb.com.Archived fromthe originalon 1 September 2007.Retrieved24 September2007.
  2. ^"Fiat al Fredo".driventowrite.com.22 March 2017.Retrieved9 January2024.
  3. ^abcde"L'importanza di chiamarsi" Dino ""[The importance of being named" Dino "].Ruoteclassiche(136). Milan: Editoriale Domus:52–62. February 2000.
  4. ^abBernabò, Ferruccio (2 March 1965)."La Fiat costruirà motori per la Ferrari"[Fiat will build engines for Ferrari].La Stampa(in Italian).Retrieved30 May2015.
  5. ^abcdefgGabellieri, Carlo Alberto (December 2005). "Una Ferrari made in Torino".Auto d'Epoca(in Italian).XXII(12):54–64.
  6. ^Bernabò, Ferruccio (3 November 1966)."Ecco la" 124 "Sport e la Dino spider".La Stampa(in Italian). p. 5.Retrieved28 May2015.
  7. ^Bernabò, Ferruccio (2 March 1967)."Ecco i coupé Fiat Dino e 124 Sport".La Stampa(in Italian). p. 11.Retrieved28 May2015.
  8. ^"Going for it: Fiat Dino 2000 Coupé and 2300S Coupé".classicandsportscar.com.Retrieved9 January2024.
  9. ^Gabriel 2003.
  10. ^Bernabò, Ferruccio (27 October 1969)."La 128 Familiare, le Fiat Dino 2400 le 124 Sport 1600 novità del Salone".Stampa Sera(in Italian). p. 5.Retrieved29 May2015.
  11. ^Fenu, Michele (3 December 1969)."La" Fiat Dino 2400 ", anche auto da città".La Stampa(in Italian). p. 17.Retrieved29 May2015.
  12. ^"Pirelli Cinturato ™".www.cinturato.net.Archived fromthe originalon 19 December 2014.Retrieved14 February2017.
  13. ^Sass, Rob (February 2011). "A Fiat or a Ferrari?".Sports Car Market.23(2): 30.
  14. ^"The Magneti Marelli Dinoplex Ignition".dinoplex.org.
  15. ^Sánchez, Miguel (13 September 2021)."FIAT Dino V6 Parigi. Pininfarina's study of the theories of Wunibald Kamm".escuderia.com.Retrieved18 February2024.

References

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  • Buckley, Martin; Rees, Chris (1998).World Encyclopedia of Cars.London: Anness Publishing.ISBN1-84038-083-7.
  • Weberg, Don (November 2005). "Great Save: The Dino Project Kept Ferrari Racing and Gave Fiat a True Exotic".Classic Motorsports:73.
  • "The Fiat Pages".carsfromitaly.net.Retrieved7 June2007.
  • Gabriel, Jean-Pierre (2003).Les Ferrari de Turin.Nimes: Editions du Palmier.ISBN2-914920-25-3.
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