A 1973 Ferrari 246 Dino GTS once owned by Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant will be among the featured lots at a Car & Classic online auction this week.
Named after Enzo Ferrari's son, who died at a young age, the Dino was Ferrari's entry-level model of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The car debuted in 206 GT form in 1967, sporting distinctive styling and a mid-mounted V-6 engine. Ferrari introduced an updated 246 GT version in 1969, which upped the engine's displacement from 2.0 to 2.4 liters.
The 246 GTS was a targa-roof version of the 246 GT manufactured from 1972 until the Dino's discontinuation in 1974. It was powered by the same 2.4-liter V-6 as the 246 GT coupe, rated at 195 hp. The 246 models were replaced by a new Dino with wedge styling that was more on-trend for the 1970s.
Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant's 1973 Ferrari 246 Dino GTS (photo via Car & Classic)
According to the auction listing, Grant's car is one of just 235 right-hand-drive GTS models sold in the U.K. during the targa-top version's brief production run, and one of just 114 painted Rosso Bordeaux (a non-metallic red) with brown leather upholstery.
Grant was the original owner of this car, and kept it for about three years, according to the auction listing. The auction house claims the Dino has been fastidiously maintained by subsequent owners, with some upgrades including a high-torque starter motor, and a rebuilt radiator with a new header tank. Now showing just 1,007 miles, the car has been repainted and reupholstered multiple times, and still has non-standard red carpet installed in 1988.
Car & Classic expects the Dino to sell for between 275,000 and 350,000 British pounds, equivalent to approximately $348,000 to $443,000 at current exchange rates. That's to be expected given the collectibility of the 246 Dino, and this particular car's connection to rock 'n' roll history.
