1967-1973 Fiat Dino Spyder & Coupe

The 1967-1973 Fiat Dino Spyder & Coupe was an exciting collaboration between Fiat and Ferrari, and mutually beneficial. The former gained a glamorous line leader; the latter was able to qualify its twin cam Dino V-6 for Formula Two through Fiat, which built the engines for this application.

The Dino Spyder & Coupe was a mass-production effort for Ferrari, which took over assembly toward the end of the run; a low-volume sideline for Fiat. Spyder & Coupe were offered as a clean-lined two-door fastback styled by Bertone and as a roadster designed by Pininfarina. Both coachworks also built the monocoque body/chassis, though the engineering was Fiat's.

Cars built up to late 1969 had a 2.0-liter displacement and a live rear axle; after this, capacity was boosted to 2.4 liters (with iron replacing aluminum for the block) and independent rear suspension. The coupe had four seats and a longer wheelbase than the two-seat Spyder.

Later models are preferred for their bigger engine, better suspension, five-speed ZF gearbox, and more "practiced" construction. The vehicles were never officially sold as part of the U.S. Fiat line -- most were brought in privately before government regulations made such things difficult.

Pluses of the 1967-1973 Fiat Dino Spyder & Coupe:

High performance
Panache of Ferrari-designed engine
Simpler in design than equivalent Ferraris and much cheaper

Minuses of the 1967-1973 Fiat Dino Spyder & Coupe:

Body parts no longer stocked
Crude rear suspension (2.0-liter models)
Limited U.S. availability
Notorious body corrosion
Running gear difficult to rebuild and maintain

Specifications of the 1967-1973 Fiat Dino Spyder & Coupe:
Wheelbase, inches: 88.8/100.4 (Spyder/Coupe)
Length, inches: 161.7/177.7 (Spyder/Coupe)
Weight, pounds: 2,600/2,825 (Spyder/Coupe)
Price, new: NA