The Dino did not have an easy birth back in the 1960s, but times are changing – it’s now one of the great sports car legends. Steenbuck Automobiles has two of these beauties on offer: a coupé and a targa.

Which to choose? Both are freshly polished and well-maintained. One glance and you’re in little doubt that these are real Ferraris although, back in 1967, when the Dino 206 GT made its debut in Turin, it disrupted a few expectations – only six cylinders? Mid-engined? Branded as a Dino, with no prancing horse on the front? (Dino, of course, was the name of Enzo Ferrari’s son.)

The little pretender got plenty of attention, however. From 1969 it was available in 246GT form (in Ferrari code, 2.4 litres and 6 cylinders) offering some 195bhp, a frontal attack on the Porsche 911. About 2,500 Dino coupés were produced by 1974; and in 1972 it was joined by the targa, denoted GTS, of which about 1,300 were made. Both models are still very much sought-after today – unsurprising, given those gorgeous Pininfarina lines.

On the road, this well-restored coupé example shows its driving pedigree. The seating position is low, almost lying flat. The steering wheel seems a bit too flat against the fittings, but any concerns vanish as soon as the 12-valve, Weber-carbureted, transverse V6 unit lights up. Gently does it while the engine warms, but then stretching it a little gives you plenty of reward. The manual five-speed box is well judged, and adds to the fun – gear changes are snappy, and the classic open gate makes everything immediate and visible. Intake and exhaust music penetrate the cabin almost unfiltered – wonderful.

Thanks to the low (approx. 1,100kg) weight, low centre of gravity and classy chassis, you come to anticipate bends and corners greedily, and the disc brakes ensure safe deceleration. In all, the Dino clearly convinces as a true modern classic driving machine, and a great choice either as coupé (details here) or targa (details here).

You can find the whole Steenbuck Automobiles inventory in the Classic Driver Marketplace.

Text & Photos: Classic Driver / Mathias Paulokat