*This is a translation done by a machine.

I can't help but think that Italian coupes are great. Some of the cars have a vivid appearance that catches the eye at first sight, while others have a restrained, mature look, but all of them have a glamour that attracts the heart. The ability of the designer and the exquisite sense of the people involved are a bit trite, but that part is important. Cars made by people who grew up in a country where you can walk out your front door and come across a work of art or artwork in five minutes are very different.

This Fiat Dino Coupe is one of those attractive Berlinettas. It has a calm and unpretentious appearance, but its well-balanced proportions and elegance without being overly loud are indescribably attractive.

That must be true. This is because it is based on a sketch that Giorgetto Giugiaro drew during his last days at Bertone, just before he moved to Carrozzeria Ghia. When Fiat was planning a mass-market sports car with the so-called "Dino V6", they entrusted Pininfarina with the design of the Spider and Bertone with the design of the Berlinetta, resulting in two models with completely different styling. Simply put, the Dino Coupe was a neat Dino, while the Dino Spyder was a strong Dino. It was a good time.

There was a clear story behind the decision to install the Dino V6, or an engine designed and developed by Ferrari, in Fiat sports cars. At the time, Ferrari wanted the Dino V6 unit to compete in F2 racing, but they were faced with regulations that required them to produce at least 500 production cars with the same type of engine within 12 months. Because it was a small manufacturer, there was no production capacity. It was Fiat that reached out to us. The timing was such that Ferrari turned down Ford's offer to buy the company before it became part of Fiat. It is said that the breakdown of the negotiations was influenced by the desire of Gianni Agnelli, the head of Fiat at the time and a Ferrari enthusiast, not to hand over the management rights of Ferrari to a foreign company, but that is another story. Let's just say that this is the first time in history that Fiat and Ferrari have clearly teamed up.

Anyway, the Fiat sports car with a 65-degree V6 unit, named after Alfredo, the eldest son of Enzo Ferrari, was first presented as a spider at the Turin Show in 1966, and five months later, the coupe was presented at the Geneva Show in 1967.

In contrast to the 2 seater spider, the coupe is a 2 + 2 seater with the wheelbase extended by 270 mm. The interior trim of the coupe was higher quality and more luxurious, and it was arranged like Gran Turismo. However, the basic mechanism is almost the same, and the mounted engine is 1986.6 cc aluminum with 86 mm bore and 57 mm stroke, and the specifications of 160 ps/7200 rpm and 163 Nm/6000 rpm are the same.

Then, in 1969, the Fiat Dino underwent relatively major improvements. The most significant was the increase in engine displacement. The engine block was changed to cast iron, with a bore of 92.5 mm in diameter and a stroke of 60 mm in 2418 cc, and was tuned to 180 ps/6600 rpm and 216 Nm/4600 rpm for greater ease of handling in daily life. The 2-liter was clearly a high-revving type, and some people pointed out that it was difficult to handle in city driving, but it was able to meet the homologation for F2 racing, so the displacement was expanded to achieve a good balance.

At the same time, the rear suspension, which had been a rigid axle, was changed to an independent strut and coil system to improve handling and ride comfort, and the four-wheel disc brakes were upgraded with larger discs and calipers for more stopping power. The dashboard design has been changed for the coupe only, and new seats with headrests and cloth upholstery have been adopted. The level of perfection as Gran Turismo was raised.

By 1973, 7803 Fiat Dino cars had been produced. Of these, 1,163 were 2000 Spiders, 3,670 were coupes, 420 were 2400 Spiders, and 2,550 were coupes. Fiat Dino is not considered to be commercially successful, but it is rare and hard to find in the market. Recently, there has been a clear movement to reevaluate the original appeal of the car, and its popularity is on the rise, but it is still a difficult car to find.

The car shown here is a 1971 Dino Coupe 2400. Until the end of 1969, the body of the Fiat Dino was made by Carrozzeria, which was in charge of the design, and was assembled by Fiat in Turin, but after that, it was assembled together with the 246GT at the Ferrari production line in Maranello. So, this car is from Maranello.

The current owner purchased it in November of 2017. The car was not in good shape at first, so he worked on all the mechanical parts and got it back in good shape. However, due to the fact that he owns other cars, the mileage did not increase, and he only occasionally drove it to keep it in good shape. Since last year, due to the Corona vortex, I have not been able to go far. The car has been sleeping in the tower garage more often than not, and he decided to sell it. Incidentally, the odometer read 45,665km at the time of the interview; the current owner had only managed to drive a few thousand kilometers, but he is not sure if the total mileage figures are from the time the car was new.

However, as far as I can tell, the car has not had any major restoration work done, although some parts may have been repaired. The rear seats still have the original vinyl from when the car was new, indicating that the car has been carefully kept by previous owners.

As such, it is not in concours condition. On the exterior, for example, there is a small dent on the front bumper, a rust spot on the right rear fender claw, a light dent on the lower rear bumper, and some other small scratches, peeling paint, and lifting. However, there is no noticeable damage in the areas that can be checked.

There are some cracks on the horn button on the steering wheel, some lifting on the clock, and some cracks around the switch screws, but there are no cracks or fissures on the dashboard or wood panels, and the rear seats are almost completely unused.

The exterior and interior are in the same condition as when the current owner purchased it. If it hasn't been restored, it's in pretty good condition considering its age. It is said that the important parts for running have been modified, the engine runs very lightly and has the characteristic sound of a Dino V6.

You can enjoy the beautiful, restrained looks and the pleasant Dino V6 in its current state. It is also good to make it a permanent preservation vehicle after finishing it firmly. The choice is up to you, the next owner. Especially in Japan, the number of Fiat Dino Coupe units is extremely limited. It's not every day that you get a chance to own one.