1960 Ferrari 246 SP
In 1960, the Ferrari’s first mid-engine, sports prototype was released. The defining feature of the car was it’s Dino V6 engine which was mounted in the rear of the car. Motivation to move to a rear-engine platform was made after Cooper’s rear-engine Formula cars proved their superiority. The move to mid-engine cars had to made and Carlo Chiti was the designer responsible for taking Ferrari in this new direction. He started the sports cars transition with the 246 SP.
The 246 SP featured a punched out version of the Dino, 1.5-liter V6, originally developed for Formula racing. Due to the short length of the Dino engine, it was a suitable size to fit in the rear of the prototype cars.
Alongside the front-engine Testa Rossa, two 246 SPs raced throughout 1960. The first finish was achieved at the Targa Florio when Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips placed second behind another 246 SP which finished 4th. This was a remarkable result, as none of the Testa Rossas finished the race. This was really the first time a rear-engine Ferrari had beaten the Testa Rossa’s and was a strong indication of future design.
Ferrari 246 SP Specs & Performance
| submitted by | Richard Owen |
| type | Racing Car |
| built at | Maranello, Italy |
| engine | V6 |
| valvetrain | DOHC 2 Valves / Cyl |
| displacement | 2417 cc / 147.5 in³ |
| compression | 9.8:1 |
| power | 201.3 kw / 269.9 bhp @ 8000 rpm |
| specific output | 111.67 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 457.46 bhp per tonne |
| driven wheels | Rear Engine / RWD |
| front brakes | Discs |
| rear brakes | Discs |
| curb weight | 590 kg / 1301 lbs |
