“It’s a when, not an if. We know that [Dino] is an under-used resource, but that’s why we need to get it right,” explained the executive.
It’s too early to tell precisely what form the 21st century Dino will take, but Marchionne suggests it could be powered by a twin-turbocharged evolution of the V6 engine that is currently being designed to power a long list of upcoming Maserati and Alfa Romeo models. The Dino will be mid-engined regardless of what’s bolted in the engine bay, but it will be noticeably smaller and lighter than the 488 GTB (pictured).
While it looks like Dino will live again soon, the heritage-laced nameplate could once again be turned into standalone brand in order to avoid diluting Ferrari’s brand image. Marchionne insists the Dino will not be a budget Ferrari, and he stresses that the Prancing Horse will not follow the path blazed by many of its rivals and chase volume.
If the report turns out to be true, the modern day Dino is at least three or four years away from landing in showrooms. Currently, the cheapest member of the Ferrari lineup is the California T, which starts at about $200,000, so expect the Dino to cost approximately $180,000. Its main competitors will be the McLaren 570S, the Porsche 911 Turbo S and high-end versions of the Mercedes-AMG GT.
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