Situated at 8524 Sunset Boulevard, bang in the middle of Sunset Strip, Dino’s Bar and Grill was once described as ‘a salon for kids from Beverly Hills.’ Which sounds perfect for us. And perfect for valet-parking our Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino.

Buyer or Seller Questions? Let’s Talk! 310-975-0272

The Ferrari Dino range was a marque developed by the Italian supercar specialists for the mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars it created from 1957.

It also had a gorgeous open-gate five-speed manual gearbox. 0-62mph was just under seven seconds and there was a top speed of 158mph.

Moreover, the origin of the Dino range was extremely close to the heart of Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the luxury firm.

For it was named after Alfredo Ferrari, the Italian automotive engineer and the first son of Enzo, who was nicknamed Alfredino which reduces to Dino.

The Ferrari name remained reserved for its premium V12 and flat-12 models until 1976, when the Dino name was retired in favor of full Ferrari branding.

From an early age Enzo groomed his eldest son to be his successor. Alfredo studied economics in Bologna before moving to mechanical engineering in Switzerland. And in his short career at Ferrari, Alfredo was widely credited for the 750 Monza racing car and to a limited extent for a 1.5-liter V6 that would later see action in Ferrari’s early Formula racers. Alfredo suggested to his father the development of a 1.5-liter DOHC V6 engine for F2 at the end of 1955.

But tragedy loomed. Born on 19 January 1932, Dino Ferrari passed away on 30 June 1956, afflicted with muscular dystrophy. After his son’s death, and in his honor, Enzo Ferrari gave the name ‘Dino’ to the car that was fitted with the engine that Alfredo was working on at the time of his death.

The Dino script that adorns the badge and cylinder head covers was based on Alfredo’s own signature.

These models employed the Ferrari naming convention of displacement and cylinder count, with two digits for the engine in deciliters and the 3rd digit to represent the cylinders, i.e. 246 being a 2.4-liter, 6-cylinder and 308 being a 3.0-liter, 8-cylinder.

In the final days of his life, while hospitalized, ‘Dino’ discussed technical details of the 1.5-liter V6 with fellow engineer Vittorio Jano. Alfredo would never see the engine, however; he died in Modena at the age of 24.

And so at Beverly Hills Car Club we have one of the later versions of the Dino brand, a Bertone-designed 1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 featured with 52,721 miles on the odometer. This classic vehicle is a true testament to Ferrari’s timeless design and engineering excellence and comes finished in a red exterior paired with a sleek black interior, an original California car exuding elegance and sophistication.

It comes equipped with a 5-speed manual transaxle, V8 engine, four carburetors, four-wheel disc brakes, quad exhaust outlets, retractable headlights, courtesy lights, Veglia instrumentation, a gated shifter, ‘Bertone’ badge, black impact bumpers, ‘Dino 308 GT4’ logo on the rear boot lid, toggle switches, side marker lights, Sumitomo tires, and 5-spoke alloy wheels. The iconic Ferrari ‘Prancing Horse’ badge proudly adorns the front grille, further emphasizing its prestigious heritage. Convenience features include air conditioning, power-operated windows, Kenwood radio, outside mirrors with Ferrari badges, MOMO steering wheel, and sun visors.

The 308 GT4, a groundbreaking model for Ferrari in several ways, was Ferrari’s first V-8 production automobile, the mid-engined V8 layout that would become the bulk of the company’s business in the succeeding decades. Wkth that Bertone design, the 308’s angular wedge shape was distinctly different from the 206/246 from which it was derived, featuring angular lines entirely different from its curvaceous 2-seater brother, the Pininfarina-designed Dino 246.

From the cockpit of the 308 GT4, for example, the driver sees only the road: Enzo Ferrari had had a mock-up made where he could sit in the car to test different steering, pedals and cockpit seating positioning.

In fact, Bertone’s single production Ferrari, the 308 GT4, the one we have, was quite sober and restrained, although indubitably futuristic.

But don’t misjudge it – it’s still a bewitching car. Moreover, the styling has aged a treat: it feels like an authentic 1970s’ supercar experience.

And the Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino takes a sense of occasion with it everywhere it goes.

Even to the ghost of Dino’s Bar and Grill.

-Alex Manos, Owner