At the Los Angeles auto show just over a week ago, Ferrari General Manager Amedeo Felisa said there were absolutely no plans for a new model positioned below the F430. Felisa even mentioned the much-rumored “Dino,” by name, saying there was no such project.
Yet just this week a number of magazines have published what they claim are “exclusive” illustrations of how the 2010 Ferrari 420 Dino will look. Created by artist Poblete, the images have appeared in multiple auto mags, including AutoExpress and Winding Road.
In a report published today, AE claims Ferrari approved the Dino project in September. According to the magazine, the Italian sports car maker will build 3,500 to 5,000 Dinos annually. Apparently, the car will have a 4.2-liter V8 with 480 horsepower and pricing somewhere between Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage and Porsche’s 911 Turbo.
For now, we’ll take Ferrari’s official word over these rumors. Despite spy photos of mysterious F430 test mules, there is no proof a Dino is really in the works. Either way, it’s nice to dream. [Poblete illustrations: Side View | Front View | 3/4 Front | Interior | 3/4 Rear].



12/07, 9:38 AM
posted by:
Veda
Nice to dream indeed. No wonder the speculations won’t die. People are dying to spend their savings on a Ferrari. The cheaper the closer.
12/07, 10:13 AM
posted by:
MyGodBeatsYourGod
Don’t ya love Adobe’s PhotoShop?
I see some Cayman/Boxster, 355, Scagiletti, etc all blended.
Much better than CCW’s silly stationwagon ‘chops.
12/07, 10:34 AM
posted by:
Piablo
Someone has a sense of humor out there. That’s the only explanation.
12/07, 10:38 AM
posted by:
Fatstrat
There was a similar story in ‘Automobile’. They claim it’s a go even if Ferrari denies it right now.
12/07, 10:38 AM
posted by:
Piablo
And now that I spent two seconds looking at the photos, someone just photoshopped a Cayman. How does this get any press? The last fake picture looked 20 times better than this one.
To get peoples panties really in a bunch, I will photoshop an Escalade and and send it to a couple magazines saying there is no Dino, it was just a cover for Ferraris new SUV!
12/07, 11:23 AM
posted by:
angelo
if it’s a Cayman, it’s the best damn looking Cayman ever and I want one.
12/07, 12:20 PM
posted by:
roadrage
well…why don’t you show us your photoshop skills then Piablo. we are all dying to see your interpretation of Ferraris SUV rendering based on Escalade. we are really dying to see how good you are and to see if you can come up with anything decent.
BTW, these rendering, especially front 3/4 ones are quite nicely done.
12/07, 12:42 PM
posted by:
A4
480 hp in a 911 competitor? thats unlikely, especially considering the Vantage is under 400 and the F430 has a ballpark horsepower number, which would make it pointless to purchase in the eyes of many.
12/07, 2:00 PM
posted by:
cknoff
Looks like the Lotus Elise to me…
12/07, 2:30 PM
posted by:
Jazz
Photoshop or not that is a good looking car. don’t like the hood louvers
12/07, 2:41 PM
posted by:
Piablo
Wow, didn’t take long at all to get someone’s panties all bunched up.
Roadrage, I think you missed the point. It’s not about my wealth of skills, nor my immense artisitic ability. To let you in on a little secret, I don’t plan on photoshopping anything. The POINT is that this is an obvious photoshop job of a Porsche Cayman and therefore not worthy of any story. These pictures are as ludicrous as an Escalade being photoshopped with prancing stallions and a bright red paint job. Get it??
12/07, 3:34 PM
posted by:
imageWIS
Ah, yes the mythical Elise-Cayman-Ferrari…
Jon.
12/07, 3:44 PM
posted by:
hanlond
They’re seem to be pics of a Elise with Ferrai badging a little more rather than pics of a real future Ferrari to me.
12/07, 3:44 PM
posted by:
peter g
The “mythical Elise-Cayman-Ferrari” is right on and I love it ( not the car though )…Ferrari won’t be able to deny this story, they’ll probably be too busy laughing and enjoying all this free awareness ( or what them advertising people call it ).
12/07, 3:53 PM
posted by:
Freshshoebox
I don’t think the rendering was the point of the story…
Still though, as Angelo said: if it’s a cayman, it’s the best damn looking cayman ever and I want one.
12/07, 5:20 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
They can work the loop hole of calling it a Dino and not a Ferrari. One of the British mags said that they had called suppliers to Ferrari and they confirmed the existence of this car.
12/07, 8:32 PM
posted by:
Noah
It looks like a cross between an Audi TT and a nissan 350Z
12/07, 8:38 PM
posted by:
Renton
I’ll take one.
12/07, 9:14 PM
posted by:
Veda
I’d be actually embarassed to be in a Dino. It’s really a Ferrari for those who can’t afford the real thing. I’d rather take the Aston or for pure performance Porsche.
12/07, 11:43 PM
posted by:
Kaizen
My my that is hideous. Ditto to Veda. The Vantage is instant sex.
12/08, 12:06 AM
posted by:
Peo
If you look at the swedish car mag http://www.teknikensvarld.se they have located the exact pics of Cayman that Poblete has used for this “Dino”. It´s even the same girl driving “both cars”…
12/08, 12:34 AM
posted by:
onur
Well first of all a 4.2 v8 is impossible. 480 hp is a ridiculous claim as well. Who the hell is going to buy the F430 if this is a truckload cheaper and has better performance (assuming it will be lighter than the F430)
And the second thing is Ferrari mentioned a while ago that only the v6 engined models will be called “Dino”.
12/08, 6:48 AM
posted by:
Veda
Which begs the question of whether you’re willing to trade an expensive sports car for a couple nights with a celebrity of your choice. The ownership of such a car would score you some decent lays but what is it worth to ya?
12/08, 10:20 AM
posted by:
Piablo
Peo, Kudos to you, you get the bronze star today. And I personally have the picture they used to slap the 599 Fiorano front end on the thing. This car is a hoax.