The marque was named in honor of Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari, the son of founder Enzo Ferrari. Alfredo is credited with the initial design of the V6 engine alongside engineer Vittorio Jano, having persuaded his father to develop a line of racing engines with fewer than 12 cylinders. The "Dino" script used on the vehicle badges and cylinder head covers was based on Alfredo’s own signature.
The marque followed a specific naming convention where the first two digits represented engine displacement in decilitres and the third digit indicated the number of cylinders. For example, a 246 model featured a 2.4-litre, 6-cylinder engine, while a 308 featured a 3.0-litre, 8-cylinder engine.
The marque debuted in late 1956 with the Dino 156 F2, a front-engined Formula Two single-seater. Powered by a 1.5-litre 65° V6 engine producing 180 PS, the car made its first competitive appearance at the 1957 Naples Grand Prix. Driven by Luigi Musso, the 156 F2 secured a third-place finish on debut. Maurice Trintignant later achieved the marque's first major victory in the car at the Coupe de Vitesse. Peter Collins also drove the 156 F2 during its initial development period.
In the sports racing category, the Dino 196 S appeared in 1958. This 2.0-litre V6 model, styled by Fantuzzi to resemble a smaller version of the Ferrari 250 TR, debuted at the Goodwood Sussex Trophy where Peter Collins finished second.
The late 1960s represented the marque's most successful competitive era, particularly in Formula 2 and the Tasman Series. Following new 1966 homologation rules that required 500 production units of an engine block, Ferrari partnered with Fiat to produce the Fiat Dino, allowing the Dino 166 F2 to debut in 1967. This rear-mounted, longitudinal V6 car was campaigned by Ernesto Brambilla, Chris Amon, Andrea de Adamich, and Derek Bell, taking wins at Hockenheim and the GP Roma in 1968.
In the Tasman Series, the Dino 246T became a dominant force. Chris Amon used the 2.4-litre V6 car to win the 1969 Drivers Championship, scoring four victories including the New Zealand Grand Prix and the Australian Grand Prix. The following year, Graeme Lawrence won the 1970 Tasman Series title using the same machinery.
In sports prototype racing, the Dino 206 SP dominated the European Hill Climb Championship. Ludovico Scarfiotti won the 1965 title after securing four consecutive victories at Trento-Bondone, Cesana-Sestriere, Freiburg-Schauinsland, and Ollon-Villars.
The transition of the Dino 206 S into Group 4 sports car racing was a significant organizational hurdle. Ferrari intended to homologate the 206 S by building 50 units, but only 18 were completed by 1967. Consequently, the car was forced to compete in the prototype classes against the Porsche 906. While the 206 S achieved class wins at the 1966 Targa Florio, 1000 km Spa, and 1000 km Nürburgring, it was frequently eclipsed by the more numerous Porsches and the V12-powered Ferrari P-series.
In 1969, during the Tasman Series, the Dino 246T was fitted with a prominent rear wing and two front winglets. Despite winning the Australian Grand Prix with this configuration, driver Chris Amon expressed a preference to reporter Max Stahl that the wings be "done away with altogether."
The Dino marque was retired in 1976. The final model to carry the name was the 308 GT4, a V8-powered 2+2 designed by Bertone. In May 1976, the Dino badges on the 308 GT4 were replaced with the Ferrari "Prancing Horse" on the hood, wheels, and steering wheel. This marked the end of Dino as a standalone brand, as Ferrari moved to consolidate all its models under a single identity.
The Dino marque served as the engineering bridge for Ferrari's transition to mid-engined production cars. The 1967 Dino 206 GT was the first road-going model, featuring a transverse-mounted 2.0-litre V6. It was followed by the 246 GT and GTS, which saw a total production of 3,569 units. These cars established the mid-engine layout that would define Ferrari's future sports car architecture.
The racing record of the Dino V6 engine was extensive, spanning Formula 2, Formula One (as the Ferrari 246 F1), the Tasman Series, and endurance racing. The engine evolved from a 1.5-litre unit in 1957 to a 3.0-litre V6 in the Dino 296 S, which produced 300 PS and was driven by Mike Hawthorn and Wolfgang von Trips.
The Dino marque was central to several high-profile design studies by Pininfarina. The 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale, built on a 206 SP racing chassis, established the aesthetic language for the production road cars. Other notable concepts included the 1967 Dino Berlinetta Competizione, a gullwing-door prototype designed by Paolo Martin, and the 365 P Berlinetta Speciale, a "Tre-Posti" three-seater with a central driving position.
The marque's influence extended to hillclimbing, where the 206 SP (also known as the Dino 206 P) was specifically lightened to 532 kg for mountain competition. In addition to Scarfiotti's championship, the car was campaigned by privateers such as Scuderia Nettuno and Leandro Terra in the Targa Florio as late as 1969.