There are vintage cars—and then there are legends. If you believe a car can carry stories in its stitching, this one’s worth your attention. A 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS—the very car that won the outlaw Cannonball Run in 1975—is now up for auction. Even better?, It still looks exactly as it did the moment it made history.
This isn’t just another beauty from Ferrari’s golden age. While the Dino name may not roar like Daytona or Testarossa, it was Ferrari’s bold answer to the Porsche 911. Built to be nimble, seductive, and lightweight, the 246 GTS earned a reputation of its own. Though it bore the Dino sub-brand—a tribute to Enzo Ferrari’s late son—Car enthusiasts quickly regarded it as a legend. Celebrities like Keith Richards, Cher, and Bob Seger drove one. But this particular car? It won the race that was never meant to be won.
The Cannonball Run wasn’t a typical race. It was raw, unsanctioned, and borderline illegal—stretching from New York to Los Angeles at full throttle. In 1975, Jack May and Rick Cline drove this exact Dino across the country in 35 hours and 53 minutes. That was a full minute faster than the existing record. No pit crew. No sponsors. Just two daredevils, a 2.4-liter V-6 engine, and a wild sprint through America.
Today, this Ferrari Dino 246 GTS remains remarkably original. It still wears its factory Bianco white paint and Rosso red leather interior with pride, as if it just rolled off the line. The removable roof panel delivers that open-air drama, reminding you that driving once felt like flying. Under the hood, a 200-horsepower V-6 pairs with a five-speed manual gearbox to deliver the kind of tactile, engaging experience modern cars rarely offer.
The car will be auctioned during Monterey Car Week by Mecum Auctions. It’s being offered by the family of Jack May, one of the men who made its history. No official estimate has been set yet, but comparable Ferrari Dinos have recently sold for over $500,000. And none of them crossed the country in record time.
For collectors, this isn’t just a pristine Italian sports car. It’s a time capsule from a wilder, more romantic era of driving—before GPS, radar traps, and digital dashboards. If you live for that kind of untamed legacy, the 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS isn’t just calling—it’s daring you to answer.
