Ferrari Dino and F430 successor

Despite repeated denials, that the Dino will be reborn at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March. Developed under the codename F149, the new Dino is front-engined, and features a two-piece folding hardtop.

Our artist's impression reveals how the new Ferrari could look; it's known to be a more comfortable GT style car than the hard-edged F430 and its ilk.

• A new Dino... so will it look like the 246 GT of yore?

The first heavily disguised Dino prototypes have been caught on film by our spy photographers - and its compact proportions leave no doubt about the true nature of the vehicle. We hear it will have its engine sitting up front and its shape does indeed echo that of the original 246 GT, with a cab-backward design reflecting the engineering layout.

Does the Dino retain the transaxle configuration of the related Maserati Quattroporte? We don't know yet. But we were told by several suppliers that production will start next summer and that the car is scheduled to put in its first appearance at the Geneva show next spring.

• What's this about Maserati? Is the new Dino related?

It certainly is. The Dino's roots are born in the the car Maserati was going to build alongside the Granturismo - but could not fund. Instead, the Trident brand is now developing a straightforward open-top version of the full-size coupe, while Ferrari has taken over the smaller car for the Dino project.
Insiders are adamant the Dino will be a true Ferrari though, and witnesses who've seen the car on the roads around Maranello - and there have been numerous readers who've spotted it - confirm it sounds like a genuine Pracing Horse.

Will it look anything like these images circulating on the internet? They purport to show a Dino styling buck, but we're not sure if they're the real McCoy or some design school project. One reader, 28crash, reckons these styling clays are from a company in Portugal called Retroconcept, which is planning a re bodied Lotus Elise sports car.

• What's this about the F430 replacement? What do we know about this car?

It's known in house as the F142 and is an all-new design, unlike the current model that's an evolution of the F360 built between 1999 and 2003. Expect to see the newcomer in late 2009 or early 2010.

The big news is it will follow the Mille Chili concept (above) - as a more compact and significantly lighter than the model it replaces. Like the Dino, F142 will no longer be available as a soft-top Spyder. Instead, you can pay extra money for an ultra-quick, ultra-light and ultra-compact power operated top which consists of a perspex center panel and a secondary element painted in body color.

• Smaller, lighter... I like the sound of this. How light will the next 430 be?

Lighter still than the 430 Scuderia, which tips the scales at 1250kg. Which is good news. The mid-engined newcomer won't need a massive investment in cylinders and displacement to deliver the goods. Our sources suggest a turbocharged small displacement direct-injection V8 will provide the excitement.

Also on the cards are semi-active aerodynamics, brake energy tapped for torque loss compensation during upshifts, a pushrod suspension and a so-called ballistic valve train for that extra high-end grunt. Whereas the Mille Chili (above) is styled as a junior Enzo, project F142 will have a new look of its own, evolving the 355/360/430 design language to the next level.

Make no mistake, it's going to be an exciting car. But it's also going to be quite a bit more expensive than its predecessor. Which makes sense, considering there is the Dino waiting in the wings, as the entry-level car in Ferrari's line-up.