What Happened To Alfredo Dino Ferrari? How Enzo Ferrari's Son Died

Summary Enzo Ferrari's son "Dino" tragically passed away at age 24 from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, impacting the Ferrari empire.

Dino was poised to be Enzo's successor, working in engineering and inspiring the creation of Ferrari's Dino series of cars.

Dino's death also led to the establishment of the iconic Ferrari Dino engine in honor of his late son.

Enzo Ferrari's son "Dino" is depicted in Michael Mann's 2023 biopic Ferrari. As Mann's twelfth directorial effort, Ferrari chronicles the career highs and lows of the real-life Enzo Ferrari during the middle of the 20th century. Ferrari was once the face of the luxury car and racing brand of the same name, which became a dominant force in the world of competitive racing, particularly at the celebrated 24 Hours of Le Mans race during the 1960s.

Adam Driver gives a powerful performance as the titular protagonist alongside an unstoppable display from Penélope Cruz as Enzo's wife, Laura Ferrari. Enzo and Laura had one son together named Alfredo or "Dino" for short, who is portrayed by two different child actors in Ferrari (Edoardo Beraldi, Gabriel Noto) as well as actor Alfredo Benedettini. Overall, Ferarri received mostly positive reviews, earning a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. It's currently available to stream exclusively on Hulu.

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Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari Died At Age 24 From Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Dino was poised to become the heir of the Ferrari empire

Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari was once poised to be the heir to his father's monolithic luxury and race car empire but tragically passed away at the age of 24 on June 30, 1956. Dino was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is "one of the most severe forms of inherited muscular dystrophies" according to the National Library of Medicine. Enzo was a driver for Alfa Romero when Dino was born in 1932 and kept to his promise to stop racing cars if he ever had a son. Enzo prepared Dino to be his successor as the owner and visionary behind Ferrari.

Dino had a brief but impactful role while working for his father at Ferrari during his early twenties. Dino had received a degree in engineering and learned to speak English, unlike his father, according to Biography. The effects of Duchenne muscular dystrophy started to affect Dino in his early teens. By 1955, one year before his death, Dino was tragically bedridden due to the regression of his skeletal muscles and was unable to perform daily tasks due to failing kidneys. Dino was still inspired and fascinated by cars even in his final months, via Biography.

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After His Death, Dino Became The Namesake Of The Engines He Was Working On For Ferrari

Enzo reportedly became more reclusive following Dino's death

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Enzo Ferrari established the Dino series of Ferrari racing sports cars in honor of his late son in 1957. The Ferrari Dino engine was also named after Enzo's son, which Dino had helped to invent before his death. It was a 1.5 liter V6 engine that was featured in some early models of the Ferrari Formula Two as well as the Dino marquee series. The Ferrari Dino was produced from 1957 to 1976, twelve years before Enzo Ferrari's death. While Ferrari's life was marked by incredible success, it was also deeply affected by personal tragedy.

Related What Happened To Enzo Ferrari After The Movie After the explosive ending of Michael Mann's Ferrari, the formidable real-life figure went on to continue his reign as head of the elite racing brand.