Maserati A6G / 54

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Maserati
Maserati A6G / 54 with Allemano body
Maserati A6G / 54 with Allemano body
A6 G 54
Production period: 1954-1957
Class : Sports car
Body versions : Coupé , roadster
Engines: Otto engine :
2.0 liters (110 kW)
Length: 4090 mm
Width: 1530 mm
Height: 1320 mm
Wheelbase : 2550 mm
Empty weight : 1140 kg
Previous model Maserati A6G
successor Maserati 3500 GT

Maserati A6G / 54 was the in-house name for a street sports car that the Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati produced from 1954 to 1957. Like its predecessor (internal: A6G ), the car was officially marketed as the Maserati 2000 GT . From a technical point of view, the A6G / 54 was the street version of the A6GCS racing car , with which there was a close relationship. The A6G / 54 was available with open and closed bodies from Allemano , Frua and Zagato . A total of around 60 vehicles were built. The history of the individual cars is unusually well documented. The cars are among the exclusive classics that have now reached prices in the millions at auctions.

History of origin

The Maserati company, founded in 1914, was mainly involved in automobile racing until the Second World War . Under the direction of Alfieri Maserati , many successful competition vehicles were created in the 1920s and 1930s, some of which Maserati brought to the start at motor sport events, but also sold to private customers. In individual cases, since the 1930s, Maserati also derived roadworthy sports cars from these competition models. These cars were individual pieces that were created on customer request; There was no series production of street sports cars until 1945. It was not until 1947 that Maserati sold the 1500 GT (internal: A6), the first sports car not primarily aimed at competitions. The A6 had Pininfarina bodies and was powered by a 1.5 liter engine. When designing the engine, Maserati had abandoned some features that had been common in its own racing engines for years in the interests of stability and ease of maintenance. This affected the engine output, which was only 65 hp (48 kW). The resulting poor performance, which remained below the level of the first Ferrari road vehicles, prevented the A6 from being successful. Its top speed was only 146 to 153 km / h, depending on the body and gear ratio. By 1950 Maserati had sold a total of 59 copies of the A6. In order to survive in the market, Maserati needed a more powerful car. A higher engine power should also enable heavier and more luxurious bodies, which could justify the high sales price of the Maserati. The result of these considerations was the A6G, which was also sold as the Maserati 2000 GT. It had a bigger engine with 30 percent more power. Nevertheless, this model was even less successful than the original A6: from 1950 to 1953, only 16 copies of the A6G were made. The low level of production can be explained, apart from the poor performance, which still lagged far behind that of contemporary Ferraris, also from heavy labor disputes at the beginning of the 1950s, as a result of which Maserati owner Adolfo Orsi laid off several hundred employees, and thus temporarily one Caused production stoppage.

With the A6G / 54, which appeared in 1954, Maserati eliminated some of the A6G's weaknesses. In particular, its engine was 50 percent more powerful than that of its predecessor and more than twice as powerful as that of the A6 introduced in 1947. The A6G / 54 made Maserati a competitor for Ferrari in the street sports car segment.

In 1957 the Maserati 3500 GT replaced the A6G / 54. The new model was available from the factory with standardized bodies. With him, Maserati became a series manufacturer.

technology

engine

Motor of the A6G / 54

The A6G / 54 was powered by a six-cylinder in - line engine with a displacement of 1986 cc, installed lengthways at the front . The engine was based on that of the A6GCS racing car. The cubic capacity of the A6G / 54 and that of the A6GCS were the same. Compared to the A6G, this meant that the ratio of bore (76.5 mm) to stroke (72.0 mm) had changed: Now the bore was larger than the stroke; this increased the engine's revving ability. As with the A6GCS, the A6G / 54 engine had two overhead camshafts . This was new for Maserati street sports cars: the previous models A6 and A6G each had an overhead camshaft. However, the details of the engine design of the A6GC had been revised for use in road traffic. In contrast to the racing version, the camshafts were not driven by gears but by a chain. Instead of the dry sump lubrication of the A6GCS, the street version had wet sump lubrication. In the first few years the engine was equipped with one spark plug per cylinder; from 1956 there was a double ignition . The engine power in the initial version was 150 hp (110 kW) - 20 hp less than the A6GCS -; with the introduction of double ignition, it rose to 160 hp (118 kW).

Chassis and running gear

The chassis consisted of a tubular frame made of steel. The front wheels were suspended from double wishbones with coil springs. The rear of the car had a rigid axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs. Maserati used Houdaille shock absorbers equally in the front and rear . There were hydraulically operated drum brakes on all four wheels .

Superstructures

The A6G / 54 was again available with bodies from different manufacturers. The superstructures came from Allemano, Frua and Zagato. In Maserati's sales documents, Fruas Spyder were referred to as Tipo A, Fruas Coupés as Tipo B, Allemanos Coupés as Tipo C and Zagatos Coupés as Tipo D.

Unlike its predecessors, there were no longer any Pininfarina bodies. Pininfarina had entered into a particularly close relationship with Ferrari that no longer allowed them to supply bodies for its competitor Maserati. In spite of this, individual Pininfarina bodies for the A6GCS racing car had been delivered until 1955; formally, however, these were not works orders. The bodies were each commissioned by the Maserati dealer Mimmo Dei . In the case of the A6G / 54, this detour could no longer be implemented.

Tip A: Spyder from Frua

Two interim models

In the spring of 1955, Frua showed an open two-seater, which was based on a chassis of the sports version A6GCS (chassis number 2109), but had the reduced-power engine of the street version A6G / 54. The assignment of this vehicle is controversial; some sources consider it the first A6G / 54 Spyder, others consider it a member of the A6GCS range. The Italian President Giovanni Gronchi opened the 1955 Italian Grand Prix with this vehicle . The car has been in the USA since the mid-1970s. A comparable vehicle with a controversial assignment is the Spyder with the chassis number 2110.

Small series for Mimmo Dei

Maserati A6G / 54 Frua Spyder
Maserati A6G / 54 Frua Spyder

At the end of 1954, Mimmo Dei placed an order with Carrozzeria Pietro Frua for a ten-vehicle series of open versions of the A6G / 54. They are chassis numbers 2104, 2180, 2182, 2183, 2187, 2191, 2192, 2193, 2196 and 2197. In contrast to the first two copies with chassis numbers 2109 and 2110, both the engine and the chassis come from the regular ones A6G / 54 production. The wheelbase specifications of the Spyder versions vary. Some sources give a wheelbase of 2250 mm for all ten vehicles, others assume that the Spyder had the regular, uncut wheelbase of the coupés.

Maserati sent the first chassis of this series (number 2104) to Frua in December 1954; The finished car was only delivered to the French first owner in the summer of 1957 via Mimmo Dei. Stylistically, it was the only model from the Mimmo Dei order to correspond to vehicles 2109 and 2110. It had a short front overhang and chrome-plated ram horns instead of bumpers.

The following nine Spyders, on the other hand, can be seen as open-top versions of the GranSport Coupés. They had the longer front section of the "long-nose" versions and were modeled on them in other details. A distinctive feature was a stylized air intake on the top of the curved rear fenders. Frua picked up this idea again three years later for the Renault Floride convertible .

The Frua Spyder was priced at $ 10,450. At the time, they were the most expensive two-liter vehicles in the world. They were primarily intended for US customers; some cars also found buyers in Europe.

Tipo B: Coupés from Frua

Frua clad another six A6G / 54 chassis with coupé bodies, with two series with wheelbases of different lengths being distinguished.

Berlina 2000 "Short Nose"

Maserati A6G / 54 Berlina 2000 "Short Nose" from Frua (chassis number 2114)

The first series of Frua Coupés was marketed under the name A6G / 54 Berlina 2000 . Alternatively, they have the designation A6G / 54 Coupé Frua Series II; this count regards the Frua coupes for the A6G chassis from 1950 to 1953 as Series 1.

The Berlina 2000 series includes chassis numbers 2063, 2103, 2114 and 2140, which were completed by 1955. All vehicles in this series are based on the unabridged, standard chassis of the A6G / 54 and have a wheelbase of 2550 mm. They each have a comparatively short front overhang. This results in the alternative designation "Short Nose", which can be found in the automotive literature for this series.

The prototype of the Frua coupes appeared in April 1954 at the Turin Motor Show. It had the chassis number 2063. The exhibit undoubtedly had the modified and power-reduced engine of the A6G / 54; the assignment of the chassis is controversial. While some here already assume a first A6G / 54 chassis, others assume that the chassis of the exhibit came from the sports model A6GCS. The coupé had a low beltline and a thin C-pillar, the lower end of which was curved towards the front of the car. The rear window was designed as a panoramic window . The radiator opening was clearly modeled. It was covered with a wide chrome grille. The contemporary press praised the shape of the coupé as harmonious and balanced. The car appeared at the Paris Motor Show half a year later. Then the Roman Maserati dealer Mimmo Dei took it over and sold it to an Italian customer.

By 1957, Frua produced at least three other A6G / 54 coupés (chassis numbers 2103, 2114 and 2140), which were largely the same stylistically, but differed in details. In addition to the paneling of the radiator opening, this also affected the bumpers, which were partly one-piece, partly also two-piece and were completely missing on some cars.

Some Frua coupes had known owners at times. One coupé (2103) temporarily belonged to the singer Domenico Modugno , another (2114) was taken over by the British musician Jay Kay in the 21st century . The last vehicle in the series was in Roger Baillon's collection for a few decades before it was auctioned in 2015 in an unrestored condition for 1.7 million euros.

Gran Sport "Long Nose"

Maserati Gran Sport Long Nose by Frua (1956)

In 1956 and 1957, Frua produced two more A6G / 54 coupes, which were sold under the name Maserati Gran Sport (chassis numbers 2181 and 2194). Frua had shortened her chassis slightly. The wheelbase was 2250 or 2350 mm, depending on the source. Compared to the Berlinas with a regular wheelbase produced up to 1955, the front overhang was longer here; That is why the cars in the automotive literature have the unofficial additional designation "Long Nose". The first vehicle was completed in November 1956, the second in May 1957. Both cars found their first buyers in the USA. From 1956, Frua also adopted the "long-nose" design for most of its Spyder versions of the A6G / 54. Almost 50 years later there was a revival of the name Gran Sport. From 2004 a special version of the Maserati Coupé was sold as GranSport .

The first long-nose coupe (chassis number 2181) manufactured in 1956 was sold for $ 2.3 million in 2017.

Tipo C: Coupés from Allemano

Maserati A6G / 54 Tipo C Coupé from Allemano

In Serafino Allemanos Turin body shop, a total of 21 notchback coupés with conservatively designed bodies were created, which were primarily intended to appeal to customers with an interest in luxury vehicles. It is generally assumed that Allemano's contribution was limited to the artisanal production of the cars; the body design, however, is attributed to Giovanni Michelotti . The Allemano-A6G / 54, which was characterized by a long bonnet, thin vehicle pillars and a tightly cut roof section in the trapezoidal style, anticipated the line of later Maserati coupés. In the course of the production process, there were changes to the radiator opening, which was oval-framed in the first vehicles and partially accommodated two additional headlights; From the summer of 1956, however, the radiator opening was given a rectangular orientation. The scope of delivery included a heater of British origin, a radio and a tailor-made set of suitcases. This made the Allemano version stand out from the sporty, weight-reducing Zagato versions in particular.

Most coupes were created in 1956 when Allemano completed 17 vehicles. Only one car was built in 1955, and in 1957 the factory built the last three chassis.

Tipo D: Coupés from Zagato

The Milanese Carrozzeria Zagato dressed a total of 20 chassis of the A6G / 54 series as coupé from 1956, which were sold through the Maserati dealers. As early as 1955, a Spyder was created, which remained a unique piece and was not part of the factory offer. The Zagato versions of the A6G / 54 were particularly lightweight. They were suitable for use in motor racing.

Barchetta

Maserati A6G / 54 Zagato Barchetta with "Double Bubble"

Zagato made 20 hatchback coupes known as Barchettas. The individual versions differ from one another in details. That concerned the lining of the radiator grille, the shape of the bumpers and ornaments. There were also individual designs in the area of ​​the rear fenders. Some Zagato coupés had smooth-surfaced fenders, while others were exhibited or had a slight curve. One or two vehicles had the "double bubble", the two bulges in the roof over the driver and front passenger seats, which was a trademark of Zagato in the post-war period. Zagato achieved the low curb weight of the car by using particularly thin aluminum sheets; in some examples the side windows were made of plexiglass. The usability of the Zagato coupés in everyday use was, however, limited. The racing driver and journalist Paul Frère considered the A6G / 54 in the Zagato version “one of the worst cars I have ever driven: loud, hot, hard and inelastic. It had all the negative qualities of a racing car but none of the good qualities of a touring car. "

The Zagato versions of the A6G / 54 were priced at $ 8,900. Some were successful in motorsport. An A6G / 54 (chassis number 2148) with a Zagato body won the GT class of the Italian hill climb championship in 1956, while another vehicle (number 2121) entered the 1956 Mille Miglia .

Chassis number 2155

Unique piece: Maserati A6G / 54 Zagato Berlinetta chassis number 2155

A coupé manufactured in 1956 with the chassis number 2155 occupied a special position within the 20 coupés. Initially it had a standard Barchetta body that was damaged in an accident caused by Ugo Zagato's son Gianni. The chassis then received a rugged notchback body in 1957; a double-bubble roof was also planned. The vehicle in this version was a style study for a possible Zagato version of the A6G / 54 successor 3500 GT; mass production, however, did not materialize. The prototype was sold in the late 1950s and used by changing owners at motorsport events. In 2005 the car was extensively restored.

Spyder

Maserati A6G / 54 Zagato Spyder

Even before Zagato began production of the factory coupés, the company had a chassis (number 2101) dressed as a Spyder. The car had smooth sides and was perceived as "extremely elegant". The waistline was horizontal; The fenders were slightly curved over the rear wheels. The instrumentation was a special feature: there were two tachometers and tachometers; they were in front of both the driver and the front passenger.

Zagato showed the car, finished in December 1954 and painted in dark gray, for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1955. There, Juan Perón , the then Argentine President , bought the vehicle and commissioned Zagato to make some changes. They affected the grille, the windshield surround and the air inlets in the hood. While the Spyder was being overhauled at Zagato, Perón lost power as a result of a military coup. He did not take over the Spyder in the period that followed. Zagato didn't build any other Spyder. After the car had stood at the Maserati plant for three years, the French Maserati importer exhibited it at the 1958 Paris Motor Show. It was now painted in petrol. The Spyder found a US buyer in Paris. The car passed through numerous hands in the following years before it was extensively restored at the beginning of the 21st century. The Zagato Spyder has been shown repeatedly at exhibitions since then.

literature

  • Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012, ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 .
  • Gianni Cancellieri et al. (Ed.): Maserati. Catalog raisonné 1926–2003 . Automobilia, Milan 2003, ISBN 88-7960-151-2 .
  • Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 .
  • Hans-Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car. Zsolnay, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3 .
  • Anthony Pritchard: Maserati. The history of racing , Delius Klasing, Bielefeld, 1st edition 2003, ISBN 978-3-7688-2513-9 .
  • David Sparrow, Iain Ayre: Maserati Heritage . Osprey Classic Marques. Auckland 1995, ISBN 1-85532-441-5 .
  • Maurizio Tabucchi: Maserati. All Grand Prix, Sports and GT vehicles from 1926 until today. Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2004, ISBN 3-89880-211-6 .

Web links

Commons : Maserati A6G / 54  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ The Ferrari 195 Inter from 1950 developed around 135 PS (99 kW), later export versions of the 212 came up to 170 PS (125 kW). See Matthias Braun, Ernst Fischer, Manfred Steinert, Alexander Franc Storz: Ferrari road and racing cars since 1946 . 1st edition Stuttgart 2006 (Motorbuch Verlag), ISBN 978-3-613-02651-3 , p. 31 f.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 79.
  2. ^ A b Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012. ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 , p. 23.
  3. ↑ a b Hans-Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car. Zsolnay, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3 , p. 11.
  4. ^ A b Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 111.
  5. ^ Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 120.
  6. ↑ Maserati factory brochure from 1956 on the website www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk (accessed April 27, 2018).
  7. ^ A b c Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012. ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 , p. 27.
  8. ^ Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 109.
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012. ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 , p. 28.
  10. ↑ Description of the Frua Spyder with the chassis number 2109 on the website www.pietro-frua.de (accessed on April 25, 2018).
  11. ↑ a b Description of the A6G / 54 Frua Spyder on the website www.pietro-frua.de (accessed on April 25, 2018).
  12. ^ Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 120 f.
  13. ↑ a b c Representation and description of the Frua-Berlinas on the A6G / 54 chassis on the website www.pietro-frua.de (accessed on April 19, 2018).
  14. ↑ Description and history of the Gran Sport models from Frua on the website www.pietro-frua.de (accessed on April 20, 2018).
  15. ↑ https://www.rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/AM17/Amelia-Island/lots/r143-1956-maserati-a6g54-coupe-series-iii-by-frua/416318 auction report from RM Sotheby's (accessed on 20 April 2018).
  16. ^ A b Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 123.
  17. ^ Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012. ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 , p. 24.
  18. ^ A b c Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012. ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 , p. 29.
  19. ↑ Quoted from Hans-Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car. Zsolnay, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3 , p. 11.
  20. ↑ Images and history of the vehicle on the website www.paulrussell.com ( Memento of the original from April 20, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed April 20, 2018). @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / paulrussell.com
  21. ↑ Images of the vehicle on the website www.barchetta.cc (accessed on April 20, 2018).
  22. ^ A b Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 117.