| Maserati A6 | |
|---|---|
 1956 A6G/54Zagato Coupé Speciale | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Maserati |
| Production | 1947–1956 |
| Assembly | Italy:Modena |
| Designer | Ernesto Maserati,Alberto Massimino andGioacchino Colombo |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Grand tourer |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.5 LI6 2.0 L I6 |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,550 mm (100.4 in) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Maserati 6CM (racing cars) |
| Successor | Maserati 200S and150S (racing cars) Maserati 3500 GT (road cars) |
Maserati A6 were a series ofgrand tourers, racingsports cars andsingle seaters made byMaserati ofItaly between 1947 and 1956. They were named forAlfieri Maserati (one of theMaserati brothers, founders ofMaserati) and for theirstraight-six engine.[1]
The 1.5-litrestraight-six was namedA6 TR (Testa Riportata for its detachable cylinder head[2]), and was based on the pre-warMaserati 6CM and produced 65 hp (48 kW). It first appeared in theA6 Sport or Tipo 6CS/46, abarchetta prototype, developed byErnesto Maserati andAlberto Massimino. This became theA6 1500Pinin Farina-designed two-doorberlinetta, first shown at the 1947Salon International de l'Auto inGeneva (59 made) and thespider shown at the 1948Salone dell'automobile di Torino (2 made).
A 2-litre, 120-horsepowerstraight-six was used in theA6 GCS two-seater, "G" denotingGhisa, cast iron block, and "CS" denotingCorsa Sport.
TheA6G were a series of two-door coupés and spyders for street, rather than competition use. These were bodied byPinin Farina,Pietro Frua,Ghia,Bertone,Carrozzeria Allemano,Zagato, andVignale. These have cast iron engine blocks. The Maserati A6 was typically fitted with 16-inchBorrani Wheels and Pirelli Stella Bianca Tyres.
The acronyms identifying each model are interpreted as follows:
"1500" or "2000" indicate the rounded up totalengine displacement incubic centimetres; while suffixes such as "53" denote the year of the type's introduction.
Ernesto Maserati started work on theTipo 6CS/46, also calledA6 Sport or A6CS, in 1945.[3] Designed together with Alberto Massimino, two prototypebarchettas had been completed in late 1946 for the 1947 racing season. The 6CS/46 used the 1.5-litre (1,493 cc)straight-six engines from the pre-warMaserati 6CM.[4] These took the first two places at Circuito di Piacenza on 11 May 1947, driven by Giulio Barbieri and Mario Angiolini.[5] It is likely that the "Maserati 6CS 1500" which won at Voghera in October 1946 withLuigi Villoresi at the wheel is also one of this type.[6]
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In 1947 Maserati developed a two-seater sports racing car powered by a 2-litre engine calledA6GCS. At first it produced 120 hp (88 kW), but it was further upgraded in 1952.[4] The displacement is 1,978 cc (120.7 cu in) from a 72 mm × 81 mm (2.83 in × 3.19 in) bore and stroke.
The A6 GCS is often also calledMonofaro, referring to its single headlamp. This cycle-winged racing version made its first competition appearance at Modena 1947 withLuigi Villoresi andAlberto Ascari, and won the 1948 Italian Championship withGiovanni Bracco at the wheel. Weight ranged from 580 to 670 kg (1,280 to 1,480 lb). Fifteen cars were made between 1947 and 1953, two being exported to Brazil and one to the United States.[7]
| Maserati A6 1500 | |
|---|---|
 1947 A6 1500 Pinin Farina | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | 1500 Gran Turismo |
| Production | 1947–1950 61 produced |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.5 LSOHCI6 |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
TheA6 1500 (officially1500 Gran Turismo) grand tourer was Maserati's first production road car. Development was started in 1941 by the Maserati brothers, but it was halted as priorities shifted to wartime production and was only completed after the war.[8]
The first chassis, bodied byPinin Farina, debuted at the GenevaSalon International de l'Auto in March 1947. This first prototype was a two-door, two-seat,three-windowberlinetta with triple square portholes on its fully integrated front wings, a tapered cabin and futuristichidden headlamps. The car was put into low volume production, and most received Pinin Farina coachwork. For production Pinin Farina toned down the prototype's design, switching to conventional headlamps; soon after a second side window was added. Later cars received a different2+2fastback body style. A Pinin FarinaConvertibile was shown at the 1948Salone dell'automobile di Torino, and two were made; one car was also given a distinctivecoupé Panoramica body byZagato in 1949, featuring an extendedgreenhouse. Sixty-one A6 1500s were built between 1947 and 1950, when it began to be gradually replaced by the A6G 2000.[8]
The A6 1500 was powered by a 1,488 cc (1.5 L) inline-six (bore 66 mm, stroke 72.5 mm), with a singleoverhead camshaft and a singleWebercarburettor, producing 65 hp (48 kW); starting from 1949 some cars were fitted with triple carburettors.[8] Top speed varied from 146 to 154 km/h (91 to 96 mph) depending on gearing and bodywork. The chassis was built out of tubular and sheet steel sections. Suspension was bydouble wishbones at the front andsolid axle at the rear, withHoudaille hydraulicdampers andcoil springs on all four corners.
| Maserati A6G 2000 | |
|---|---|
_(15056472891).jpg) A6G 2000 Pinin Farina | |
| Overview | |
| Also called | 2000 Gran Turismo |
| Production | 1950–1951 16 produced |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.0 LSOHC I6 |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
The improvedA6G 2000 (officially2000 Gran Turismo) began to replace the A6 1500 from 1950. The A6 engine was enlarged to 2 litres (1,954.3 cc) with a bore and stroke of 72 mm × 80 mm (2.83 in × 3.15 in); it retained the single overhead camshaft. Also thanks to triple carburettors, output was between 90 and 100 hp (66 and 74 kW) and top speeds ranged from 160 to 180 km/h (99 to 112 mph). The chassis retained the same measurements of the A6 1500, but the rear axle was now sprung onsemi elliptic leaf springs.[9]
The model debuted at the1950 Turin Motor Show, wearing Pinin Farina coachwork. Just sixteen cars were built, all between 1950 and 1951. Nine received 2+2 fastback bodies by Pinin Farina;Frua built five convertibles and one coupé; lastly one gotVignale coupé bodywork designed byGiovanni Michelotti.[9]
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MaseratiA6GCM (1951–53) were twelve 2-litre single-seater («M» formonoposto) racing cars (160-190 bhp), developed byGioacchino Colombo and built byMedardo Fantuzzi. TheA6 SSG (1953) was a GCM-revision pointing to theMaserati 250F.[10] It won the1953 Italian Grand Prix driven byJuan Manuel Fangio.
| Maserati A6GCS/53 | |
|---|---|
 1953 A6GCS/53 Pinin Farina Berlinetta | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1953–1955 52 produced |
To compete in theWorld Sportscar Championship, theA6GCS/53 was developed in 1953. The engine was improved to produce 170 hp (125 kW; 168 bhp). A6GCS/53s were typicallyspiders, initially designed byMedardo Fantuzzi and then bodied either by Carrozzeria Fantuzzi or Celestino Fiandri of Carrozzeria Fiandri e Malagoli. Fifty-two were made. That number includes fourberlinettas designed byAldo Brovarone atPinin Farina and one spider,[11] their final design of a Maserati for the next five decades, on a commission by Rome dealer Guglielmo Dei who had acquired six chassis.[12]Vignale also made one spider. In 1955, Guglielmo Dei bought two more chassis, numbers 2109 and 2110, and employed Carrozzeria Frua to create two open-top models. Those cars received A6G/54-sourced engines with racing modifications like a dry sump lubrication.[13]
This car won the Polyphony Digital Award (an award given byKazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo game series) at thePebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2014.
| Maserati A6G/54 2000 | |
|---|---|
 1956 A6G/54Zagato | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Maserati |
| Production | 1954–1956 60 produced |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.0 LDOHC I6 |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
After a two-year hiatus at the 1954Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris Maserati launched a new grand tourer, the A6G 2000 Gran Turismo—commonly known asA6G/54 to distinguish it from its predecessor.[14] It was powered by a newdouble overhead camshaft inline-six, derived from the racing engines of A6GCS and A6GCM, with a bore and stroke of 76.5 mm x 72 mm for a total displacement of 1,985.6 cc (2.0 L). Fed by three twin-choke Weber DCO carburettors it put out 150 hp (110 kW; 148 bhp) at 6000 rpm, which gave these cars a top speed between 195 and 210 km/h (121 and 130 mph).[14]Dual ignition was added in 1956 and increased power to 160 hp (118 kW; 158 bhp).[14]
Total production between 1954 and 1956 amounted to 60 units.[14] Four body styles were offered: a three-boxCarrozzeria Allemano coupé (21 made, designed byMichelotti), a coupé and a Gran Sport Spyder byFrua (respectively 6 and 12 made); and a competition-oriented fastback byZagato (20 made) as well as a single Zagato spider, chassis 2101, shown atGeneva in 1955.[15] The Zagato Spider was purchased byJuan Perón, but his regime came to an end before Zagato could finish his ordered revisions and the car was stored by Maserati. After being shown atParis in 1958, it was sold to an American residing there.[16] An A6G/54 Zagato chassis 2155 received a unique coupé bodystyle, after being crashed on a test drive by Gianni Zagato. Distinguished by non-fastback rear-end and 'eyelids' over the headlights. It is also one of only two with a 'double bubble' roof.[17]
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