Maserati A6

Maserati A6
1953 A6G/2000 bodied by Zagato
Overview
Manufacturer	Maserati
Production	1947–1956
Designer	Ernesto Maserati, Alberto Massimino and Gioacchino Colombo
Powertrain
Engine	1.5 and 2-litre straight-six
Chronology
Predecessor	Maserati 6CM
Successor	Maserati 3500

Maserati A6 (1947–1956) were various cars made by Maserati of Italy, named for Alfieri Maserati (one of the Maserati brothers, founders of Maserati) and for the straight-six engine.^[1]

The 1.5-litre straight-six was named A6 TR (Testa Riportata), and was based on the pre-war Maserati 6CM; 65 bhp (48 kW). It first appeared in the A6 Sport or Tipo 6CS/46, a barchetta prototype, developed by Ernesto Maserati and Alberto Massimino. This became the A6 1500 Pininfarina-designed two-door berlinetta, first shown at the 1947 Salon International de l'Auto in Geneva (59 made) and the spider shown at the 1948 Salone dell'automobile di Torino (2 made).

A 2-litre straight-six (120 bhp) was used in the A6 GCS two-seater, «G» denoting Ghisa, cast iron block, and «CS» denoting Corsa & Sports. Also called monofaro, the 580 kg single-seater and cycle-winged racing version first appeared at Modena 1947 by Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari, and won the 1948 Italian Championship by Giovanni Bracco. Fifteen cars were made 1947-1953, of these being two-seaters (630 kg).

The A6G were a series of two-door coupe and spyders by Zagato, Pininfarina, Pietro Frua, Ghia, Bertone, Carrozzeria Allemano and Vignale. These had alloy engine blocks.

A6GCM

Maserati A6GCM (1951–53) were twelve 2-litre single-seater («M» for monoposto) racing cars (160-190 bhp), developed by Gioacchino Colombo and built by Medardo Fantuzzi. The A6 SSG (1953) was a GCM-revision pointing to the Maserati 250F.^[2] It won the 1953 Italian Grand Prix driven by Juan Manuel Fangio.

A6GCS

To compete in the World Sportscar Championship, the A6GCS/53 (1953–55) was developed (170 bhp), spyders initially designed by Colombo and refined by Medardo Fantuzzi and Celestino Fiandri. Fifty-two were made. An additional four berlinettas and one spider were designed by Pininfarina, their final design of a Maserati, on a commission by Rome dealer Guglielmo Dei who had acquired six chassises. Also, Vignale made one spider.

The 1954 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris showed the A6GCS/54, which came in berlinetta, barchetta and spider versions (150 bhp), with designs by Pietro Frua, Ghia and Carrozzeria Allemano. It was also referred to as the A6G/2000 and 60 were made.

Gallery

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  1953 A6GCS/53 spider-bodied by Gioacchino Colombo

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  1953 Maserati A6GCM «interim»

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  Maserati A6GCM

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  Maserati A6GCS

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  Maserati A6G 1500 with Zagato bodywork

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  1954 Maserati A6GCS Berlinetta at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

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  1954 Maserati A6 GCS at the 2011 Mille Miglia

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maserati A6.

References