Founded in December 1914 in Bologna by Alfieri Maserati and his brothers Ettore and Ernesto, the Società Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati initially focused on enhancing Isotta-Fraschini for racing. In the early 1920s, a collaboration with Diatto prompted Alfieri’s design of his inaugural Grand Prix car, serving as a precursor to the first Maserati, the 1926 Tipo 26. Notable triumphs in European “voiturette” racing characterized the 1930s, but Maserati’s pinnacle victories occurred across the Atlantic, with Wilbur Shaw clinching the Indianapolis 500 in 1939 and 1940.
Post-war revival in 1947 saw Maserati resume Grand Prix car production while diversifying into sports and grand touring models. The A6 1500, a groundbreaking grand touring vehicle unveiled at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show, signaled a pivotal moment in coachwork history with its innovative unibody construction by Pinin Farina.
Praised by both the press and public, this model featured a 1488cc six in-line engine, echoing the marque’s 1947 Grand Prix car. The chassis, with double-wishbone front suspension from race cars and a rigid axle with coil springs at the rear, achieved speeds of 90 to 93mph, later enhanced in 1949 with a rebuilt engine, fitted with three Weber carburettors for 89bhp and speeds exceeding 95mph. Of the 61 cars produced between 1947 and 1950, the majority were Pinin Farina coupés, marking an era of Maserati’s engineering and design prowess.
Source: Bonhams
