The only purpose-built Maserati to tackle both the race track and for commercial production, the 1956 A6G/54 2000, was a not only a sports car that collected many wins on the track for its period but had large success in public appeal for its very limited production.
Manufactured from 1954 through till 1957, the A6G/2000 was a rather exclusively produced sports car with only an estimated 60 cars being built.
The inline-six engine (often abbreviated I6 or L6) is an internal combustion engine with the cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft (straight engine). Combined with its Two-Liter, 120-bhp (Brake horsepower) it packed quite a punch.
You’ll find the denoting of ‘G’ in these Maserati series, meaning Ghisa (cast iron block) and “CS” meaning Corsa & Sports. If you thinking what is the difference be between Brake Horsepower and Horsepower? This is how I pulled together some sense of the two via a couple of sources.
OK, Brake Horsepower is the output measured at the engine’s flywheel (a disc with teeth on it which is connected to the rear of an engine built to smooth the transfer of power to the transmission from the engine). A ‘brake’ is applied to the engine to provide the resistance to measure the power output. It is also the measurement of an engine’s power without any power losses taken into consideration of such thing as generator, gearbox, water pump and other auxiliary parts reducing the overall power of the engine.
Horsepower is measured at the wheels on a car and is the maximum rate of acceleration at the top speed of the car. Horsepower measurements do factor in these power reducing mechanics as mentioned above from its engine. Horsepower also is measured by connecting the engine to a dynamometer or Torque Converter, while Brake Horsepower being measured in a controlled environment without metrics attached to the engine.
Maserati produced both the Berlinetta and Barchetta models. Berlinetta is the Italian reference for a Coupe which would typically be a two-seater as opposed to Barchetta or Spyder for a convertible. Berlinetta originally meaning ‘little saloon’, was made popular in the 1950s mostly by Ferrari followed by Maserati, however other European cars like Opel and Alpha Romeo also adopt this label.
Manufactured in northern Italy at the Frua factory, this was one of Italy’s leading car design companies. Maserati brought onboard designer Ugo Zagato to craft what is the A6G/54 2000 Berlinetta Zagato. Zagato began his coachbuilding apprenticeship at aged 15 in Germany and in 1919 he set up shop in Milan with Aldo Finzi specialising in aluminium panels. Their building success meant contract work being won to work on Fiat’s 501. With some of his best-known work being done in 1929 for Alfa Romeo’s 6C1500 and Gran Sport Spider 6C1750, the early 1950s saw Zagato begin his relationship with Ferrari and with the ever popular design of the Ferrari 250GTZ, it was only natural for Zagato to receive the welcoming of Maserati to create the A6G Berlinetta. Handcrafted aluminium bodies with perspex windows, Zagato only build 20 of the A6G/2000 from 1955-1957 each weighing in at only 850kg.
With such a rich history behind the 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Berlinetta, it’s easy to believe one was sold for almost AUD $1.3 million at RM Auctions in 2010. And if you want to feel the wind in your hair while driving a Spyder, expect to fork out upward of $3.6 million AUD.
Till next time, stay dapper gents.
Robbie – Dapper Lounge
No Comments