Maserati A6 1500 GT

Vehicle Overview

The Maserati A6 1500 GT chassis #053, part of the Museo Nicolis collection, boasts a distinguished history. Maserati, acquired by Modena industrialist Adolfo Orsi in 1937, moved to new premises in Modena in January 1940. Although research into a new Gran Turismo automobile began immediately, World War II delayed its progress. The decision to create a sports car for gentleman drivers was made in the winter of 1945, and the first two prototypes with “barchetta” bodywork, chassis numbers 051 and 052, began testing and development in the summer of the following year. The car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1947, featuring a coupé body by Pininfarina, known as the Turismo Coupé, characterized by pop-up headlights—a feature later abandoned in small series production. Following the presentation, the Turin coachbuilder modified the exhibited vehicle, chassis number 053 (this), to make it more comfortable, a direction continued with the second series in 1949. The same car, purchased by a Milanese industrialist with business interests in Argentina, was then given to Evita Perón, earning the A6 the nickname “Maserita,” or Evita’s Maserati. The price at the time was 4.5 million lire with a delivery time of seven months. After a slow start, partly due to the brand’s lack of market presence, orders began to increase thanks to brilliant victories on European racetracks. The Maserati A6 1500 was produced in 61 units, with chassis numbers ranging from 051 to 0112: 2 in 1946, 3 in 1947, 9 in 1948, 25 in 1949, and 22 in 1950. Most were Pininfarina-bodied coupés, along with some spiders by Pininfarina and the Panoramica by Zagato. This latter model was created by the Milanese coachbuilder at Adolfo Orsi’s request, who decided to “sacrifice” chassis 052, one of the two barchetta prototypes from 1946. The “1500” engine served as the foundation for Maserati’s subsequent race and road cars, starting with the 1948 A6 GCS (an acronym for Ghisa, Corsa, Sport). Chassis #053 is notable for being the second Maserati A6 1500 GT built. It made its debut in October 1947 at the Mostra della Carrozzeria Italiana, held at the Milan Triennale in 1947. This specific example features several aesthetic differences from the Geneva prototype, such as variations in the headlights, rear window, and the shape of the tail. These changes highlight the evolution of the design as Maserati and Pininfarina refined the model. Today, this rare and historically significant vehicle is preserved at the Museo Nicolis, showcasing the early post-war era of Italian automotive design and engineering.