Specifications:
150bhp, 1,985cc inline double overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine with three twin- choke Weber carburettors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension via wishbones and coil springs, rigid rear axle with leaf springs, and four-wheel drum brakes.
Wheelbase: 100.4in. (2,550mm).

In the years leading up to World War II, the Maserati brothers focused most of their efforts on producing various racing models. A brief stint with Diatto motor cars resulted in the acquisition of a Grand Prix car with a supercharged, twin-cam engine that ushered in an era of successful Maserati vehicles. Alfieri Maserati earned a class win at the 1927 Targa Florio and the company later produced a sixteen-cylinder racer capable of reaching 155 miles per hour!

Pre-war production was highlighted by the 6CM Monoposto, which was designed by the brothers in 1936. The 6CM, of which only 11 monopostos and 16 wide-chassis examples were ever built, featured a 1,500cc supercharged six-cylinder engine and was quite a successful racing car in the late 1930s. By 1938, however, Maserati was bought out by industrialist Adolfo Orsi under a 10-year contract. World War II, however, curbed most racing projects and the remaining brothers chose to return to their native Bologna, where they founded OSCA.

With production reformed to include road cars, Omer Orsi took over control of Maserati from his father Adolfo. The newly renamed Officine Alfieri Maserati, now based in Modena, had only 30 employees in 1947 but Orsi’s ambitious plans required a continuation of the Maserati racing tradition alongside low-volume production of road cars.

Maserati’s first true production car, the A6 series, was introduced to the public at the 1947 Geneva motor show. The 6CM engine was substantially redesigned and modernized by shortening its stroke and increasing the bore to make room for larger valves and to increase maximum rpm. Fitted with a single overhead camshaft, the first 1,500cc models employed hemispherical combustion chambers with long rocker arms to actuate the valves. Not surprisingly, a twin-cam version was developed for the racing A6GCS and the Formula 2 A6GCM Monoposto. This engine was soon adapted for the road cars in 2-litre form as the A6G/2000 and A6G/54. Both variants were offered simultaneously.

Produced from 1946 to 1957, only 139 A6s were ever built, 60 of which were A6G/2000 examples fitted with the twin-cam 2-litre engine. The car’s construction was in fact rather simplistic, based upon a tube frame supported by independent front suspension with wishbones and coil springs and a rigid rear axle. Large drum brakes were fitted at all four corners. In its final version the A6G/2000 made some 160 horsepower, with three twin-choke Weber carburettors. By comparison, the highly acclaimed Jaguar XK120 produced the same amount of power, but with an additional 1.5-litres of displacement. Weighing less than 900 kilograms, the A6G/2000’s performance numbers were quite remarkable, with some reports claiming a top speed of 140 miles per hour.

The A6 series was built during a critical phase of innovation and evolution among Italian coachbuilders. The angular shapes and projecting wings of the 1930s were quickly evolving into envelope bodies with tapered tails and ever more extravagant and experimental concepts. Maserati’s A6, with its refined six-cylinder engine and chassis and exceptional build quality, was welcomed by many Italian coachbuilders seeking to implement their new concept studies. Farina, Vignale, Frua, Zagato, and Allemano all constructed A6 variants that ranged from luxurious grand touring machines to lightweight, aerodynamic racing cars. In fact, overall appearance differed significantly from car to car. However, the distinctive oval grille, headlamp and taillight assemblies, as well as the trim strip running the length of the body, were generally standard fare. Established in 1928 by Serafino Allemano, Carrozzeria Allemano built 21 Maserati A6 examples as well as several prototype models of the later 3500GT.