1951 Maserati A6G 2000

In 1937 the Maserati brothers sold the company to the Orsi family but continued to work for the factory until 1947. One of the legacies the Maserati left was a newly designed stright-6 1.5-liter engine that found its way into Maserati's first Grand Tourer. Dubbed A6, the new Maserati debuted at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show; but with a poor performance, a high price and conservative styling, it did not sell well. Three new versions with a new 2-liter engine, the A6G, were introduced at the 1951 Paris Motor Show as a Frua Spyder, a Vignale Coupe and a Pinin Farina Berlina. This latter Pinin Farina design, as seen with this example, would become the standard body for the A6G. Again due to its high price, only 16 examples were built.

This car is considered one of the most significant vehicles in the collection of the Riverside International Auto Museum. This 1951 Maserati A6-G, chassis #2020, is one of nine Pinin Farina bodied examples and was originally finished in light blue, fitted with a four-speed transmission and triple carburators. The car saw extensive testing from February to August 1951, as the company worked to perfect the design and execution of the car. The car was initially fitted with provisional bodywork and returned to Pinin Farina in July of 1951 to receive final coachwork.

The car was sold new in its native Italy in May in September of 1951. It was featured in company advertising, in 1952. By 1960, the car had been imported to England. It remained in England and passed through two owners prior to being purchased by Simon Moore in 1967. It was painted dark blue and had wire wheels fitted while under his stewardship.

The first coachbuilder given the opportunity to cloth the new Maserati A6G 2000 chassis was Pinin Farina. The chosen bodystyle was a 2+2 coupe arrangement that was shown at the Turin Motor Show in April of 1951.

This particular example is one of just nine Pinin Farina-bodied examples built. It was originally finished in Celeste (light blue) and fitted with a four-speed manual transmission and triple carburetors. The Maserati factory extensively tested the vehicle from February to August of 1951.

The car was sold to its first owner on September 8th of 1951, to Terzo Monachesi. By 1960, it had been imported to England. It was first registered in the United Kingdom on April 13th of 1960 as '2081 MK.' It remained in England, passing through the hands of a Mr. Hambledon and Stan Derbyshire, before being purchased by Simon Moore in 1967. While in Mr. Moore's care, the car was painted dark blue and fitted with wire wheels.

John Bookout purchased it in 2000 and restored it in dark red over a beige interior in 2001. Mr. Bookout retained the car for another five years before selling it to Doug Magnon for inclusion in the Riverside International Automobile Museum.

Mr. Magnon later had the car restored and refinished in its original light blue color with a tan interior. After the work was completed, the car was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2016