1955 Maserati 200 Si Spyder

Maserati built racing machines. The factory campaigned cars to prove their wares and generate orders. In the 1950s, categories were simply defined by engine displacement and Maserati marketed an assortment.

This car is the first 200S, and was the factory test car for over a year. This Maserati 200SI (chassis number 2401) was used as the Maserati factory's test and development car for this series of customer race cars, strongly built, quick and powerful. This car also made the 200Si's first competitive outing at the 1955 Imola Sports Car Grand Prix. Along with another 200S entered by Parravano, it raced in the 1955 Targa Florio where it was again crashed, twice. #2401 continued to be used as the factory's development car and produced the ultimate specifications for a 200SI in 1956. The changes included an upgraded engine, five-speed gearbox, longer nose, larger brakes, FIA-spec full windscreen and folding top.

Their capability is demonstrated by the caliber of their drivers and team owners. Stirling Moss drove this car in the GP of Cuba in 1957 and it was raced again by Freddie Brandt in the GP of Cuba in 1960.

With its sleek shape the 200Si is perhaps the most charismatic and effective Maserati sports-racer ever built. These cars were campaigned by many famous drivers and team owners, such as Lance Reventlow, Carroll Shelby, Jim Hall, John Fitch and Jim Kimberley. Joel E. Finn, the Maserati fancier and historian, bought chassis 2401 in Venezuela, and it eventually found its way to Chris Drake in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It was then sold to Japan in 1979 where it was displayed in the Kawaguchiko Motor Museum for 22 years.

Imagine an automobile piloted by such men as Stirling Moss, Giuseppe Farina, Luigi Villoresi, Jean Behra, Piero Taruffi and others, would it not be the embodiment of greatness, even if it's among the most inconspicuous?

There are many fabled racing cars from the 1950s. From Mercedes-Benz to Ferrari to Vanwall to Maserati, there would be many iconic automobiles, many of which would be made more so by the men who would pilot them. However, among all of the fabled automobiles it was rare for one chassis to be driven by so many great men. But then there would be the 1956 Maserati 200SI, chassis 2401.

It's nearly impossible to identify a race car driven in anger by so many great heroes of the 1950s racing scene, but this is the case with chassis 2401.

It would all begin with having the distinction of being the first 200S chassis produced. Though considered a 1956 200SI, the car's first competitive outing would come in June of 1955 in the Gran Premio di Napoli. Following Napoli, the car would race at Imola and then return to the factory where Giuseppe Musso and Bellucci would be given the task to shake the car down even further.

Heading into 1956, there would be some improvements to the car's engine and suspension. This would result in success as Musso would pilot the Maserati to victory at Monza. To top it all off, Musso would also post the fastest lap of the race.

Chassis 2401 would take part in the Mille Miglia for the first time in 1956 and would end up falling out due to the heavy rains causing Bellucci brake problems. This would lead to more testing and improvements to the car, which would include the long-nose bodywork fashioned by Fantuzzi.

The new improvements would be immediately successful as Bellucci would score victory at Napoli. This would be followed by a top ten result at the Circuito de Caserta. Clearly the evolutions to the car were working and this would lead to the greatest opportunity to date.

Slated to take part in the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore, 2401 would find itself listed with some incredible driving talent. Not only would one of the drivers be the first Formula One World Champion, Giuseppe Farina, but the co-driver for the race would be none other than Stirling Moss. Sadly, all of the promise would be thrown away in practice when Farina lost control of the car and damaged it so badly it couldn't be repaired in time for the race. Still, 2401 and Moss would have a second chance later.

After another trip to the factory for repairs and further updates, Jean Behra would drive the car in the Gran Premio de Bari. Once again, the car would cruise to an overall victory demonstrating that in the right hands it was truly formidable. The car would have the opportunity to demonstrate this fact in the very next race.

The combination of the 2401 and Moss would never get a chance to demonstrate what it could be after Farina's accident. However, the two would be reunited on the 1st of August for the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis Nurburgring. Taking on the best of Germany, Moss would go on to set the fastest lap of the race with a time just over ten minutes. In the end, Moss would finish 2nd overall, but, on foreign soil, this was an impressive performance.

But how could 2401's provenance get any better? How about the great Luigi Villoresi driving his final race, the Gran Premio di Roma, behind the wheel of the car? Over the course of its competitive life, which would extend into 1960 when it took part in the Cuban Grand Prix, 2401 would be driven by some of the best in the world at that period in time. Scoring victories and podiums in such places as Naples, Bari, Pescara, Caracas and the Nurburgring, the first Maserati 200 would be perhaps the most decorated Maserati ever. As a result, when its competitive years drew to a close, a new competition would begin—who would own it.

After Villoresi's last ride behind the wheel, the car had returned to the factory to be updated to its current 200SI configuration. This included the ZF five-speed gearbox, larger drum brakes, a full-width windscreen, higher-tuned engine and many other changes. In this form, Behra would drive to a class victory in Caracas. The factory would then sell the car to privateer Ettore Chimeri.

Chimeri would campaign the car himself, but would also make it available to other drivers. Moss would drive the car again in the Cuban Grand Prix and would put on an impressive display lapping more than 10 seconds quicker than any other car in the class. Sadly, the engine would fail bringing to an end and incredible display.

Throughout the remainder of the 1950s, and into 1960, the car would be sold a couple of times and would bear the livery of many South American stables. Following its last race, the 1960 Cuban Grand Prix, the car would be purchased by Joel Finn. Finn would then sell the car to none other than Jim Hall who, in turn, would sell the car to F.M. Brundick III. The car would again change hands one year after Brundick acquired it. Traded for a 3500GT, the 200SI would find itself in the hands of Chris Drake, an English dealer.

Drake would own the car until 1979, when it was purchased by Nobuo Harada, a well-respected Japanese collector. For twenty years the car would be on display in the Kawaguchiko Motor Museum. Then, in 2001, the famed 200SI would again become available for sale. German collector Dr. Wolf Zweifler would not pass up the opportunity.

At this point in its life, 2401 would find itself being prepared for more motor racing. Over the next few years the car would be campaigned in a number of historic events including the Le Mans Classic and the Mille Miglia Storica. Then, in 2005, the car, a car that was certainly well-deserving of the honor, would be issued its certificate of authenticity from the Classiche department of Maserati S.p.A.

Southern Californian Tony Schwartz would buy the car in 2009 and would continue the recent tradition of campaigning the car in historic events. Even some fifty years after its completion, 2401 continued to score victories. This success would extend to the concours as well as it would be awarded the Best in Class trophy at the 2010 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.

Offered today with a full compliment of files documenting the car's history, including original build sheets, the Classiche certification, invoices for restoration and racing record, 2401 is a veritable treasure beyond belief and is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that, thankfully, has come around again and remains visible to the public eye. It is no longer an inconspicuous automobile.

Presented as part of the 2015 Gooding & Company Amelia Island auction, the 1956 Maserati 200SI would draw undisclosed estimates ranging from between $5-10,000,000.

By Jeremy McMullen