1933 Maserati 4CM

Carlos Maserati was the first of the Maserati brothers to show a true interest in racing. He began his career with Fiat and later went to work for Cesare Isotta and Vincenzo Fraschini.

By the early 1920s, the brothers were offered a deal by Diatto Works in an effort to compete against the Fiat's and Alfa Romeos. Though the relationship between Maserati and Diatto would be brief, the knowledge gained working with superchargers and the straight-eight engine would be monumental.

The Maserati Tipo 26 made its debut on April 25, 1926, at the Targa Florio where it was successfully driven by Alfieri Maserati to a ninth-place finish and a class victory in the Grand Prix formula class.

The Tipo 26C was heavy mostly due to its straight-eight engine. To solve this problem, Maserati built a four-cylinder engine and gave it twin overhead camshafts and a Roots-Type supercharger. It had a displacement size of 1088cc and offered 90 horsepower. The engine was installed in a ladder frame chassis and fitted with a four-speed gearbox. The new vehicle was called the 4CTR, representing four-cylinder 'Testa Riportata' meaning separate cylinder head.

The 4CTR was built in 1931 and although just one example was ever built, it was an important machine in the design and development of the Maserati single-seater and sports racer program. In 1932, it even claimed victory in the 1100cc class at the Mille Miglia.

The Maserati 4CS 1100 was a four-cylinder sports racer that was similar to the 4CTR and built in greater numbers. A total of five examples of these two-seater racing cars were built between 1932 and 1936. A total of six examples of the 4CS 1500 were built during this time as well.

The Maserati 4CM 1100 was a four-cylinder single seater (monoposto) that was similar to the 4CTR and 4CS but had a shorter and slightly lighter chassis. The engine, which initially produced 90 horsepower, was further developed to offer 140 horsepower.

The Maserati 4CM 1100 would prove to be a very capable and competitive car, earning many class victories during its racing career. Giuseppe Furmanik set many records with a special record racer and Domenico Rossi claimed the 1932 Italian 1100 Corsa championship in a 4CM 1100.

Maserati continued to develop the car over the years, reducing its weight and increasing its power. In 1934, the bore and stroke were enlarged resulting in a displacement size of 1496cc. Weber carburetors and a larger supercharger were installed, boosting horsepower to 150 bhp. The new racer was called the 4CM 1500 reflecting its engine capacity.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2017