Where it All Began - A6 Gran Turismo
Latest GranTurismo a Worthy Successor to First Roadgoing Maserati

2007 is proving to be a standout year for Maserati. The introduction of the new 6-speed Automatic transmission, developed in partnership with ZF, is powering record sales of the Quattroporte, arguably the finest luxury sports sedan in the world. In addition, the new GranTurismo has already drawn and excited crowds wherever it has been shown, and looks set to redefine the sports coupe sector when deliveries commence later this year.

With the future looking bright, it is an appropriate time to cast a backwards glance to where it all began – the A6 Gran Turismo, the very first dedicated road car built by Maserati. While some earlier cars had been road-legal, this was solely to allow them to compete in events on public roads. While the A6 Gran Turismo, first shown in 1946, had unmistakable links to its racing forbears, it was intended to be a true Grand Tourer – combining sports handling and performance with the level of comfort required for long-distance trips across the post-war European continent.

The car was actually first conceived a decade earlier, when Ernesto Maserati began thinking about building a sports-oriented road car, powered by a version of the 1.5-liter straight-six engine of the Tipo 6CM racer. The immediate priority was racing, with the Tipo 8CTF famously winning the Indianapolis 500 in both 1939 and 1940 – and then, of course, the Second World War intervened. Some work on the engine continued and a prototype, dubbed 6CS, was built in 1942.

It wasn’t until 1946 that the road car was finally ready, and the A6 Gran Turismo was unveiled at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show. The car was stunning – the Pinin Farina styling truly broke new ground. The car featured headlights hidden behind retractable covers, a Plexiglass sunroof and a remarkable curved, almost dome-like rear window. Behind the front wheels the fenders had three elongated portholes – like fighter aircraft exhausts – a design cue that would become symbolic of the Quattroporte, and which also graces the flanks of the new GranTurismo. The interior was, of course, elegantly designed and finished – leather upholstery, comprehensive instruments and some quirky design touches – the clock was built into the glove box lid, while the clutch and brake pedals featured the famous Maserati Trident.

Beside the shock of Maserati building a road car, another surprise lay under the hood. Until the A6 Gran Turismo, almost every single engine built by Maserati had been supercharged, the two exceptions being the 6CS cars which were effectively prototypes for the A6 Gran Turismo. However, in the aftermath of the war mechanical simplicity was important, with the lack of suitably qualified mechanics; in addition, when fuel was available it could be of dubious quality. So the engine had a single, chain-driven camshaft compared to the twin gear-driven cams of the 6CM. Power was a fairly modest 65bhp, although this was offset by the lightweight nature of the car – it weighed just 1,750 lbs.

The coachwork was soon revised, and the distinctive hidden headlights replaced with more conventional units. The side windows were also enlarged, and the car was dubbed the Extra Lusso. In 1948, after the first half-dozen cars had been produced, the bodywork received a further update by Pinin Farina. The cabin became a 2+2, with conventional side and rear windows. In addition, a convertible spyder version was created and shown at the 1948 Turin Motor Show, but only two examples were created.

The A6 Gran Turismo was a genuinely revolutionary car. While a relatively small number were made – 61 in total, over a period of four years – it marked the beginning of Maserati as a maker of bespoke, high-quality sports-oriented road cars. The engine, well-suited to further development due to its racing origins, was enlarged to two liters for the A6GCS sports-racer; a suitably detuned version of the 2-liter engine was mated with the A6 Gran Turismo chassis and a Frua body to create the A6G 2000. Later still it was used in the A6G54 2000 Gran Turismo, a car capable of more than 120 mph.

The circumstances at the time forced Maserati to restrain their natural urge to endow their road cars with performance close to their racing cars. The A6 1500 Gran Turismo was a modest beginning to the long and famous line of Maserati road cars, yet even then, the company were determined to do their best – to build a car with distinctive Italian style, and which offered a memorable driving experience. That determination continues, and with the Quattroporte and GranTurismo Maserati will offer two of the finest luxury sports cars available, both with enviable lineage.