The exclusivity, unique design and 100% Italian DNA of earlier Maserati models is continued in the cars that mark the brand’s new era. It is in this spirit that Maserati celebrates the 70th anniversary of the A6G 2000. The first A6G 2000, a car representative of the A6 series built by Maserati from 1947 to 1956 and named in homage to Alfieri Maserati (hence the letter ‘A’) with a 6 indicating the engine type (straight 6), was delivered 70 years ago, in February 1951.
The new model was the replacement for the A6 1500 series sports car, and its name referenced the cast iron (or ‘ghisa’) of its crankcase (‘G’) and its engine displacement of 2000cc. The need to increase power output led Maserati to convert the A6GCS two-litre engine. The increase in displacement compared to the previous A6 model was achieved through engineering work on the bore and stroke of the straight 6. The upgraded engine, with displacement of 1 954.3cc, achieved a power output of 90 to 100 horsepower depending on the final set-up, enabling a top speed of 180km/h.
The 1950 Turin Motor Show provided the backdrop for the launch of the A6G 2000, which Maserati presented in two versions: a four-seater, two-door sedan by Pininfarina and a convertible designed by Pietro Frua. Sixteen of these cars were assembled in 1950 and 1951: nine with bodywork by Pininfarina and five convertibles and a coupé by Pietro Frua. Alfredo Vignale produced just one car, a two-tone A6G 2000 coupé, with his signature sporty stylistic features.
Rear-wheel drive, a gearbox with four speeds plus reverse and a dry-mounted single-disc clutch completed the characteristics of the new A6G 2000, together with the independent-wheel front suspensions and rear suspensions comprising rigid axle with leaf springs. Hydraulically operated drum brakes on all four wheels and solid steel or spoked wheels completed the blend of craftsmanship and technological innovation, which made this car an icon on the motoring scene of the time.
Uniqueness, sportiness and Italian construction are all central to Maserati’s DNA and are still visible today in the new models that will characterise the coming years, with state-of-the-art technological solutions.