Maserati A6 1500 Berlinetta by Pininfarina
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Car producer : |
Maserati |
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Model: |
A6 1500 Berlinetta by Pininfarina |
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Year: |
1947-1950 |
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Type: |
Coupe |
The A6 1500 grand tourer was Maserati's first production road car. Development was started in 1941 by the Maserati brothers, but it was halted as priority shifted to wartime production, and was completed after the war. The first chassis, bodied by Pininfarina, debuted at the Geneva Salon International de l'Auto in March 1947. This first prototype was a two-door, two-seat, three window berlinetta with triple square portholes on its fully integrated front wings, a tapered cabin and futuristic hidden headlamps. The car was put into low volume production, and most received Pininfarina coachwork. For production Pininfarina toned down the prototype's design, switching to conventional headlamps; soon after a second side window was added. Later cars received a different 2+2 fastback body style. A Pininfarina Convertibile was shown at the 1948 Salone dell'automobile di Torino, and two were made; one car also was also given a distinctive coupé Panoramica body by Zagato in 1949, featuring an extended greenhouse. Sixty-one A6 1500s were built between 1947 and 1950, when it began to be gradually replaced by the A6G 2000.
The A6 1500 was powered by a 1,488.24 cc (90.8 cu in) inline six (bore 66 mm, stroke 72.5 mm), with a single overhead camshaft and a single Weber carburettor, producing 65 hp (48 kW); starting from 1949 some aproxm. 10 cars were fitted with triple 100hp carburettors. Top speed varied from 146 to 154 km/h (91 to 96 mph). The chassis was built out of tubular and sheet steel sections. Suspension was by double wishbones at the front and solid axle at the rear, with Houdaille hydraulic dampers and coil springs on all four corners.
