Maserati A6 GCS

The Maserati A6 GCS is a two-seat racing car that Maserati built from 1947 to 1953, with 15 made, two of them exported to Brazil and one to the United States. The name stands for Alfieri Maserati, six cylinders, ghisa (the cast iron of the block), corsa and sport. In 1947 and 1948 two cars were driven by Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi, and Villoresi won the Italian championship in both seasons. With the passenger seat and road equipment removed it could enter Formula 2 as a single-seater. It was the last car designed by the Maserati brothers Ernesto, Ettore and Bindo before they left the family firm, with help from the technical director Alberto Massimino. It marked a break with the earlier supercharged engines: the naturally aspirated six-cylinder in-line engine of 1,978.7 cc had an overhead camshaft, three Weber carburettors and 130 CV at 6,000 rpm. The aluminium body by Medardo Fantuzzi had motorcycle-style mudguards and a single central headlight, and a coupe was also built and driven by Villoresi in the 1947 Mille Miglia.