Maserati Tipo 151

The Maserati Tipo 151 is a racing car that Maserati built for the 1962 Le Mans season to compete in the experimental GT class, with three cars built in total: one for Johnny Simone of Maserati France and two for Briggs Cunningham's team. It marked a return to more traditional design, with a trellis frame of round and oval tubes, independent front suspension and a modified De Dion axle. Its V8 was derived from the 450S and cut to just under 4.0 litres to meet the FIA limit for experimental GT cars, and was rated at 360 hp. Giulio Alfieri designed the aluminium body and refined it in the wind tunnel at Milan University, giving it an accentuated Kamm tail. All three cars retired from the 1962 race with reliability problems, and the Maserati France car was reworked for 1963, 1964 and 1965 with larger engines of up to 5.0 litres.