Main, Maserati A6 1500 Prototipo Turismo Coupé, Pinin Farina, #051, 1947
Online Auto Museum

Maserati A6 1500 Prototipo Turismo Coupé, Pinin Farina, #051, 1947

Location:
Original Illustration, 2025

Prologue:

Maserati adherents are quick to note that Pinin Farina conceive of the A6 before Piero Dusio brought Cisitalia into existence. So in terms of precedent—in terms of the reasons the MoMa acquire a Cisitalia 202 to represent the modern art form on four wheels—the genesis of the concept could very well wear a Maserati badge.

In practice, however, the concept is Pinin Farina's, born from pre-War thinking about aerodynamics and design trends already in evidence a decade prior. And so the marque does not matter quite so much. Only that we lost the A6 show prototype does history inhibit a common understanding of Maserati's role in modern car development.

At some later stage, I'll need to illustrate the tail quarter perspective, whereas at the moment I don't have the stock on which to base another image. And perhaps a few details could tighten this interpretation. As it stands, the car is a beautiful design exercise from that most interesting post-War transitional era, and represents the start of something quite significant in the design world at large. We need this interstitial profile to tie the two eras together, to say nothing of the enjoyment in bringing a lost design back to life.

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► Image Source: Nikon D750 (24.3 MP)

References:

  • Cancellieri, Gianni; Dal Monte, Luca; De Agostini, Cesare; Ramaciotti, Lorenzo. (English translation by Neil Davenport and Robert Newman.) "Maserati, A Century of History: The Official Book" Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone, Milano, Italia. 2013, page 104-111
  • Carrozzieri Italiani: Context for chassis #051 presented in the description of the second prototype, chassis #053, a similar, yet more conventional design.

 

Last Updated: May 4, 2025