Maserati A6G 54 Berlinetta Frua

The Maserati A6G/54 Berlinetta Frua was one of the rarest coachbuilt versions of the Maserati A6G/54 2000. Only two third-series coupés were bodied by Pietro Frua, and today only one is known to survive. The A6G/54 used a 1,985 cc DOHC twin-plug inline six-cylinder engine, fed by three Weber 40 DCO3 carburetors and producing approximately 160 bhp. The car had a four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with coil springs and shock absorbers, a live rear axle with quarter-elliptical leaf springs, hydraulic drum brakes on all four wheels, and a wheelbase of 100.4 inches. The first of the two Frua coupés was chassis 2181. According to Maserati historian Ermanno Cozzo, it was delivered to Pietro Frua for coachwork in August 1956. Frua created a compact coupé with a semi-fastback roofline, a scooped bonnet, the traditional Maserati grille and a two-tone finish, with red bodywork and a black roof. The car was shown at the Turin Motor Show in November 1956, then returned to Maserati for final testing and assembly. Factory build sheets were dated 5 December 1956. Chassis 2181 was later sent to the United States through Mille Miglia Motors of San Francisco, operated by Maserati importer Charles Rezzaghi. In January 1957 it was displayed at the Pomona road races. It later passed through several American owners, including Stanley Sugarman, and at some point lost its original twin-cam engine, which was replaced by an American V8. Later, a Maserati 3500 GT engine and gearbox were installed. In 2007, the car was acquired by Volkmar Spielmann in Germany and returned to Europe for restoration. With Walter Bäumer as consultant, a correct A6G/54 twin-cam engine, number 2104, was sourced, together with proper gearbox and suspension components. Restoration work involved Franco Tralli, Luppi of Modena and Carrozzeria Auto Sport of Bacchelli Franco and Roberto Villa. The car received a FIVA passport in 2011. In 2014, chassis 2181 was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, during the Maserati centennial celebrations, where it won its class: Maserati Centennial Coachwork. The second Frua coupé was chassis 2194, built in 1957. It was finished in black with a blue stripe and had a blue leather interior. For years, the car was sometimes incorrectly described as a spider, but a film appearance confirmed its coupé body. Chassis 2194 appears as a background vehicle in the 1958 French film Le temps des oeufs durs, providing one of the only known visual records of the car. Its later history and current whereabouts remain unknown.