New York | United States
For those of you who consider yourself self-professed petrol heads, recently you may have heard quite the buzz surrounding RM Sotheby’s flagship Monterey sale when they added a truly remarkable piece of mechanical engineering to the sale. The item in question is a beautiful Maserati, but we’re not just talking about any old Maserati here (even though each one is special in its own right). No, the vehicle in question is a 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Zagato Berlinetta. This amazing car is one of only a select few, 21 to be precise, A6G/2000 models ever created. Built specifically for racing, this vintage motor vehicle is truly a rare piece of machinery.
Having raced in the legendary 1956 Mille Miglia race, this model was used as the factory demonstrator for the monumental event. It actually made its debut at that specific race in question, but that was just the start of the car’s illustrious history. Under private ownership, this stunning motor vehicle would go on to race in a wide selection of events all over the globe. What’s even more impressive is the fact that no matter how hard the vehicle was raced, it would remain in perfect condition. In fact, if anything it seemed to improve.
The years went by, as did the decades, and by the 2000s the Maserati was now showing her age. However, the car was sold to a buyer in the USA, where it turns out that all she needed was a little TLC ($800,000+ worth) to restore her back to her former glory. The craftsmen at Epifani and Steel Wings did a truly remarkable job and were actually able to earn the vehicle first in Class and second in Class at the 2015 Concorso D’Eleganza Villa d’Este and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance respectively.
Fast forward three more years and the 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Zagato still has a wide variety of features that were in place during the 1950s. For starters, it has its original gearbox, as well as its original engine, which is truly astounding when you think about it. If anything, this is a testament to the amazing skill and precision engineering that went into creating this beautiful racing car. As you might have guessed, collectors and racing enthusiasts alike are willing to pay big bucks for this vehicle. This was evident with the official announcement that it would be included in the sale, with an estimate price of between $4.25 and $5.25 Million. The 1956 Maserati A6G/2000 Zagato is, without question, one of the finest GT cars of its era, dare we say, any era. Due to its amazing design, its rich and storied racing history, its documentation and of course, the amazing restoration job it underwent, it’s easy to see why such an astonishingly high value was placed on the vehicle. All we can say for sure is the fact that someone, very soon, will own a stunning piece of racing history.
Images courtesy of Karissa Hosek ©2018