One-Off: 1954 Maserati A6G/54 2000 Spyder by Zagato

So let’s get one thing out of the way right away: no, it’s not a barn find today, but this one-of-one Maserati was once a beat-up old car, with a patchwork red paint job, and no great prospects for salvation. Too bad the tip didn’t come to Barn Finds back in 1968 when the car was found in Monterey, but it didn’t, and alas, the car was restored in 2024. So today we’ll explore Maserati’s mastery before bidding closes at RM Sotheby’s on lot #9. This is a sealed bid auction ending May 21, leaving plenty of time to line up financing, ha ha.  Thank you, Araknid78, for finding this graceful exotic for us; keep them coming!

Unbelievably, the auction listing does not include a single photo of the engine bay – however, this car was sold at auction in 2022, so I pulled a photo from that old listing. A hint of its engine configuration is in the model name “AG6/54 2000” – it’s a 2.0-liter six-cylinder. Early versions of the Gioacchino Colombo-designed A6 engine managed 90 hp, though purpose-built racers could achieve 170 hp. The car we see today was not destined for the track; it prototyped a line of GTs. That said, Maserati had improved its six-cylinder engine by 1954, so chassis 2101 was fitted with the first of a new generation of sixes – a twin overhead cam decked with three Webers and good for 150 hp. Amazingly, the car retains its matching numbers engine and four-speed manual gearbox. The car’s 2024 restoration resolved all its mechanical needs, relieving a potential new owner of a significant burden.

Of course, RM Sotheby’s quotes every nick of provenance in this car’s seven decades of history, which you can read in the listing. However, the genesis of chassis 2101 is sufficiently interesting to repeat here: it was purchased by Juan Perón, president of Argentina and an avid car collector, when he viewed it at the 1955 Geneva Salon motor show. Not completely satisfied with the gorgeous Zagato bodywork, Perón ordered a few changes, including a dainty wraparound windscreen, a scoop in the hood, and vented fenders. Perón’s fortunes plummeted before he could take delivery. After another international showing and a period of storage at its factory, Maserati finally sold the car to an American diplomat living in Paris. Meanwhile, Zagato had bodied a few of Maserati’s A6 line, including the 1949 Panoramica coupe, but it was competing with Frua, Allemano, Pinin Farina, even Fantuzzi. Later, Zagato was to capture more work from Maserati, as the A6 matured. In today’s market, Zagato and Pinin Farina A6s seem to net the highest prices at auction.

The condition of the car’s interior is above reproach: upholstered in soft grey glove leather, accented in blue that’s a near-perfect match to the exterior, punctuated by a three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel. The speedometer runs up to 260 km; a clock is nearby. The driver faces the important instruments – a tachometer and a multifunction gauge that reports engine function.

While the estimated price is only available “on request”, we can triangulate towards a value. Several automotive journals have reported on the upcoming auction of this one-off Maserati, and the consensus seems to be that somewhere around $4 million will be enough to put it in a new garage. The 2022 estimate for this same car was $4.5-$5.5 million, but collectors are pickier these days. Most recently, two coupes have gone unsold, each bearing estimates far below $4 million. It’s a guessing game at the moment, and we may never know the final result, given the “sealed bid” process.