The esteemed show netted an impressive haul of victories for the Italian manufacturer considering Maserati’s celebrating its centenary year.
Joining the Best of Show trophy, the Design Award for Concepts and Prototypes was awarded to the brand new Maserati Alfieri, before a third Maserati win came in the form of a class win for the 1929 Maserati V4 Sport spider (another Zagato design). The overall-winning 450S also won the ‘Da Corsa’ class category for historic racing cars.
The winning 1956 Maserati 450S swept aside 49 other prestigious rivals in the eyes of the judges to take the overall prize. In 1956 and 1957, just ten 2-seater racing cars, fitted with 4.5-litre 300kW engines and aluminium bodies made by coachbuilder, Fantuzzi, were built. Chassis number 4502 competed in a number of races, changing ownership several times before coming into the possession of the present owner.
The Maserati V4 Sport spider from 1929 which won its class was one of only two produced. The V4 features a 16-cylinder V4 engine delivering 225kW. In 1929 it set a world record on the road circuit at Cremona, notching up an average speed of 246kph over a distance of 10km. In 1934 the same car displayed at Villa d’Este – rebodied as a Spyder by Zagato.
And finally, moving away from near-priceless machinery, the Maserati Alfieri took the Design Award for Concept Cars. The Maserati Alfieri was designed at the Maserati Style Centre in Turin and the car was driven into the exhibition area at Villa Erba by Harald Wester, CEO Maserati, to collect the award in person.