Maserati 6CM; Tazio’s voiturette of choice

In the prestigious settings of Villa Erba, during the Villa d’Este Concours on May 24-25, Broad Arrow will offer this precious 1936 Maserati 4CM voiturette. This Formula 2 avant-la-lettre was raced by Count Trossi, Piero Taruffi and Pietro Dusio. Tazio Nuvolari won the Circuito di Modena in it, in 1937.

The term voiturette is one that has possessed multiple connotations since its introduction to the motoring lexicon at the tailend of the nineteenth century. This French word that translates as ‘small car’, has described everything from early three-wheeled machines to Renault’s first ever car. In its most appealing definition, it refers to the lower-classification grand prix racers from the inter-war period.

Four and six cylinders

As a point of demonstration, I would like to highlight Maserati’s voiturettes. These machines hail from a very particular point in history as they represented a sharpening of focus from the then-Bolognese-based manufacturer. To elaborate, the motor racing environment of the day dictated that large budgets were required to be competitive. Therefore, it was decided that Maserati would focus on the lighter, more agile voiturette category for lower-displacement single seaters.

The Maserati brothers developed the 4CM, a four-cylinder racer whose potency was boosted by means of a Roots supercharger. By 1936, the threat posed by the German teams and their large state-bankrolled budgets encouraged Maserati to respond with the 6CM, a six-cylinder version of the 4CM. This new voiturette proved itself to be extremely successful as it proved victorious at events throughout the world.

Circuito di Modena winner

One particular example of the breed includes chassis #1531, the first of eleven works cars and of only 33 chassis produced in total by the trident’s works. Furthermore, this 6CM is notable for its immense success in period at the helm of Count Trossi, a celebrated racer also known for his early backing of Enzo Ferrari’s Scuderia. Chassis #1531’s triumphs with Trossi at the helm include wins at the Nürburgring Internationales Eifelrennen in 1936, the Circuito di Modena, Coppa Ciano, Circuito di Milano, and the Coppa Edda Ciano. Even in private hands, #1531 continued to post admirable results against newer machinery at events such as the Targa Florio and grand prix races at Tripoli and Firenze. A further noteworthy page in this single-seater’s history would be its victory at the Circuito di Modena in 1937 while being driven by none other than the namesake of this publication – Tazio Nuvolari.

Switching engines

After a couple of competitive seasons, #1531 received a bit of a refresh by means of receiving a modification that it carries to this day – a 4CM-sourced four-cylinder engine that was utilized due to its superior torque compared to the original straight-six. The car’s racing career continued towards and beyond the period of hostilities during the Second World War and was driven by the likes of Alfa Romeo and Ferrari works driver Piero Taruffi, future Mille Miglia victor Giovanni Bracco in addition to Piero Dusio, president of the Juventus football club and the founder of Cisitalia.

Monaco GP Historique

In 1946, ownership of #1531 passed on to Lucy O’Reilly Schell and her son Harry Schell, a works Maserati driver who would privately compete in the 6CM at several Grand Prix in the years following the war. Subsequently, the car went through various hands, including a long-term period under the stewardship of Robin Lodge. During this time, the voiturette began its historic racing career at the 2000 Grand Prix de l’Age d’Or and has received regular renewals to FIA technical papers that enable it to compete in historic events. In more recent years, #1531 has been successfully campaigned at the Grand Prix Historique de Monaco, with results defined by a couple of podiums from its 2018 and 2022 entries.

1 million dollar estimate

The history of chassis #1531 is one of immense significance with its continued use in historic events by its previous custodians having maintained the spirit of competition that has propelled it to success after success for the past ninety odd years. The above makes it all the more momentous that Broad Arrow will be auctioning this very special single-seater, a period rival to the likes of Bugatti’s T35 no less and an archetypal example of Maserati’s long and storied lineage of single seaters. With its selling estimate around the million-dollar mark for the auction block at Villa d’Este, I think that it has proven that a voiturette is more than capable of punching well above its weight both on and off the world’s racing circuits.

More on Broad Arrow’s Villa d’Este auction here.