Maserati 450S

Maserati 450S
1957 Maserati 450S at Palm Springs 2010.
Overview
Manufacturer	Maserati
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door, convertible
Layout	FR layout

Maserati 450S (built 1956–8) is a racing car made by Maserati of Italy, and used in FIA's endurance World Sportscar Championship racing. A total of nine were made.

Their design started in 1954 (thus the internal designation «Tipo 54») led by Vittorio Bellentani and Guido Taddeucci. Their intent was to use larger engines than those then used by Maserati.

One was the 3.5-litre to be used in Maserati 350S, the other to be used in the 450S, had a 4.478-litre short-stroke V8 engine with four Weber carburetor 45 IDM (400 bhp (300 kW) at 7200). The tubular chassis and body was designed by Valerio Colotti, and inherited much from the Maserati 300S, using De Dion (mechanical) and 5-speed ZF gearbox, and a suspension with double wishbones and coil springs.

The 450S was raced in the 1957 World Sports Car Championship where its principal rivals were Ferrari with its 290 MM, 315 S and 335 S models, the Jaguar D-Type and the Aston Martin DBR1.

Chassis #4501 had a 4.2-litre V8, based on the prototype raced at 1956 Mille Miglia and 1956 Swedish Grand Prix. A clutch failure after a very promising start in the Buenos Aires 1000 km by Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio prevented the car from commencing the season with a win. The car was redesigned as a coupé drawn by Frank Costin of England, constructed by Zagato, and raced once again by Moss at Le Mans where it failed to finish. Later, the car was restored by Medardo Fantuzzi of Maserati (new chassis #4512); and subsequently received another restoration by Faralli & Mazzanti.