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To keep pace with the competition, Maserati designed progressively more powerful cars leading up to late fifties. The 450S, produced from 1956 forward, marked the end of this trend. Having a complex V8 that produced 400 horsepower, it was the most powerful sports car of its time.

It was Guido Taddeucci who used his experience and the type 200SI four cylinder engine to develop the Maserati V8. Adding increased complexity to the design was its sixteen spark plugs, four camshafts and dry-sump lubrication. Valerio Colotti was responsible for developing a drive train to cope with the power of this V8. He designed a custom five speed transaxle linked, in unit, with a ZF differential.

Holding the 450S together was a chassis similar to the 300S. Large diameter tubes formed the base of the structure with a smaller upper section attached. Improvements to the 300S chassis made it heavier and stronger. In detail the De Dion suspension and brakes were modified, specifically finned 15 in (400mm) drum brakes which were chosen over the upcoming disc brakes.

#4501, The First 450S

The first 450S engine was installed in 350S chassis #3501 and renumbered to #4501. At it's racing debut in Buenos Aires, Grand Prix Drivers Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio failed to finish with transaxle problems. This result was balanced out at Sebring, where #4501 raced to victory ahead of the Ferrari 315S and Jaguar D-Type.

The next appearance of #4501 was at Le Mans where a completely new body was fixed on the car. With encouragement of Stirling Moss, Maserati had Frank Costin, an English aerodynamic consultant, design a low drag body for the 450. In just a couple days, Zagato manufactured Costin's body, and the result was a very unflattering.

Performance of the low drag coupe was disappointing. The car was actually slower than the roadsters and induced engine overheating which made the cockpit very toasty. Desipte these setbacks, the car was driven by Moss and Fangio, holing second place until the transaxle went. After Le mans, #4501 was left for scrap with many newer cars ready to contest the series.

A New Life

The 1957 sport car championship ended on a down note for Maserati; they lost the championship by a few points and the last race at Venezuela put most of the cars out of commission. These set backs motivated Maserati to withdraw from sports car racing and sell off their remaining racing assets. Fortunately, the scrapped coupe caught Byron Staver's attention who convinced Maserati to sell him the car.

After his purchase, Staver took the coupe to Fantuzzi who coverted it to road specification and, in the process restamped it as #4512. Fantuzzi executed some severe modifications which included lengthening the body by 10 in (25 cm) at the center of the car! At the same time several cosmetic details were added including a front grill, full interior, a one-piece windscreen and a new black paintjob.

Until recently the car had been owned by Peter Kaus of the Rosso Bianco collection where the car appeared in Buick Red. Surprisingly Peter sold the car, and the now current owners have restored it, keeping its Costin-Zagato-Fantuzzi configuration. Painted in back in black, the restoration debuted at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours.

Conclusion

The 450S was an exceptional car for its time. It often outpaced the competition, but was the victim of component failure, often including the transaxle. Like most racecars, the 450 was a product of rapid development produced with limited resources.

After the CSI implemented a three liter limit on engine sizes, the 450 became quickly outdated in European endurance racing. After 1957, most 450s went to America where they quite successfully contested the SCCA's sports car series.

Sources & Further Reading

Orsini, Luigi. Maserati a Complete History, Libreria Dell'Automobile: 1980.

Warren, Fitzgerald. 'Costin-Maserati Coupe' Road & Track, 1963.

Story by Richard Owen for Supercars.net