Ricko 1:18 1954 Maserati Berlinetta A6 GCS Coupe

In the aftermath of WWll, the Italians went back to their beloved road racing, the sport defined by the annual Mille Miglia. Maserati was a major contributor to the sport. In 1953, Maserati's inline six was upgraded to a F2 inspired DOHC, twin sparked 2 liter 6 with a shorter stroke 7300 rpm redline. The old GCS chassis was still used but due to the number of events run in the rain, a coupe body was to be commissioned. Some buyers were asking for a Pinin Farina berlinetta body for their A6GCS/53, but Pinin Farina had just signed a coproduction contract with Enzo Ferrari so they could not be directly commissioned. Six bare chassis were supplied to a noted Maserati dealer who in turn could commision the bodies. Eventually four of the six chassis were fitted with Pinin Farina designed bodywork. All of which survive today in original or restored form. They were the last Maseratis to have Pinin Farina styled bodies. What remains is a mixed bag. Two of the originals actually had their bodies discarded and were converted to spyders. They were later restored with new fixed head bodies copied from an original. There is also a fifth "semi original" restoration. All seem to differ slightly from the others. All however are a delight to the eyes.

Ricko's model is a mixed bag of old tech and new. Although the basic look of the car has been captured, the rear window is overly wide extending down to the fender flair and the ride height is excessively high, perhaps a result of the functioning suspension. The grill consists of simple vertical bars set flush with the intake opening graced with the Maserati trident. I have not found an example with this grill, and those grills I have seen are much more ornate.

The paint is smooth and well finished. The panel fit is tight, but the rear window on my example is sprung and leaves a gap on the driver's side. The front light lenses are well done without locator pin "bullseyes". The rear lenses are painted and could have been done more realistically. The hood is secured by oversized tie down hardware reminiscent of Bburago models. Badging and scripts are thick embossed foil, the badging tampo'd prior to placement, I assume, because they are poorly applied, either off center or off kilter in relation to the belt line. Out of the box, the last "a" was missing from the left "pininfarina" script. The six hood vents are cleanly stamped and all the hardware is chromed. The chrome grill, wire wheels and exhaust pipes are way too bright (again, ala Bburago) and I gave them a light wash to tone them down. The trunk opens to reveal a spare tire and I think an oiling filler system.

The undercarriage is pretty nice. The solid axle is suspended by real metal coils and flexing torsion arms. The brakes are featureless plastic discs. The interior sports a nice looking dash with legible gauges and a well scaled wood rimmed steering wheel that does not have the lightening cutouts that other models I've seen have. The seats and center transmission hump (which I gather is supposed to be carpeted) are of the same light blue soft plastic. Identically textured, they're neither convincing as upholstery nor carpeting. Missing is a stiffening strut that is just above the door sill. The doors operate on large dogleg hinges that again are old tech.

The engine bay is worth posing this car with the bonnet cover off. The DOHC 6cyl is plumbed and wired annd replete with 3 twin sidedraft carbs. Some nice touches are the manufacturer's spec plate, read Maserati scripts on the heads, twin horns and a battery hidden at the bottom of the firewall. All the components are nicely textured and painted to simulate the various metals and whether rough cast ot polished.

All and all, this is a pretty nice model of a rare and beautiful classic. Ricko's price point, which is in the $30 range, and their commendable desire to add upscale content to its models sometimes clash. It is more important to most to have an accurate look rather than glitzy content on an image that just isn't right. Ricko's Alfa Romeo T33s are a prime example of great features on an inaccurate image. This Maserati is a much better image overall, but it could have been a bit better in it's overall look. Outside of some QC problems, it's still a nice looking model for the price point. 4 stars out of 5 for the effort.

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