A one-of-a-kind 1954 Maserati A6G/54 2000 Spyder Zagato with a decades-long history of ownership changes, concours victories and meticulous restorations is set to cross the auction block later this month with expectations that bidding could exceed $4 million.
The rare Maserati, offered through RM Sotheby’s in a sealed online auction ending May 20, stands apart as the only example of its kind fitted with a custom open-top body designed by Italian coachbuilder Zagato. The car’s distinctive styling and unusual history have made it one of the most recognizable Maseratis from the 1950s.
The sports car first gained attention at the 1955 Geneva Salon, where it was unveiled as a prototype based on Maserati’s A6G/54 platform. Among those reportedly captivated by the car was Argentine president Juan Perón, who agreed to purchase it on the condition that several styling revisions be made before delivery.
The requested changes included a redesigned grille featuring a more prominent Maserati Trident emblem, a revised hood with an elevated air intake, a taller curved windshield and chrome side vents. Before the handoff could happen, however, Perón was removed from power and exiled from Argentina, leading to the cancellation of the order.
Despite the setback, the modified Maserati remained intact and later appeared at the 1956 Paris Salon before returning to Maserati’s factory in Turin, where it spent time in storage.
The car eventually found a buyer in 1958 when American diplomat Louis W. Schroeder acquired it while stationed in Paris. Over the following decades, the Maserati changed hands several times, including ownership by U.S. Air Force lieutenant-colonel Sharrod Santos and later Angelo Ferro, head of the Genoa Racing Team in San Francisco.
During Ferro’s ownership, the car was largely unused and remained stored away for nearly three decades before resurfacing in 2001. A comprehensive restoration returned the vehicle to its original 1958 specification, including its Blu Algisto Scuro exterior color and rebuilt inline-six engine.
The Maserati quickly became a fixture on the concours circuit following the restoration. It appeared at Pebble Beach in 2003, won top honors at The Quail in 2004 and claimed Best of Show at the 2005 Concorso Italiano.
In 2010, the car joined the collection of U.K.-based Ferrari collector Brandon Wang and later became the only Maserati displayed at the newly opened Enzo Ferrari Museum. It was sold again in 2013 for $4.455 million to collector Oscar Davis.
Current owner Chris Shane purchased the Maserati at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in 2022 for $2.995 million before entering it in the Colorado Grand 1000 road rally. Following the event, the car underwent another extensive restoration by Fast Cars in Redondo Beach, California, including the first rebuild of its original gearbox in nearly seven decades.
The Maserati returned to public attention in August 2024 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it captured both a special Maserati class award and the Jules Heumann Special Award for Most Elegant Open Car.
Under the hood sits Maserati’s 2.0-liter dual-overhead-cam inline-six engine developed from the company’s racing program for road use. The car also served as a prototype for future Maserati A6G/54 coupes that followed.
With its combination of rarity, historical significance and concours pedigree, the Spyder Zagato is expected to draw intense interest from collectors when bidding closes later this month.
Via RM Sotheby’s
