Maserati 150S Barchetta
Built around a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder engine, the 150S was Maserati‘s smallest sports race car. With purposeful engineering and a attractive body, it was an ideal sports racing car for the private racing driver. Some were even used by the factory works team to contest the most important international events.
Taking cues from the 4CTF single-seat race car, Vittorio Bellentani designed the 4-cylinder engine with advanced features such as dry-sump lubrication, an aluminum alloy block with cast iron liners and options such as a hemispherical combustion chamber with a 80º angled valves and twin-plug ignition.
Valerio Colotti was responsible for design of the chassis which was similar to other Maseratis. It twin-oval tubes with a wishbone front suspension and de Dion-tube rear axle.
Stirling Moss said “the 150S was sweet-handling and predictable but overbodied and gutless.” Despite this bad rep, one of the first examples was driven by Jean Behra at the Nurburgring and beat everything Porsche could muster.
In 1956 the car was updated to include a 5-speed gearbox and ZF limited-slip differential. In total 25 cars were produced from 1955 to 1957.
1955 Maserati 150S Barchetta Gallery
See full 1955 Maserati 150S Barchetta Gallery here
In Detail
| submitted by | Richard Owen |
| type | Racing Car |
| production years | 1955 – 1957 |
| built at | Italy |
| engineers | Valerio Colotti, Guerrino Bertocchi |
| production | 25 |
| engine | Inline-4 w.Dry Sump Lubrication |
| position | Front, Longitudinal |
| aspiration | Natural |
| ignition | Twin Magnetos |
| block material | Aluminum |
| valvetrain | DOHC 2 Valves / Cyl |
| fuel feed | 2 Weber 45DCO03 |
| displacement | 1484 cc / 90.6 in³ |
| bore | 81 mm / 3.19 in |
| stroke | 72 mm / 2.83 in |
| compression | 9.0:1 |
| engine designer | Vittorio Bellentani |
| power | 104.4 kw / 140 bhp @ 7500 rpm |
| specific output | 94.34 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 205.88 bhp per tonne |
| body / frame | Aluminum |
| driven wheels | Front Engine |
| front tires | Pirelli 5.25×16 |
| rear tires | Pirelli 5.5×16 |
| front brakes | Hydraulic Drums |
| rear brakes | Hydraulic Drums |
| front wheels | F 40.6 x 11.4 cm / 16 x 4.5 in |
| rear wheels | R 40.6 x 11.4 cm / 16 x 4.5 in |
| steering | Worm Gear |
| f suspension | Double Wishbones |
| r suspension | de Dion-Type Tube Axle, Transverse Leaf Spring |
| curb weight | 680 kg / 1499 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2150 mm / 84.6 in |
| front track | 1250 mm / 49.2 in |
| rear track | 1200 mm / 47.2 in |
| length | 380 mm / 149.6 in |
| width | 1500 mm / 59.1 in |
| height | 980 mm / 38.6 in |
| transmission | 4 or 5 Speed Manual |
| top speed | ~230.1 kph / 143 mph |
