1967 Maserati Quattroporte Firetruck
This vehicle is one of just five of its kind ever made, as noted up in the introduction, they were all built in series by Italian coachbuilder Grazia in Bologna to a specification laid out by Italian fire extinguisher company CEA.
The idea was to create emergency fire response for use at Italy’s premier racing circuits, for use during Formula 1 and other motorsport events. The longer wheelbase of the Quattroporte made it the ideal platform, as the rear could be modified into a pick-up with a water tank, an electric water pump and a water cannon, and some additional fire extinguishers.
The front end of the car was left largely unchanged, with two seats and all the luxuries it left the factory with – including the air conditioning system. The Quattroporte’s 260 bhp V8 meant that this was a genuinely fast little fire truck, able to far outpace the lumbering diesel trucks typically used on circuits at the time.
This car and its four siblings were used extensively during Italian races right the way through until the late 1970s. After they were retired from use they were bought by a person from Modena before later being acquired by French enthusiast Guido Bartolomeo, who saved them from being scrapped.
- The first-generation Quattroporte was initially equipped with a 4.1 liter V8 engine producing 260 bhp. It was a genuine blend of luxury and performance, with a top speed of approximately 230 km/h (143 mph) – making it one of the fastest sedans of its time. It’s also equipped with a manual transmissionand rear wheel drive.
Source: A Rare 1967 Maserati Quattroporte Formula 1 "Fire Truck".
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