Maserati Fiat 642 RN2 Bartoletti Transporter, Blue & Cream

1957 was Maserati's year: Juan Manuel Fangio won his fifth world title in a 250F, and in March the company showed the 3500 GT at Geneva, its first successful attempt at a series-production grand tourer. The works racing cars travelled in a transporter like this one, built by Carrozzeria Bartoletti of Forlì on a Fiat 642 RN2 bus chassis and essentially identical to Ferrari's, apart from the paint. CMC dates Maserati's from 1957 and has it in service from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s. Two cars rode on the upper deck and a third beneath, with a hoist to lift them, lockers for spares and tools, and room in the long cab for the crew.

CMC's model wears the Maserati blue and cream, with 'Maserati 3500 G.T.' script on one side, 'Maserati 5000 G.T.' on the other, the trident and 'Maserati Automobili Modena Italia' on the body sides, Agip decals and Modena plates. The cab doors open on red leather seats and a black wheel; the side lockers open, the spare is slung beneath the chassis, and the ramps and loading deck are fully worked, down to the chequer-plate tracks. Cream wheels with blue rims carry Pirelli Cinturato tyres. It is about 50 cm long and sold without racing cars on board. CMC builds it at 1:18, hand assembled from 2,640 parts.