Makes › Maserati › Tipo › Tipo 26 · Factory competition · 1926–1928 Ultra Rare
Maserati
Tipo 26
First Maserati-badged car; class win on debut at the 1926 Targa Florio. Ten built up to 1928: four works cars, six sold to privateers
Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 10 Built
- Years
- 1926–1928
- Engine
- Front-mounted supercharged straight eight, dry-sump lubrication · 1,492 cc / 1.5 LFactory: 1,492 cc
- Power
- 89.5 kW / 122 PSFactory: 120 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 180 km/hFactory: 112 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Maserati brothers (Alfieri Maserati leading)
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The Tipo 26 was the first car to carry the Maserati name. Built for the 1.5-litre Grand Prix formula of 1926, it used a smaller version of the supercharged straight eight developed with Diatto and gave the new firm a class win on its first race, the Targa Florio.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
Photos
Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.
Maserati Tipo 26 (Wikimedia Commons: Category:Maserati Tipo 26)
Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain
Maserati Tipo 26 (Wikimedia Commons: Maserati Tipo 26)
Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain
Maserati Tipo 26 (Wikimedia Commons: Maserati Tipo 26)
Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionTipo 26s built up to 1928 (4 works, 6 privateer) | 101 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
After working for Diatto on a supercharged eight for the 1925 two-litre formula, the Maserati brothers used that experience for their own car. The Type 26 made its debut at the Targa Florio, where Alfieri Maserati finished ninth overall and won his class. Two lighter cars entered the Italian Grand Prix at Monza and retired with lubrication and carburation problems, which were cured for 1927.
The car kept evolving through the years: carburettors were moved ahead of the supercharger in 1927, and honeycomb radiators and a lighter chassis were standard by 1928. For the two-litre class of 1927 a Type 26B with a 62 x 82 mm engine was built.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard Tipo 26.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Front-mounted supercharged straight eight, dry-sump lubrication2 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 1,492 cc / 1.5 LFactory: 1,492 cc2 Independently researched |
| Bore | 60 mmFactory: 60 mm2 Independently researched |
| Stroke | 66 mmFactory: 66 mm2 Independently researched |
| Compression ratio | 5.8:12 Independently researched |
| Valvetrain | DOHC, 2 valves per cylinder2 Independently researched |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Induction | Crankshaft-driven Roots supercharger2 Independently researched |
| Power | 89.5 kW / 122 PSFactory: 120 hp · converted2 Independently researchedSource states bhp. |
| Power at | 5,300 rpm2 Independently researched |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Diatto 3-speed manual2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | 32 Independently researched |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Steel ladder-type frame2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Mechanical drums, front and rear2 Independently researched |
| Steering | Worm gear2 Independently researched |
| Body construction | Aluminium skin2 Independently researched |
| Wheelbase | 2,650 mmFactory: 2,650 mm2 Independently researched |
| Length | 3,670 mmFactory: 3,670 mm2 Independently researched |
| Width | 1,500 mmFactory: 1,500 mm2 Independently researched |
| Height | 1,250 mmFactory: 1,250 mm2 Independently researched |
| Front track | 1,340 mmFactory: 1,340 mm2 Independently researched |
| Rear track | 1,360 mmFactory: 1,360 mm2 Independently researched |
| Kerb weight | 780 kgFactory: 780 kg2 Independently researched |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 180 km/hFactory: 112 mph · converted2 Independently researchedListed as about 180 km/h. |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
The body is aluminium over a steel ladder frame, with a Diatto-type supercharged inline-eight and a Diatto three-speed gearbox. Leaf springs with friction dampers are fitted front and rear, and the brakes are mechanical drums. Individual chassis differed through the racing career, so the details of each car depend on its own history.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
Bonhams lot catalogue: 1937 Maserati 4CM Monoposto, chassis 1128 Level B
- 10 Tipo 26s built up to 1928 (4 works, 6 privateer)
-
2
1926 Maserati Tipo 26 Level C Supercars.net
- Supercharged Inline-8 w/dry Sump Lubrication
- 1492 cc / 91.0 in3
- 60 mm / 66 mm
- compression 5.8:1
- DOHC, 2 Valves per Cyl
- crankshaft-driven Roots superchargers
- 120 bhp @ 5300 rpm
- Diatto 3-Speed Manual
- steel, ladder-type frame
- front brakes Mechanical Drums; rear brakes Mechanical Drums
- steering Worm Gear
- body covered in a skin of aluminum
- wheelbase 2650 mm
- length 3670 mm
- width 1500 mm
- height 1250 mm
- front track 1340 mm
- rear track 1360 mm
- curb weight 780 kg
- top speed 112 mph
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