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- Sick_Cylinder
The Tipo 151/1 was produced in 1962 for that years Le Mans 24 hour race and produced 360bhp - the thread for the 1962 Tipo 151/1 can be found here:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/maserati-tipo-151-the-last-monster-from-modena.300015/
For the 1964 race the Tipo 151/3 debuted with a sleeker, lower and more aerodynamic body. Entered by Maserati France and powered by a V8 Maserati engine enlarged to just under 5 litres and equipped with Lucas fuel injection 430 bhp was developed and a speed of 196mph was achieved on the Mulsanne straight in practise. Unfortunately there was a problem with the throttle cable and the car had to start last from pit lane. During the race, driven by Colonel Andre Simon and Maurice Trintignant the car overtook 38 competitors before retiring on the 99th lap.
A final version, the 151/4 was entered in the 1965 race - the engine was enlarged to just over 5 litres producing 450bhp and a top speed of 198mph, however the driver "Lucky" Casner was fatally injured when the car crashed in the rain at high speed in that years race.
The 151/3 was a great car - one of the last front engine prototypes and was very nearly successful, made obsolete by the mid-engine revolution.
