The determination, with whom, during the fifties, the Maserati factory dealt with Sport cars Championship, leaded to the building of many cars more and more powerful. The last stage of this escalation was the monstrous 450 Sport.Its story started in 1954 with a new project called "Tipo 54". Maybe Gioachino Colombo, more than one year before, was the first to have such idea, but several factors forced to abandon the project for some time: the terrible accident of 1955's Le Mans race, the lack of an ascendant from which it would have been possible to take inspiration.As for the Maserati 250F, the realisation of the project was entrusted to those members of the staff, directed by engineer Alfieri, who were specialised in every part of the car: Guido Taddeucci projected the engine, Valerio Colotti chassis and transmission.

Maybe the most difficult task was Colotti's one that was a complex DOHC 8 cylinders, 90° V. Nevertheless he was helped by the experience of the 4 cylinders engines of the 150S and 200S : the carburettors were installed in the middle of the "V". Two magnets, posed in front of the engine, under the aspiration camshafts, secured the sixteen candles working. Now, where Taddeucci's work finished, started Colotti's task: he had to project a transmission that was able to discharge almost 400 hp on the ground. He projected a big 5-speed transaxle which were posed inside the wheel-base. The big clutch had four steel rings and five aluminium rings. At the exit there were two cylindrical gears which permitted to change gears.The chassis was clearly re-engaged from the 300S: oval tubes with big section formed the base, and it was integrated with an upper structure formed by circular tubes. The same scheme was adopted for anterior suspensions, whereas the rear axle with De Dion tube was drawn again: The tube passed behind the differential housing.The 450S received a completely new brake-system: there were enormous drum-brakes (40 cm in diameter in the opposite, 35 cm in the rear).

The first engine was assembled, in August 1956, on the chassis n°3501 that was used by Stirling Moss during the 1956 Mille Miglia race. After a brief test, it was taken to Sweden, and on August 7^th, it participated in Sweden grand prix. The new car was recognised for the big hump on the anterior bonnet which hid the carburettors, and for the four exhaust pipes which appeared in the side (but they substituted because they caused great problems in reliability. In particular, there was great worry for the engine, which caused great vibrations, which stretched to the transmission. This problem was solved during the next autumn, when ignition order was revised.The 450S was ready to face the 1957 championship. The n°4501, with a new chassis and body, made its debut in Buenos Aires race. It revealed a great handling but it failed its success for youth's problems. But at Sebring race, the n°4503, driven by Fangio and Behra, won with great facility.

In the meanwhile, in Modena, the evolution of the model went on, and by n°4504 a new ignition-system with two coil ignitions, double shock absorbers, new oil tanks were adopted. On the n°4505 an additional two-speed gearbox was assembled between the engine and the transmission: in practice it acted as an overdrive which permitted to pull down the revolutions number. It was adopted also on n°4507, n°4508, and n°4501 for LeMans race, which represented the most important objective for Maserati. Notwithstanding this, it was failed, in spite of the n°4501 had a new aerodynamic body, projected by Frank Costin and built by the Zagato factory in few days. Its weight was 1183 Kg (1118 kg for the spider). But hurry conciliated itself bad with efficiency, and the wonderful coupe revealed great overheating problems for the engine and the pilot. 1957 LeMans and Nurburgring races were lost, but Maserati was still in race for championship winning, whic after Sweden grand prix success, thanks to Fangio and Behra, was really within reach. Most of all the 450S suffered for guidability problems: the enormous power (400 hp!) requested great sensibility in acceleration distributing. However great handling qualities, invited to pull down one's foot, as much as this excess of confidence that the car gave, caused many problems. Unfortunately, the next race in Venezuela was an enormous disaster, and the entire 450S that started the race, stopped out of the race.

From 1958, only 3-liters cars were able to participate in the championship. The 450S were forced to immigrate to USA where it dominated races with Carrol Shelby, Eb Rose, Masten Gregory, Jim Hall, and Walt Cline. This enormous success was due to some disinterested benefactors: Tony Parravano, Temple Buell, Masten Gregory.From 1959 started 450 S's career, with its sea version. The first engine that was developed, was type 59 with 5665 displacement (bore x stroke: 103x85), which gave 520 hp. In 1962 came three new versions: type 201 (5400 cc, 420 hp), type 62 (6462 cc, 580 hp), type 202 (4941 cc, 330 hp). These engines were assembled on race boats, which won many European and world championships during the sixties with Lino Spagnoli, Flavio Guidotti, Liborio Guidotti, Giorgio Guidotti, Nando dell'Orto, Ermanno Marchisio and Luigi Crivelli.

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