1967 Maserati Mexico Frua Prototype (AM112 001)
- Engine
- 4.2L V8 DOHC, four Weber 38 DCNL5 carburetors, ~255 bhp
- Colour
- Amaranto (dark red)
The Maserati Mexico Frua Prototipo (chassis AM112 001) is a unique, one-off styling exercise commissioned directly by Maserati in 1967, bodied by Pietro Frua as part of a three-way design competition that also involved Bertone and Vignale. Built on the first shortened Quattroporte-derived chassis and fitted with the inaugural 4.7-litre V-8, the car features distinctive Frua styling cues that distinguish it from the production Vignale-bodied Mexicos. It passed through several notable American owners before spending nearly two decades with Frank Mandarano, founder of Concorso Italiano.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$346,500
- 1967-05-05 →Factory deliveryNello Della Casapartial documentation
First registered owner, based in Modena, took factory delivery of the prototype on the stated date.
- → 1978Private saleKenny Wagnerpartial documentation
Texas-based owner who acquired the car after it was exported to the United States via designer and broker Tom Meade.
- 1978 →Acquisition unknownLarry Maesepartial documentation
Owned the car following Wagner; transition dates not precisely stated in the source.
- 1980 → 1999Acquisition unknownFrank Mandaranopartial documentation
Prominent Ferrari enthusiast and founder of Concorso Italiano; during his tenure the car received a cosmetic restoration to the original color scheme, followed by a mechanical restoration shortly before the sale.
- 1999 →Private saleAlfredo Brenerpartial documentation
Purchased the car as part of an effort to assemble a comprehensive collection of coachbuilt Maseratis; the mechanical restoration had just been completed prior to acquisition.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownLarge private collection in the American Southwestpartial documentation
The car formed part of a notable and extensive US Southwest-based collection at some point after the Brener ownership.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1999Restoration
Mechanical restoration completed immediately prior to the car's sale to Alfredo Brener.
Commissioned or overseen by Frank Mandarano before relinquishing ownership.
- —Modification
The original 4.7-litre engine was replaced at an unspecified date with a later 4.2-litre Mexico unit, which was correctly restamped AM112 001 to match the original.
Timing of the engine swap is unknown; the replacement unit carries the correct factory stampings.
- —Bodywork
Cosmetic restoration returning the car to its original Amaranto colour scheme, carried out during the Mandarano ownership period.
Work predated the mechanical restoration that followed before the 1999 sale.
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