1955 OSCA MT4

2dr Roadster

4-cyl. 1092cc/90hp 2x2bbl

#1 Concours condition#1 Concours
#2 Excellent condition#2 Excellent
#3 Good condition#3 Good

$1,350,000 CAD*

equal0%
#4 Fair condition#4 Fair
Value Graph01/2404/2407/24$500k$1MOct 2024
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1947-1955 OSCA MT4 stats
Highest sale
$1,822,242 CAD
Lowest sale
$191,478 CAD
Most recent sale
$1,822,242 CAD
Sales
16
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Model overview

Model description

The story of the OSCA MT4 goes back to the five Maserati brothers (Carlo, Bindo, Alfieri, Ettore, and Ernesto), who left an indelible stamp on motor racing through the first half of the twentieth century. They began in 1910 when Alfieri and Ettore went to Argentina to build racing cars for Isotta Fraschini, and their story concluded in 1963 when the brothers sold Officine Specializzatte Costruzinone Automobili (OSCA) to Count Domenico Agusta.

Alfieri and Ettore returned from South America in 1919 to join Bindo and Ernesto making sparkplugs in Milan, then formed Officine Maserati in Bologna. There they built a series of successful Grand Prix cars like the 4CM, 4CLT, 6CS, 6CM, 8CL and 8CTF - campaigned by greats like Nuvolari, Varzi, Taruffi, Campari and Etancelin in the 1930s and ‘40s. Wilbur Shaw won back-to-back Indy 500 races in 1939-40 in a Maserati 8CLT – 1939 being the first win for a foreign car since 1919.

However, finances were always fragile and Adolfo Orsi bought the company in 1938 to get their spark plug business. Orsi kept the Maserati brothers on 10-year retainer, but he wanted to build road cars and they didn’t. When their contract expired in 1947, Ernesto, Bindo, and Ettore went back to Bologna and developed their spectacular OSCA sports racers.

Between 1948 and 1956 the Maserati brothers built an estimated 72 OSCA MT4 sports racers from the ground up with alloy bodies, tubular chassis and independent front suspension. Their designs featured DOHC cylinder heads, Weber carburetors, dual plug ignition, and even desmodromic valve trains. Four-cylinder engine displacements included 750cc, 1100c and 1500cc models.

Minimalist Barchetta and elegant Berlinetta bodies were built by Morelli, Fissore, Vignale, Frua (which built about 50), Michelotti, and Zagato, and the MT4 was competitive in any class it was entered.

The first OSCA MT4 Barchetta weighed only 900 lbs and was powered by 1092cc SOHC, Four-cylinder Fiat-based engine which developed 71 bhp at 6000 rpm. It raced at Pescara in August 1948 but did not finish, then Luigi Villoresi won the Grand Prix of Naples in September.

The engine was refined to a 1,42cc unit in 1949, developing 89 bhp at 5500 rpm. It was followed in 1950 by a new DOHC motor introduced for the OSCA MT4-2AD. This was good for 99 bhp at 6300 rpm and paved the way to 1953’s 1453cc unit with 108 bhp at 6200 rpm.

For 1954, OSCA redesigned the ignition and the 372 DS twin spark engine displaced 1491cc, developing 118 bhp at 6300 rom. This evolved into the MT4 TN (Tipo Nuovo). The new model produced 135 bhp, delivered through a 4-speed ZF gearbox, and was capable of 130 mph. Only five Tipo Nuovos were built and Stirling Moss and Bill Lloyd won the 1954 Sebring 12 Hours race outright in one of them, averaging 73.65 mph, as part of the Briggs Cunningham team.

Competition successes continued throughout the decade. Mario Damonte/Pierre-Louis Dreyfus won the 1100cc Class in the 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours, placing 18th overall. Three OSCA MT4s entered the 1954 Le Mans 24 Hours, but all were sidelined by the last hour.

Privateer Giulio Cabianca managed a spectacular 10th overall behind factory teams in the 1954 Mille Miglia and finished 2nd in class. Cabianca/Giuseppe Sgorbati placed 11th in the tragic 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Meanwhile, on the final La Carrera Panamericana rally in 1954, Louis Chiron drove one of three MT4 1500 entries in the extremely dangerous event, which was canceled after this year. On the 75-mile mountainous third leg between Puebla and Mexico City, Chiron won the 1500cc class and was only 3 minutes behind overall leader Phill Hill in a 4.5-liter Ferrari. Chiron finished the La Carrera in 8th place overall.

Smaller 750cc OSCAs continued to be competitive. Jim Eichenlaub won the 1959 American H-Mod Title with an OSCA S 187, and John Bentley and Jack Gordon brought Ed Hugus’s 1958 750cc Sport OSCA home in 18th place at the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours race.

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Common Questions

The value of a 1955 OSCA MT4 can vary greatly depending on its condition, mileage, options, and history. Typically, you can expect to pay around $986,000 USD for a 1955 OSCA MT4 in good condition with average spec.

Many factors can increase a car's value including excellent condition, exceptional originality, a recent restoration, low mileage, unique provenance, desirable options, popular or unique color choices, and excellent maintenance records. Upgrades and modifications that enhance performance or aesthetics can also add value.

Factors that can decrease a car's value include unusually high mileage, poor maintenance history, visible wear and tear, accidents or damage, title issues, and gaps in ownership history. Additionally, less popular color choices and extensive modifications that don't appeal to a broad audience can reduce value.

Mileage plays a significant role in a classic car’s value. Lower mileage usually increases value because it indicates a higher degree of originality, is rarer, and suggests less wear and tear. However, cars with exceptionally low mileage may also have maintenance needs due to lack of use. Whether someone should pay more for a vehicle with lower miles will depend on how they plan on using it, and the vehicle's specific condition.

The value of modified cars differs widely based on the type and quality of modifications. While some modifications can significantly increase value, especially performance enhancements and high-quality custom work, others may not add much or could even detract from the car’s value if they appeal to only a limited audience.

All prices shown here are representative of stock condition vehicles only and based on various data sources, as detailed in About Our Prices. Value adjustments for optional equipment are in U.S. dollars. More information on how forecast models are calculated can be found on Forecasted Values page. For additional information and a complete description of benefits, visit hagerty.CA/legal. Purchase of insurance not required for membership in HDC. Hagerty, Hagerty Valuation Tools & Hagerty Drivers Club are registered trademarks of the Hagerty Group LLC, ©2024 The Hagerty Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.