Maserati 250F Child's Car, Chassis no. 006

Forever associated with five-time Formula 1 World Champion, Juan Manuel Fangio, the Maserati 250F is the quintessential front-engined Grand Prix car. Introduced for the 1954 season, the 250F was constructed around a tubular ladder-frame chassis, with independent front suspension and a De Dion rear axle, and was powered by a 2½-litre double-overhead-camshaft straight-six engine. Fangio secured two Grand Prix victories with the 250F before leaving for Mercedes-Benz, ending the '54 season as Formula 1 World Champion for the second time. Having secured a further two F1 World Championships, Fangio was back behind the wheel of a 250F for the 1957 season. Fangio drove to four more World Championship victories in '57, including his legendary win at the Nürburgring where he overcame a 48-second deficit following a botched pit stop, passing race leader Mike Hawthorn on the penultimate lap. In doing so he broke the lap record ten times. Fangio's final win, this performance at the wheel of a Maserati 250F is often regarded as the greatest drive in Formula 1 history.

This half-scale 250F child's car is exceptionally well built and a beautiful work of automotive art. Hardly ever used, this child's car is presented in excellent condition throughout. It features a metal body on a tubular chassis and is powered by a rear-mounted four-stroke petrol engine, which drives the three-speeds-plus-reverse transmission via a centrifugal clutch. It also boasts the convenience of electric starting and adjustable pedals (to suit drivers of different heights).