Maserati 'Birdcage' sets auction record

Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage.

A rare 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage" has set a new world record for the classic Italian carmaker's racing sports car, selling at auction in Europe for $4,500,520.

The Tipo 61 was as technically innovative as it was successful, with its Birdcage nickname coming from its then unique spaceframe construction that was as light - just 36kg - as it was strong.

In the same way as the Maserati 250F is often acclaimed as the ultimate Formula One car, the Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage is described as the ultimate car built for sports car racing. Its beautiful body helped.

Maserati's racing cars have steadily appreciated in value over the past 20 years and the Birdcage is one of the most iconic racers ever to come out of the Modenese factory.

The Tipo 60/61 were built by engineer Giulio Alfieri. He built the first Tipo 60 in 1958, constructing a spaceframe with 200 tubes between 10mm and 15mm in diameter and clothing it in a wheel-hugging aluminium body.

The car's 2-litre twin-cam engine sat far back towards the cockpit. Suspension was independent up front with a leaf spring/coil set-up in the rear.

The Tipo 60 won the first race it entered, in July 1959. Six Tipo 60s were sold before the 1961 upgrade to Tipo 61, which benefited from a bigger 2.8-litre engine producing more than 180kW. The Tipo 61 weighed 600kg. In all, 17 were built.

Birdcages were very popular with American competitors. The car pictured was the 15th made and sold new in 1960 to American oilman Jack Hinkle, a successful amateur racer.

Hinkle was apparently a bit of an eccentric. The story goes that he was obsessed with speed. He modified his ride-on lawn mower to do 80km/h - and promptly lost control and munched up his wife's rose bushes.

Hinkle sold the Tipo 61 to Tracy Bird, who later became one of the founders of the Can Am series.