The Maserati Tipo 61 is one of the most structurally distinctive sports-racing cars of the late 1950s, and CMC's 1:18 scale model captures its defining characteristic — the intricate multi-tube space frame — in die-cast metal augmented by photo-etched and wire details. This version depicts the Birdcage in Italian racing red, as seen at the Goodwood Revival 2008, one of the world's foremost historic motorsport gatherings.
Over 200 Tubes and Under 600 kg: Engineering the Birdcage
Developed by Maserati in 1959 as a successor to the Tipo 60, the Tipo 61 earned its 'Birdcage' nickname from the mechanics who assembled it: the chassis comprised over 200 small-diameter tubes welded into a rigid yet lightweight space frame. Power came from a 2.9-litre inline-four twin-cam engine producing around 250 bhp, while dry weight sat at approximately 590 kg — a formula that delivered exceptional power-to-weight performance for its era. Only around 16 Tipo 61 chassis were ever constructed.
Sebring, Nürburgring, and the Goodwood Revival
In period, the Tipo 61 was campaigned by the Camoradi USA team with drivers including Stirling Moss, scoring notable results at Sebring and the Nürburgring as well as the 1960 Cuban Grand Prix. At the Goodwood Revival, held annually at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex and restricted to cars that raced there between 1948 and 1966, Tipo 61 Birdcages are regular entries in events such as the Fordwater Trophy and the RAC TT Celebration — period-correct races for sports-racing cars of exactly this generation. The 2008 Revival continued that tradition, with the red Birdcage among the machines recreating the circuit's original golden era.
CMC's 1:18 Scale Model: Die-Cast Precision Meets Period Engineering
CMC (Classic Model Cars, Germany) built its reputation on 1:18 die-cast models that go well beyond standard replicas. The Tipo 61's tube-frame architecture is precisely the kind of engineering that CMC's production process — combining die-cast metal bodywork with photo-etched components and fine wire detailing — is designed to represent. The result is a model where the Birdcage's defining structural feature is legible rather than hidden beneath bodywork, giving the collector a direct visual connection to the real car's engineering logic.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What is the Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage?
The Tipo 61 is a Maserati sports-racing car developed in 1959, powered by a 2.9-litre inline-four twin-cam engine. Its nickname comes from the chassis, which used over 200 small-diameter welded tubes — a structure mechanics likened to a birdcage. Only around 16 chassis were ever built.
Which event does this model depict?
It depicts the Tipo 61 as it appeared at the Goodwood Revival 2008, held at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex, UK. The Revival is an annual historic motorsport event restricted to cars that raced at Goodwood during its original period, 1948–1966.
Who made this 1:18 scale model and what materials are used?
The model is made by CMC (Classic Model Cars). It is constructed in die-cast metal with additional photo-etched and wire details, allowing the Birdcage's distinctive tubular frame architecture to be represented with a level of fidelity unusual in standard die-cast production.
