Tipo 420/M/58 Eldorado (1958-1959)

The first important example of an Italian racing car sponsored by a company outside the automobile industry, the 420/M/58 Eldorado was built for the 1958 500 Miles of Monza. Its tubular chassis was inspired by the lightweight 250F chassis, and it had the same front suspension as the 450S with a telescopic damper on the right wheel and a lever damper on the left.

The engine was a V8 with a very short stroke and was offset to the left of the chassis, about 90 mm off the longitudinal axis of the car. The car was driven by Stirling Moss in the Monza race and did well in the first two rounds. However, in the third round, the steering collapsed on the 40th lap, sending Moss off the track at 260 km/h. Amazingly, he was unhurt and the car was still ranked seventh at the end of the race. After that, it was decided to enter it in the Indianapolis 500, but major problems with fuel feed meant it failed to get beyond the qualifying sessions.