It may have sumptuous curves reminiscent of the legendary Maserati A6 GCS, but its origins are decidedly different. It was the brainchild of Paul England, a young vehicle engineer hailing from Melbourne who worked at REPCO – indeed, like many famous cars of the past, it began as an after-hours project in a back room. England’s efforts were perhaps inspired by those of his colleague Charlie Dean, who created his own racing special using a modified six-cylinder Maybach engine. Like Dean, England's objective was a familiar one: keep weight low and power high to be competitive.

And that it was. During its racing years, it shared grids with McLarens and Brabhams – this was no Maserati knock-off. A 2549cc inline-six Holden engine produced power in the region of 150bhp (having been given the very first REPCO ‘Highpower’ cylinder head) and, paired with a lightweight, one-piece glassfibre body, it proved quite successful. In 1956 the Ausca began touring the circuits of Australia and New Zealand with England at the wheel, amassing five victories at Phillip Island and some high-placed finishes behind some of the most successful manufacturers of the era.

Sixteen of the A6 GCS-esque glassfibre bodies were produced, subsequently mounted onto a variety of chassis and matched with a range of engines – but only England’s racer is considered to be the genuine article. Now fully restored and producing 220bhp, that particular car is currently listed for sale in the Classic Driver Marketplace, following a successful re-inauguration at Phillip Island earlier this year.

Photos: Classic Driver Marketplace