MASERATI

Spoke wheels became standard equipment, but from 1967 light alloy wheels similar to those on the Ghibli were available. Top speed was around 250 km/h. Italian actors Alberto Sordi and Ugo Tognazzi were among the Mistral Spyder owners. In all, 125 Mistral Spyders were assembled between 1964 and 1970, 20 of them with right-hand drive. In 1968, the Mistral Spyder became the most modern car ever to win Best of Show at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

In general, its construction is similar to that of the original Quattroporte, although the first Mexico prototype was in fact a damaged 5000 GT and therefore had a 4.9-litre engine under the bonnet. The very elegant and formal lines of the four-seater Mexico are by Vignale. Unlike other Maserati four-seater coupes, the Mexico was not named after a racetrack. Presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1966, the Mexico was offered with the same engines as the Quattroporte, with a choice of power between 4.2 and 4.7 litres. Its chassis was 11 cm shorter, in line with the Quattroporte 2nd series.

In the end, a third of the Mexicos sold were equipped during the production cycle. Top speed increased from 240 km/h in the 4.2-litre version to 255 km/h in the 4.7-litre version. Other minor tweaks were made to the model in 1970, including alloy wheels in place of spoked rims. However, these were still available in Bolt-on version, but no longer with Knock-off system. A total of 480 Mexicos were sold in seven years, including to Italian actress Virna Lisi, American actor Ronald Reagan and middleweight boxing champion Nino Benvenuti.

With 265 bhp, the level of performance is impressive, as evidenced by the speed of 255 km/h. Stylistically, the changes included a redesigned front end with a chrome-plated dual headlamp housing, a new bonnet and side air intakes now located higher up on the front wings. The new rear lights were reminiscent of those on the Quattroporte, creating a strong resemblance with the rear end. Internally, the car was also revised and air conditioning was now available. A combined total of 245 Sebrings were assembled. Among the original Sebring 593 owners (including both series) was a young Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti and the name of the Austrian Swarovski (crystal object sale)…

In 1966, Masérati launched its Quattroporte with a new 290 bhp 4.9 litre engine. In addition to the mechanical aspects, the front end was reworked, and was recognisable by its headlamps: 2 pairs of twin headlamps instead of the simple rectangular headlamps of the first series. Quattro Porte owners include Anthony Quinn, Stewart Granger, Marcello Mastroianni, Alberto Sordi and Rainier III of Monaco; Peter Ustinov even bought two!

After the triumph of the Ghibli, Maserati turned once again to Giorgetto Giugiaro and his brand new Italdesign studio to design the new model, whose name recalls a strong breeze well known to the east of the Adriatic coast. Pietro Frua also proposed a full-scale model. Not only was Giugiaro’s design more modern, it was also perfectly aligned with the other models in the range. The body was manufactured by Officine Padane in Modena. The 5-speed ZF gearbox was mounted on an auxiliary chassis with rear suspension. Given that Maserati was part of Citroën at the time, the Bora inherited some parts from the French manufacturer: the brakes, retractable lights, driver’s seat and pedal adjustment were hydraulic. Its 310 bhp (300 bhp for the US market because of emissions restrictions) enabled it to reach a top speed of 260 km/h.

It shared the engine with the Bora as well as its styling elements, but the big difference was under the bonnet: the Merak was powered by a 3-litre V6 whose origins can be traced back to the Citroën SM-Maserati. Maserati’s excellent reputation as a manufacturer had excited the interest of Citroën, who commissioned the design of the type C.114 2.7-litre V6 in 1967 and took control of the company the following year. The engine was remarkably compact, making it possible to have a five-speed gearbox. It lent itself perfectly to being fitted in the middle of the Merak, providing a more accessible alternative to the Bora. Being 250 kg lighter than the Bora, the Merak could reach a top speed of 240 km/h. Its name does not refer to a wind, as was customary at the time, but rather to a star in the Big Dipper constellation. The styling was derived from the general shape and proportions of the Bora, but the fastback shape was cut vertically just behind the seats and ‘above’ the rear boot lid to create a continuous silhouette. This innovative visual trick was once again the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The second version of the Quattroporte was presented in 1973 and was the last Maserati car to emerge from the turbulent period left behind by Citroën’s management. This project was given the factory code number “123”. The car was designed by the famous coachbuilder Bertone, but by a certain Marcello Gandini. It would be powered by a 3-litre Maserati V6 engine, the same that would power the Maserati Merak… and the Citroën SM. He will have a hard time giving the car the sporty character expected by the brand’s regular customers. What’s more, this model was to be fitted with front-wheel drive, and although it was very imposing in size, it did not enjoy the success that its lines might have suggested; it came at the height of the oil crisis, and a true GT of the brand cannot be front-wheel drive. The car also received the hydraulic suspension of the SM, as well as other more modest features in the cabin. Only 13 examples of the Maserati Quattroporte 2nd series were built between 1974 and 1975, due to Citroën’s receivership of the brand.

It had a top speed of 273 km/h. 564 Boras were assembled in eight years, about half of them in the 4.9-litre version. Among the Bora’s first customers were Maserati loyalist Karim Aga Khan and film producer Carlo Ponti, Sophia Loren’s husband. French importer Thepenier had commissioned a racing model of the Bora to compete in category 4. Developed in 1973, it was rated at 430 bhp! But at the time, Maserati was unable to meet the production threshold of 500 cars required to obtain homologation. The oil crisis and new tax restrictions imposed by the Italian government had significantly weakened the market for such high-performance cars.

The modifications consisted of larger carburettors, a higher compression ratio and a weight loss of 50 kg. At the front, a grille between the retractable lights personalised the car, while inside the cabin, the dashboard abandoned Citroën styling in favour of a design taken straight from the Bora V8. A few minor tweaks to the chassis improved the car, which could now easily reach speeds in excess of 240 km/h. The SS is still the most powerful version of the Merak, although a prototype (designed for the American market) was tested with a 3-litre turbo engine. The project never reached the production stage.