1968 Maserati Mistral

Maserati turned its attention away from Grand Prix and sports car racing activities in the late 1950s, focusing instead on road-car production. This was a survival strategy intended to re-establish its financial footing and ensure its longevity. Up to this point, Maserati was still producing cars on a small scale, with its high-performance sports cars intended for wealthy clientele. Maserati's new era began in 1957 with the introduction of the Touring-bodied 3500 GT at the Geneva Salon. The new '2+2' was built using the lessons learned at the track, employing a tubular chassis frame and an engine derived from the 350S sports car. It was a twin-overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder unit that was a close relative of the engine powering the World Championship-winning 250F. The suspension used a conventional live axle and semi-elliptic setup at the rear, while the run was independent by wishbones and coil springs. Drum brakes and a four-speed transmission were used initially, later giving way to a five-speed unit, front disc brakes, and, eventually, all-disc braking.

Developed by engineer Giulio Alfieri, the 3500 GT became the company's first attempt at series production, and it was their first attempt at the Gran Turismo market.

Maserati's Grand Prix-winning six-cylinder engine would power several of its road-going models, with the final being the Pietro Frua-styled Mistral. Most examples received the 3.7-liter version of the long-stroke engine, while a more potent 265-horsepower 4.0-liter version was installed in later Mistrals. Subsequent models to the Mistral were equipped with V8 engines as the company sought to remain competitive in an industry where rivals were increasingly offering more powerful vehicles.

The Maserati Mistra
The Mistral (Tipo AM109) was named after the cold northerly wind of southern France, and was the first Maserati model to be named after a wind. This 2-seat gran turismo was the successor to the 3500 GT, and was built on a shortened version of the square tube chassis also used by the Sebring and 3500GT. Body styles included a coupe and open spyder, with the former's opening rear window hatch adding to its practicality as a sporting GT car. Standard equipment included disc brakes and a five-speed gearbox, while air conditioning, a limited-slip differential, and an automatic transmission were optional.

By the time production ceased in 1970, a total of 124 Spiders and 827 coupes had been built. The Mistral's successor was the Ghibli which was first unveiled as a 2-seater concept car at the Turin Motor Show in November 1966. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Ghia, the Ghibli remained in production through 1973, producing a total of 1,170 coupes and 125 Spyders. The Ghibli was succeeded the following year by the Bertone-designed Khamsin.

Specifications
Dimensions
The Maserati Mistral rested on a 94.5-inch wheelbase platform with an overall length of 177.2 inches, a height of 51.2 inches, and a width of 65.9 inches. It weighs approximately 3,150 lbs (1,430 kg).

The Mistral was smaller than its predecessor, the 3500 GT, which had a 102.4-inch wheelbase for its coupe and 98.4 inches for its spyder. The 3500GT Coupe was eleven inches longer and 3.4 inches wider than the Mistral.

Engine
Initially, the Mistral was powered by a 3.5-liter (3,485.29cc) version of the inline-6-cylinder engine. It had hemispherical combustion chambers, a Lucas indirect fuel injection system, dual overhead camshafts, dual ignition, an aluminum block, aluminum cylinder heads, cast iron cylinder sleeves, and produced 235 horsepower at 5,500 RPM. Its bore measured 3.4 inches, and its stroke at 3.9 inches.

Only the Spyder received the 3.5-liter (3500) engine and just twelve examples were built. Seventy-six examples of the Mistral were equipped with the 3.7-liter engine, which produced 245 horsepower at 5,500 RPM. Thirty-seven examples were given the ultimate iteration of this engine, the 4.0-liter version that produced 265 bhp at 5,200 RPM.

Chassis
The tubular platform chassis had an independent suspension setup at the front and a solid axle at the rear. Four-wheel solid disc brakes, a five-speed ZF transmission, and Pirelli Cinturato 185VR16 CA67 tires were standard equipment. Later examples received Borrani wire wheels wrapped with 205VR15 tires.

Body
The body was penned by Pietro Frua and represented a new styling direction for the company. A few examples were steel-bodied while others had a combination f steel with aluminum doors and hoods; other examples were all aluminum. The Mistral was one of the first cars to have a hatchback.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2024