1968 Maserati Sebring

One of the last iterations of the iconic 3500 GT, the Sebring was among the most elegant and understated Grand Touring cars of the 1960s. Its underpinnings were based on the company's competition experience, and its name was in honor of Maserati's 1957 racing victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring. In keeping with its performance pedigree, the Sebring could race from zero-to-sixty mph in 8.5 seconds and had a top speed of nearly 140 mph. Produced from 1962 to 1968, the Sebring was a two-door 2+2 coupe intended for the American Gran Turismo.

The Maserati Sebring rested on a 98.4-inch wheelbase with a length of 176 inches, a width of 65.6 inches, and a height of 51.2 inches. The 3,485cc Tipo AM101 inline six-cylinder engine, a close relative of that used in the 250F, produced 235bhp on Lucas mechanical fuel injection. A ZF five-speed manual transmission was standard, and a Borg-Warner automatic transmission was optional - a first for Italian automobiles. Suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs, while at the back there was a conventional live axle/semi-elliptic arrangement. Disc brakes at all four corners provided the stopping power.

The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2 Sebring coupe was designed by Giovanni Michelotti at Vignale.

The first series (Series I) Sebring was built between 1962 and 1965, with a total of 348 examples constructed. The second series (Series II / Sebring 3700 / Tipo AM 101/10) arrived in 1964 and built through 1968, with 247 units built. The total production from 1962 to 1968 was 593 units. Combined production of Sebrings with the optional 3.7 and 4.0-liter engines was an estimated 98 units.

The Series II had redesigned headlamps, new front turn signals, and modernized bumpers. The previous lower extraction vents were replaced by new side grilles. The rear of the car was updated with horizontally mounted taillights (rather than vertical), a narrowed bootlid opening, and a squared-off bumper. Larger 205x15 Pirelli Cinturatos resided at all four corners, and an optional twin-cam, twin-ignition 3,694cc (245 cubic inch / 3.7 liter) Tipo AM106/1 engine was offered, boosting output to 245 bhp at 5,200 RPM. Some cars left the factory with 4.0-litre (4,012 cc Tipo AM106/1) units towards the end of production in 1966, which created 252 horsepower at 5,200 RPM. Near the end of production, output had risen to 261 hp.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Vignale

The car was delivered to Rolma Automobili in Milano to the first owner Mr. Giulio Ratti in 1968. The body was designed by Giovanni Michelotti and hand-built by Vignale. It is equipped with an inline 6-cylinder, dual spark, hemi engine derived from the famed Maserati racing engines that won at Sebring in 1957. For 1968, this car was also equipped with AC, electric windows and a 5-speed ZF transmission. Road components were sourced from England with Lucas fuel injection, Girling brakes, Salisbury rear axle and Smiths gauges. It is one of 248 cars produced in this series, and it was the last year of production before Maserati was taken over by Citroen.

by Dan Vaughan

The Maserati Sebring was produced from 1963 through 1969. The name 'Sebring' was used to honor the victories Maserati had earned at the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring race. The 2+2 coupe design was courtesy of Alfredo Vignale who had also created the prior Maserati vehicle, the 3500GT. Both sat atop a shortened wheelbase and were designed for the US market.

Under the hood was a six-cylinder 3485cc engine that was later upgraded to a 3694 cc unit. A five-speed ZF manual transmission drove the rear wheels while disc brakes provided the stopping power.

A prototype version of the Sebring Series I was introduced at the 1962 Geneva Motor Show. Production of the Series I lasted from 1963 through 1964. In 1965 the Series II was introduced which brought with it slight aesthetic improvements, which brought the design more in-line with the Frua-designed Quattroporte. Under the hood, a new 3.7-liter engine could be found that produced an astonishing 245 horsepower. This was later improved to 255 horsepower with a larger 4-liter engine.

by Dan Vaughan

A 2+2 grand tourer coupe produced by Maserati, the rare and exotic Sebring was introduced in 1962 and produced through 1968. Heavily based on the Maserati 3500, the Sebring was primarily aimed at the profitable American Gran Turismo market and received its name following the 1957 racing victory at the 12 Hour race. Joining the aggressive-looking Sebring was a single two-seat spyder in 1963 that never entered production, also built by Alfredo Vignale.

Debuted at Salon International de l'Auto in 1962 in prototype form, the world received its first glimpse of the Series I (Tipo AM 101/S), and then again at the Salone dell'automobile di Torino the following year in its definitive form. The hand-built Sebring was a roomy steel-bodied vehicle with a trunk and hood composed of aluminum that carried room in the rear for two smaller passengers. The Sebring design was a bit more angular than the 3500 and gave the vehicle a more compact look.

With an impressive top speed of 137 mph, the Sebring featured everything from the Maserati 3500, except for its coachwork, and could achieve 0-60 mph in just 8.5 seconds on 185x15 Pirelli Cinturato tires. New for the Italian cars, a Borg-Warner automatic transmission was offered for the first time. The standard Sebring was quite well equipped, but Maserati did offer many optional extras that included air conditioning, automatic transmission, tinted glass, a radio and special paintwork. Series 1 models left the factory with Pirelli Cinturato 205VR15 tires (CN72).

Between 1962 and 1965, a total of 348 Series 1 Sebring's were produced. In 1963 the engine was updated with an additional 15PS for a total of 235 PS (173 kW). The following year the 3700 engine was first introduced, though only a select few received this engine. All Maserati Sebrings were fitted with five-speed ZF gearboxes.

In 1965 the Maserati Sebring Series II (Tipo AM 101/10) debuted. The new model featured newly redesigned headlamps, updated more modern bumpers, new turn signals at the front and new side grilles that took the place of the lower extraction vents. The Series II took its design cues from the contemporary Quattroporte. The trunk lid opening was narrowed slightly, the bumpers were now more squared off, and the taillights were mounted horizontally instead of vertically. 245 Series II models were produced during its four-year production run, riding on larger 205x15 Pirelli Cinturatos. Powering the Series II was the 3500 engine, the 3700 engine with a lengthened stroke that enlarged its engine to 3,694 cc, and the even larger 4000 engine with a 4,012 cc engine that produced 255 PS (188 kW) at 5,200 rpm.

The Series II Sebring continued in production until 1968 when Maserati was forced to drop its older models from production. The last three years of the production run didn't have any major updates anyways except for a slight power increase for the 4000, now up to 265 PS. A total of 593 units were produced from 1962 through 1969, with 348 of the Sebring 3.5 and 245 of the 3.7 and 4.0 (combined).

The Sebring made it on Jeremy Clarkson's Top 100 Cars list as #77.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maserati_Sebring

http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/alfieri66x.htm

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/02/23/hemmings-find-of-the-day-1964-maserati-sebring/

by Jessican Donaldson