1971 Maserati Ghibli

The Maserati Ghibli was introduced in 1966 at the Turin Italy Automobile Show and wore styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro while working for Ghia while the mechanical aspects were handled by Maserati's chief engineer, Giulio Alfieri. It was named after a hot wind blowing across the Sahara Desert. Production began with a fastback coupe in April of 1967 with a Spyder joining in 1969. The 4,719cc V8 engine with dry-sump lubrication and two chain-driven camshafts per cylinder bank produced just over 300 horsepower. The dry-sump lubrication enabled the engine to be mounted deep in the chassis, allowing a low bonnet line, while limited suspension travel ensured the tires did not rub the wheel arches. The styling was long and low, with a razor-edge design that was both refined and brutal. It had a steeply raked windscreen, a chopped-off tail, and a lower cabin height than most of its contemporaries, giving it a low center of gravity, albeit restricted headroom for rear passengers.

The Ghibli could sprint from zero-to-sixty mph in 6.8 seconds and had a top speed approaching 170 mph, putting it in similar territory to the Lamborghini Miura and Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. The engine could be backed by either a five-speed ZF manual transmission or a three-speed Borg-Warner automatic. The tubular frame was derived from those of the Maserati Mexico and the Quattroporte sedan, and like its predecessors had a live rear axle. Instead of the more complex suspension design used by its rivals, the Ghibli received leaf springs and a single locating arm. It rode on alloy wheels or the optional Borrani wire wheels, had disappearing headlamps, and leather sports seats.

The Spyders had two seats while the coupes had a 2+2 configuration, although the rear two seats consisted of nothing more than a cushion without a backrest.

In 1969, Maserati introduced the SS version powered by a new engine that had a larger stroke resulting in a 4,930cc, 330 horsepower, and 355 lb-ft of torque. From a standstill, the Ghibli could now reach 100 mph in just 16 seconds and had a top speed of 170. Maserati described the SS version as 'powerful and ultra-fast, smooth and dependable, modern and efficient.'

The exotic styling and mid-front-engine placement, exclusive production numbers, predictable drivability at high speeds, forgiving handling characteristics, low center of gravity, and near-perfect weight distribution made it among the finest supercars of its era.

The total production reached 1,149 2+2 coupes and 125 Spyders (including 45 Spyder SS models).

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe

The original Maserati Ghibli is a two-door, two-seater coupe released by Maserati in 1967. The V-8 powered Ghibli was the most popular Maserati vehicle since the automaker withdrew from racing in the 1950's, and it outsold its two biggest rivals, the Ferrari Daytona and the Lamborghini Miura. It debuted at the 1966 Turin Motor Show.

The Ghibli's steel body, renowned for its low, shark-shaped nose, was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The car was powered by a front-placed quad-cam 330 horsepower V-8 engine. It had a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 6.8 seconds, a top speed of 154 mph, and could be operated by either a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. Maserati fitted the car with two fuel tanks which could be filled via flaps on either side of the roof pillars.

The car also featured pop-up headlamps, leather sport seats and alloy wheels. The Ghibli went out of production in 1973 and found a successor the following year with the Bertone-designed Khamsin.

In all, 1,149 Coupes, 125 Spyders and 25 Spyder SS models were produced.

Coupe
Chassis number: 1115-492162

This Maserati Ghibli coupe, in traditional red over tan, was originally delivered to Fred Taylor Rolls-Royce in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Ghibli's body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro when an employee of Ghia. Its engine was a front-mounted V8 with four overhead cams that produced 330 horsepower. Its dry-sump lubrication system was one element of the car that recalled Maserati's great racing heritage. It allowed the engine to be mounted low in the chassis, facilitating a low hood line.

Coupe
Chassis number: AM.115.49.2248

Fresh from a comprehensive restoration from 2011-2012, AM.115.49.2248 made its Concours debut at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. It is finished in Celeste Chiaro/Nero livery (as when new). During the restoration, the car was stripped down to bare metal. It was revealed that the car had been painted four different colors over the years, all of which were available from Maserati in 1971 Most were fastback coupes, but 125 were Spiders (convertibles). Named for the hot, dry wind that blows across the Libyan Desert, the Ghibli was 181 inches long on a 100-inch wheelbase. Only 46 inches high, the sleek and curvy yet aggressive two-seat body has a long nose with flip-up headlights. Powered by a V8, double overhead camshafts with a 301 cubic-inch engine capable of 330 - 355 horsepower it has a top speed of at least 160 mph.

Convertible
Chassis number: AM 115/S.49 1259
Engine number: 1259

The Maserati Ghibli was introduced at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. Its beautiful design was courtesy of Giorgetto Giugiaro and featured long, razor-edges that were both brutal and refined. Equally impressive was the 4.7-liter four-cam 90-degree aluminum V-8 engine that gave the car a top speed in the neighborhood of 170 mph.

A Spyder version followed in 1969 and a year later, the Maserati 4.9 SS variant became available. It came with an increased power of 335 horsepower, making it possible to reach 100 mph in just 16 seconds and capable of 174 mph top speed.

Of the approximately 1,275 Ghiblis built, just 125 were Spyders. Of those, only 46 Spyders were fitted with the larger 4.9-liter engine.

This Ghibli 4.9 SS Spyder was ordered on February 1st of 1971 by Mario Tozzi-Condivi of MTC Cars Ltd. on behalf of William Benjamin. The majority of the 125 Ghibli Spyders were exported to the United States, this example, however, was a European-specification example which was sent to Mr. Benjamin's villa in Antibes, France.

The Spyder came witted with several 'extras' including the dashboard and transmission tunnel covered in Connolly leather, an air-conditioning system, power steering, a manual gearbox, a Becker radio with electric antenna, twin speakers, overtaking lights in the front grille, Borrani wire wheels, a hardtop and fitted luggage. It was also fitted in Verde Gemma over a Senape interior. The final build invoice totaled $16,590 and, when delivered, the car cost an astounding $17,792.

On May 12, 1971, Maserati issued the Certificate of Origin. Six days later, Mr. Benjamin traveled to Modena and collected his $17,000 Maserati. The following month, Mr. Benjamin wrote to the factory complaining of various faults with his new car A factory driver picked the car up in Antibes and returned it to Modena where it received the requested work, some of which was not covered by the guarantee and therefore invoiced directly to Mr. Benjamin.

Mr. Benjamin is known to have owned the car for just a few years. Around 1978, Sander Van der Velden in Tilburg, Netherlands, purchased the car from a Porsche dealer in nearby Eindhoven. A short time later, the car was sent back to Italy where it was repainted in burgundy and partially re-trimmed. After refurbishment, the 4.9 SS Spyder was shown at the Zandvoort Concours d'Elegance where it won an award.

In 1983, the car was sold to F.W. Overlander in West Germany. It remained there for a few years until being sold to Swiss collector Wolfgang von Schmieder of Blonay and later Cologny, Switzerland. A record from Herr von Schmieder's ownership dated June 6, 1987, noted mileage at just 80,168 km, slightly less than 50,000 miles.

In March of 2001, the von Schmieder collection was sold and purchased by another Swiss buyer in Geneva. The Ghibli was brought to storage in Bern where it saw little or no use.

Two years later, the Ghibli was bought by Ian F. Wade of Hong Kong, although the car remained in storage in Bern. The car was sold three years later to Simon Kidston of Geneva. While in Mr. Kidston's care, the car received a complete, eight-month restoration. Upon completion, the car was shown at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2007 and then participated in the Ecosse Tour through Scotland.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was estimated to sell for $700,000 - $900,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $880,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: AM 115/49 2152

Maserati introduced their Ghibli at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. When it entered production, it soon outsold its two biggest rivals, the Ferrari Daytona and the Lamborghini Miura. The Ghibli wore a design courtesy of Giorgetto Giugiaro, who was working at Ghia. It was low, with a tubular steel chassis and measured 6 feet wide and 15 feet long. The back swept back form a low full-width grille with pop-headlights to a steeply angled windshield and fastback roof with a Kamm tail. The GT was given a five-speed ZF manual gearbox, twin 13-gallon fuel tanks (good for 300 mile range), leather upholstery, electric windows, reclining seats with head rests, a heated rear windscreen, air conditioning, and an adjustable steering column.

An updated model known as the SS was offered from 1969 to 1973. Power came from an engine with a new dry sump design, which had been devised in order to accommodate the low hood line of the sleek coupe. The 4.9-liter V8 engine offered 335 horsepower and could carry the car to a top speed of 170 mph. Braking was managed by two twin-servo assisted ventilated disc brakes with three pistons per caliper.

The current owner has owned this example for 38 years. He acquired it through a broker in Orlando, Florida in 1976. At the time, the odometer showed 35,000 miles. The new owner drove it regularly for about 12,000 miles until 1979. After that it was put into storage prior to being given a lengthy restoration. The car was completely rebuilt mechanically, with the engine and transmission overhauled by an Italian automobile specialist in the late 1980s. Work was done to the suspension, brakes, and steering. A new exhaust was fitted, and the Campagnolo alloy wheels were polished around that time as well.

The silver blue exterior color was changed to Maserati Red. The white leather interior was reupholstered in a saddle tan color, with Connolly hides shipped from London. The car was re-wired, and the original Blaupunkt radio was rebuilt.

The car rides on the correct Michelin XWX tires. The restoration work was completed in 2011 and since that time the car has been driven about 600 miles.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible
Chassis number: AM115S491237

Even more sensational than the Ghibli coupe was the handsome Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Ghibli Spyder, launched in 1969 and a direct rival of the Ferrari Daytona Spyder. Ghibli production ended in 1973 after 1149 coupes and only 125 Spyders had been built. Of the latter, probably no more than 40 had the larger 4.9-liter 355 horsepower SS engine - a 4-cam, dry sump V8 first seen on the street in the 5000GT - most of these went for export to the USA.

Convertible
Chassis number: AM115/100 221

The Maserati Ghibli, named for the Arabian desert wind, was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Ghia. With the factory label Tipo AM 115, the original Ghibli (there have been three series) was a two-door, V8 grand tourer with a 4.7-liter engine. The Ghibli was produced from 1967 until 1973, and the SS Spyder was introduced in 1969 with a 4.9-liter engine and a top speed of 174 mph - the fastest Maserati road car at the time. Maserati built 125 Spyders, and this car is one of just 25 SS. The current owner acquired the car in 2023 after it had undergone a rigorous restoration researched and documented by Dr. Aldolfo Orsi Jr.

Convertible

The ultimate Ghibli - a left-hand-drive 4.9 SS Spider that left the factory with a five-speed ZF gearbox and power steering. It was given a five-year restoration by Maserati specialist Martin Loge. It was awarded First in Class at the Concorso Italiano and Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance. It was delivered with a hardtop, fitted luggage, books, tools, and Maserati Classiche documentation.

Convertible
Chassis number: AM115S/49 1239
Engine number: AM115/49S 1239

This Maserati is one of 45 examples fitted with the 4.9-liter SS engine and one of 128 with Spyder coachwork. Additionally, it is one of around 30 SS Spyders specified for the U.S., of which 24 examples received a manual gearbox.

The Maserati Ghibli was introduced in 1966 at the Turin Motor Show and equipped with a new 4.7-liter dry-sump V8 engine that developed 310 horsepower. The low and wide aerodynamic coupe bodywork was penned by Ghia's Giorgetto Giugiaro, and featured a raked windshield, a sweeping fastback rear end, and pop-up headlamps. An open-top version was debuted on Ghia's stand at the 1968 Turin Motor Show.

The uprated 4.9 SS engine specification arrived in 1969 with an increased displacement of 4,930 cubic centimeters and was aspirated by larger Weber 42 DCNF/11 carburetors, boosting output to 355 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque.

This Maserati Spyder was completed in February 1971 and equipped with a 4.9-liter SS engine and a manual gearbox. It wore a Rosso Fuoco (fire red) paint with a Nero leather interior. It was distributed new to a dealer in West Nyack, New York, and presumably remained in American ownership for the ensuing 40 years.

A collector in New York owned the car by March 2012, and four years later, it was purchased by its current caretaker. It currently wears a restoration that appears to have been performed in the not-too-distant past.

by Dan Vaughan

The Maserati Ghibli was put into production in 1967 but it was the prior year at the Turin Auto Show where it made its debut. The 2+2 coupe body was designed by Giugiaro, an employee for the Ghia design studio. The headlights were pop-up configuration adding to the sleek and aerodynamic design. Powered by a 4.7-liter eight-cylinder engine, the vehicle produced 340 horsepower. The rear suspension was comprised of a live axle with leaf springs and an anti-roll bar while the front used an independent suspension with double wishbones and coil springs plus an anti-roll bar. The Ghibli sat atop a Mexico chassis that had been shortened and received increased stiffness and rigidity. Ventilated disc brakes were placed on all four corners and a five-speed manual gearbox helped send power to the rear wheels. In 1968 a three-speed automatic was offered as optional equipment.

In 1968 a convertible was offered, also designed by Ghia. To add to the versatility, a hard-top was offered on the convertible, making the vehicle suitable in all types of weather and driving conditions.

In 1970 the Ghbli SS was introduced featuring a 4.9-liter engine capable of producing nearly 360 horsepower.

During the production lifespan, ending in 1973, 1149 Coupes were produced. Only a very small number of convertibles were created, adding to the exclusivity. 125 Spyders and 25 Spyder SS models were created.

by Dan Vaughan

Maserati has lately reinvented its presence in the U.S. market. After being driven out in the very early 1990's by pitifully slow sales of the underappreciated Biturbo, Maserati made a return to the U.S. for 2003. It brought with it an entirely revamped product line consisting of some phenomenal cars. Fast forward to now, and Maserati had just released a beautiful new coupe, the GranTurismo. Its name may not be the most creative or interesting label for what is, after all, a grand touring car, but its message is clear: Maserati is back, and it hasn't forgotten its roots.

While many would argue that Maserati's real roots were in racing cars, the fact is that the company never achieved real success as a production car manufacturer until it turned its efforts toward producing stunning GT automobiles. The Ghibli was one of those spectacular machines.

That's not to say that the Ghibli was a mere gentleman's luxury car as some GT vehicles were. For as superb and smooth a GT as it was, the Ghibli's design was teeming with racing heritage. Its engine was a perfect example. Derived from the V8 powering the successful 450 S racecar, the 4.7L V8 in the Ghibli had a good compression ratio of 8.5:1 and was fed by a quartet of Weber carbs. Its most impressive feature had nothing to do with compression or carburetion, though, but with its advanced lubricating system.

The Ghibli's V8 employed dry-sump lubrication. As opposed to the traditional wet sump that stores oil in a pan beneath the engine, dry-sump systems use a separate reservoir to hold oil, from where it is pumped into the engine for lubrication and then recirculated back into the reservoir. This design, popular on racing cars of the era and even today used almost exclusively in high-performance applications, gave many advantages. First, and perhaps most important to the Ghibli's menacing shape, was its allowance for an engine with as little vertical height as possible. With no need for an oil sump beneath the engine, the Ghibli's motor could be lowered in the car's frame to allow for a low center of gravity and, of course, the car's mean, low hoodline. Dry-sump lubrication also prevented oil starvation and provided better oil cooling, making the Ghibli's engine comfortable on any track.

The impressive V8 coupled to a ZF five-speed gearbox of equal quality. This team fed a limited-slip differential, which supplied power to the rear Campagnolo mags with ferocity. Though wire wheels were also available, the Campagnolos seemed a better choice with their light weight and nice design that complemented the Ghibli‘s shape.

Performance figures were staggering. From a standstill, the Ghibli could achieve 60mph in a scant 6.4 seconds. The quarter mile passed in 14.5 seconds. When the Ghibli SS was introduced in 1970 with an updated 4.9L V8 producing 335hp, this Maserati became capable of reaching incredible speeds. The Ghibli SS could reportedly exceed 280 kilometers per hour. Converted to a measurement we can fathom, that meant over 170mph. That type of speed was unreal in 1970, and it turned the Ghibli, which was named after a rapid wind, into a legend more than capable of living up to its label.

The Ghibli's imposing posture was the work of one of Italy's most prolific car designers, Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Ghia badge adorning the Ghibli's body designated the design house for which Giugiaro was then working, Carrozzeria Ghia. Giugiaro had a hand in styling some of history's best remembered cars, and the Ghibli's shape continues to impress today.

Pop-up lights and the dry-sump allowed for a low hood and an imposing frontal aspect featuring a wide grille of black mesh with the trident standing proudly at its center. The windshield's aggressive rake continued the theme, and it swept up to a low roof (the Ghibli stood just 45 inches tall). That roof was tilted towards the rear of the car, and it met the backlight seamlessly where it continued its downward slope to endow the car with a clean fastback shape. The rear was finished with a tight Kamm tail.

A convertible version of the Ghibli was also produced. Called the Spyder, it was made in much smaller numbers. With its sloping trunk lid, the Spyder was able to carry on the theme of the Ghibli's design successfully without the use of a fastback.

Not to leave anyone fooled by the sweeping lines and motorsport-inspired powertrain and drivetrain, the Ghibli's sumptuous interior reminded that this really was a GT car. With a generous trunk and comfortable seats, the Ghibli was set to erase miles quickly on the open road.

Throughout its production run from 1967 to 1973, the Ghibli proved itself worthy of the trident badge. It was a well-engineered machine clothed in fine Italian style, and it is remembered today as one of the finest road-going Maseratis ever produced. A success for its parent company, 1,149 Ghibli coupes were produced along with 125 Spyders. The relatively high production numbers once made Ghiblis easy to pick up for reasonable prices. Collectors are catching on, though, and values are on the rise. These stunning Maseratis are sure to be remembered as one of the company's greatest achievements.

Factual information in this article supplied by http://www.thecarnut.com/ and http://www.qv500.com/. The site http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/ also supplied helpful information, and is an excellent source for the histories of all Maserati models.

by Evan Acuña