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 Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2024