Istorie
Giorgetto Giugiaro, a young designer who was determined to make his mark, penned the Ghibli in just three months. Coachwork was provided by Ghia. Rumor had it that Henry Ford paid $19,000 - an extravagant sum at the time - for the first Ghibli coupe imported to the U.S. and was so impressed that he even offered to buy the company.
Full description
The Maserati Ghibli was an Italian gran turismo produced from 1967 to 1973. Introduced at the Ghia stand at the 1966 Turin Auto Show, the exotic Maserati Ghibli turned the automotive design world on its head. Giorgetto Giugiaro, a young designer who was determined to make his mark, penned the Ghibli in just three months. Coachwork was provided by Ghia. The public and press swooned at the car’s handsome aerodynamic profile, and some declared it to be the most beautiful Maserati ever built.
Rumor had it that Henry Ford paid $19,000 - an extravagant sum at the time - for the first Ghibli coupe imported to the U.S. and was so impressed that he even offered to buy the company. While that may be pure speculation, what is known is that the Ghibli, aptly named for the hot Sahara winds, was a star attraction and prestigious acquisition from its introduction. Ghibli celebrity owners have included Jean-Paul Belmondo, Peter Sellers, and - in this particular car's case - Sammy Davis Jr.
Ghiblis share their underpinnings and mechanicals with the Mexico 2+2 coupe and Quattroporte sedan, and power came from a dry-sump 4.7-liter V8. The engine breathed through four Weber carburetors, produced 330 horsepower, and was mated either to a ZF five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. Top speed was rated at 241 km/h, with 0-100 km/h coming in just over 6 seconds.
The Ghibli benefitted from four-wheel disc brakes, with double wishbone suspension, coil springs and an anti-roll bar up front, and leaf springs and an anti-roll bar in the back. With a curb weight of 1640 kilograms, it was no lightweight, but no one ever seemed to lament a lack of performance.
In 1969 Maserati unveiled the Ghibli SS, which carried the same powerplant, but enlarged to 4.9 liters. Horsepower was bumped up accordingly, to 335, and the SS topped out at 280 km/h, making the car the fastest production Maserati. Also available in 1969 was the Ghibli Spyder and SS Spyder. Mechanically, each was identical to the coupe on which it was based, but while the hard top car was a 2+2, the Spyders were strictly two-seaters. A factory hard top was available, though only a handful were ordered so equipped.
In 1973, the Ghibli's final year of production, only SS variants were offered. When the model gave way to its Khamsin successor, a total of 1,149 coupes had been built and only 125 Spiders.
This Ghibli was originally purchased new by the famous entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. The car has won the prize for best italian sports car at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The car has 47,899 km on board.
