1969 Maserati Ghibli

Chassis No. AM115 744
Engine No. AM115 744

Maserati's V8 powered Ghibli arrived in concept form for the 1966 Turin Motor Show, its wedge styling indicative of the future of sports car design and penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro while he was at Ghia. Initially offered with the quad cam 4.7-liter AM115 V8 coupled with either a five-speed ZF manual transmission or an optional three-speed automatic, for 1969 a slightly larger displacement 4.9-liter SS model was introduced.

Contemporary reports considered the Ghibli very much the equal of Ferrari's 12-cylinder 365 GTB/4 Daytona, and indeed, the Ghibli's list price was only around $1,000 shy of the Daytona's. Despite similar production numbers — in fact, the Ghibli Coupe is rarer than the Daytona — the Ghibli remains a relative bargain in today's collector car market.

This stunning Ghibli is a 1969 4.7-liter Coupe retaining its original matching numbers engine and equipped as delivered with the preferred ZF five-speed manual gearbox, while additionally being fitted with power steering and air conditioning. Documentation on file from Maserati confirms that it was originally delivered in the Munich, Germany area, and a German ID tag remains affixed in the engine bay to this day. By the late 1980s the Ghibli was in Saudi Arabia in a somewhat deteriorated condition, where it was discovered by J. Ferrell Carraway.

According to the Ghibli Registry, chassis 744 was painstakingly restored under Carraway's ownership during 1989-90 by marque specialists Carrozzeria Autosport srl in Bologna, Italy, who performed a comprehensive mechanical overhaul in addition to tending to body and paintwork in the car's delightful livery of Midnight Blue. The Ghibli was subsequently returned to the United States and displayed at the Concorso Italiano in 1995, additionally appearing in a feature article in the Viale Ciro Menotti club publication. It is understood to have been driven approximately 5,000 miles over the next 25 or so years, before being entrusted in 2017 to Vantage Motors of Stamford, CT for additional mechanical freshening amounting to nearly $10,000, notably including overhauls of the front and rear suspension. Most recently, in January 2022 the Ghibli returned to Vantage Motors for servicing, which included bleeding the clutch and brake systems and recharging the A/C system in addition to normal maintenance.

Cosmetically, the Midnight Blue paintwork beautifully captures the essence of Giugiaro's sleek lines, a rarely seen and undeniably attractive color on a Ghibli. Today, the Ghibli's body and paint still show extremely well, belying the age of its restoration, while its tan colored upholstery is showing its age. During a recent short test drive, the Ghibli started easily, made great noises and pulled confidently with the effortless torque and smooth power for which Maserati's V8 engines are known. Offered with a jack, tool kit, and spare wheel, this Ghibli is an especially enticing example of the model, and would be a thrilling addition to any collection of thoroughbred European sports cars.