Cars, Maserati, Vintage Cars

1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder

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Created by Maserati, a pioneer in luxury Italian car manufacturing, the 1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder debuted at the 1966 Turin Motor Show with every intent of stealing the show. At the time, this two-seater coupe with a V-8 became the most sought after Maserati vehicle since the 1950’s when the automaker left the racing circuit. It proved its popularity by outselling both the Ferrari Daytona and the Lamborghini Miura.

Whether it was the shark inspired nose or the steel body, the car’s design from Giorgetto Giugiaro most certainly turned heads. Internally, the 1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder was powered by a 330 horsepower V-8 engine that could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 154 mph. The car also had two fuel tanks that could be filled from either side of the roof pillars. As for the transmission, the Ghibli spyder came in either a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic.

To finish off its classic look, the 1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder featured sports seats covered in leather, attractive pop-up headlights, and alloy wheels. Although it went out of production in 1973, the Ghibli Spyder continues to catch the attention of collectors and those looking to relive their youth.

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Concept Cars, Maserati

Maserati Kubang SUV Concept

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The Frankfurt motor show this year brought in the CEO from Fiat and the Chairman of Ferrari. The reason is because Maserati revealed their new concept SUV, the Kubang. This SUV will use the same underpinnings as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, although it’s not likely that owners of this luxury SUV will be taking it off-road.

The Maserati Kubang will start on one of the best known frames and then add an eight-speed automatic transmission. The exact vehicle specifications have not been released to the public yet but it is going to be a combination created by Ferrari and Chrysler. Finishing off this handsome SUV is a front that is unmistakably Maserati and a rear end that resembles comparable SUV’s in its class.

The Kubang originally made its appearance at the 2003 Auto Show in Detroit, MI although this concept vehicle never made it to the production lines. The revamped, family-friendly vehicle is more production-based and therefore, is more likely to be the next production automobile born to the Maserati family of vehicles.

For the skeptics that believe it will be impossible for Maserati to keep with their luxury atmosphere and the driving experience from their other vehicles, you may be surprised. Maserati has made the following claim regarding the Kubang’s “style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance will all be 100 percent Maserati in picture-perfect continuity with the brand’s core values of sportiness, style, elegance, luxury, performance and craftsmanship.” Not much is known about the inner workings of this superb vehicle, but much speculation surrounds it.

Since Maserati is borrowing the chassis from their sister company, Jeep, there has been much speculation surrounding where this vehicle will be manufactured. Many in the automotive industry feel that it is going to be produced in Detroit, at the same plant as other Chrysler products. Until more is known about this luxury SUV, the speculation will continue.

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Cars, Maserati, Vintage Cars

1956 Maserati 3500 GT

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The year of 1956 was a tough one in the racing for Maserati. It was so disastrous that the company needed to make money in the area of commercial sales in order to avoid receivership for the entire company. This is the year the 3500 GT was born. Not only was this vehicle a success for the 1956 year, it has been the best-selling vehicle Maserati has ever made.

On the outside, this vehicle appeared no different than any other touring car being put out in the era. Under the hood was traditional Maserati: with a twin-cam engine with three carbs and 6-cylinders. The suspension was no different than other vehicles of the time, with coil-overs in the front and leaf springs in the rear. The braking system consisted of standard drums. The frame was constructed of a durable tubular metal.

The initial model was handsome, no doubt, but there were a few problems in the initial design. First, the gearbox, which was four-speed, was nothing but trouble. Over time, the four-speed gearbox was replaced with a five-speed ZF model. That took care of one problem. The other problem was the fuel injection system never worked for any period of time.

This Maserati was more readily accessible to consumers who were not super-rich. This set the 2500 GT apart from other foreign sports cars. In 1956, one of these beauties sold for $11,400 – which is equivalent to $70,000 today. Although these vehicles were rather pricey, they do not hold their value.  The current owner of a ’56 3500 GT will be a person who loves it rather than someone who is trying to show how much money they have.

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