Maxim Vintage Car Shopper: 1971 Maserati Ghibli Coupe

We found a stupendous example of a jet set icon in Queens.

The Year: 1970

The Model: Maserati Ghibli

The Drivetrain: A 310-horsepower, 4.7-liter V8 that gets its power to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.

Favorite Five Points:

1.    Behind the iconic Jaguar E-Type and radical Lamborghini Miura, the Maserati Ghibli is our favorite sports car shape of the ’60s. It’s sinfully low, wholly sweet, and breathtakingly seductive.

2.    The burly V8 sounds like, well, a burly V8. Instead of a shrieking tenor, the Ghibli sounds more akin to a super-refined small-block Chevy. Listen.

3.    The Maserati trident-themed alloy wheels are incredibly special.

4.    The power delivery of a Ghibli—in tune with the rest of this extravagant grand tourer—is relaxed. The engine is a detuned Maserati race engine from the 1950’s, and is quite reliable as far as mid-century Italian lumps go.

5.    The classic wood steering wheel is light and beautiful, which is why so many people have installed knock-offs in their Jaguars and Mercedes.

Quirks:

–       The car looks solid, but the seller mentions is could use some cosmetic work. With a car this beautiful, it would be a crime to keep it looking anything less than perfect.

–       Maintenance is crucial, but this is a one-owner car, so questions about verified maintenance are more likely to find good answers.

Good Buy?

            The seller hasn’t listed the price, so we can’t speak to that. However, as an example of a increasingly rare and expensive Italian car from the golden age of grand touring, this lustrous burgundy beast is well worth your review. If the price is good, and the maintenance verified, we would sign any and everything to secure this icon of mid-century, trans-continental indulgence.  Find it here on Hemmings.