The elegance of a sedan
3500 GT Spyder (1959 – 1964)
3500 GT Spyder
3500 GT Spyder
1959 – 1964
After designing the 3500 GT, Maserati’s first grand tourer ever, Touring showcased a convertible prototype at the 1958 Turin Motor Show. But the very first spyder to go into production was an open-top version designed by Giovanni Michelotti, the leading stylist at the renowned coachbuilders Vignale: it was the spectacular 3500 GT Spyder, launched at the 1959 Paris Motor Show. No wonder it was immediately described by journalists as a “rolling work of art”. It had a steel body, but the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid were in light alloy. The grille design was slightly more angular and geometric.
Mistral Spyder (1964 – 1969)
Mistral Spyder
Mistral Spyder
1964 – 1969
As convertible cars go, the Mistral Spyder was the successor to the 3500 GT Spyder, presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1964. Again, Giovanni Michelotti found a way to enhance the Mistral’s already elegant design, without losing character, even when the distinctive glass surfaces got removed. Just like the 3500 GT Spyder, the body – built by Vignale in Turin – was made of steel, while the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid were in light alloy. 125 Mistral Spyders were produced and today they are among the rarest and most sought-after classic Maserati grand touring cars.
Ghibli Spyder (1969 – 1973)
Ghibli Spyder
Ghibli Spyder
1969 – 1973
Launched at the 1968 Turin Motor Show, the 2-seat Giugiaro-designed Ghibli Spyder was a particularly refined take on the original model. Its fabric top folded under a flush fitting tonneau cover behind the seats and could be raised or lowered in a handful of minutes. In production through 1973, only 125 Ghibli Spyders were built: 45 of them were Ghibli SS Spyders, equipped with the more powerful 4.9-litre V8 engine that had made the Ghibli SS the fastest Maserati road car ever produced, with its top speed of 280 km/h. The Ghibli SS Spyder is to this day among the most prized Maserati car by Modena enthusiasts for its rarity and powerful performance.
Spyder (2001 – 2007)
Spyder
Spyder
2001 – 2007
From 2001 to 2007, Maserati produced a series of grand touring cars named Coupé and Spyder that ran the same systems in terms of equipment and technology. As these names were too broad, the Coupé and the Spyder are often referred to as 4200 GT. Unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2001, the Spyder was still designed by Giorgietto Giugiaro and borrowed heavily from one of his earlier designs, the 3200 GT. Under the bonnet though it had a new 4.2-litre V8 engine: this marked the beginning of a long collaboration with renowned group partner Ferrari.
GranSport Spyder (2004 – 2007)
GranSport Spyder
GranSport Spyder
2004 – 2007
A sportier version of the Coupé was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2004: its name, Maserati GranSport, came from one of the greatest names of its motoring history and was a clear indication of the enhanced dynamicity and sportiness of that car. One year later, at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, an open-top version was unveiled, the GranSport Spyder. Along with improved suspensions, a new grille and a sportier interior, new engine modifications brought the power up to 400 hp, a top speed of 290 km/h and an acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in 4.95 seconds.
