One of my favorite cars, and I’ve owned two of them, was the Ferrari Daytona. I was invited to ride in one when I was 13 years old and it immediately became my dream car.
Later, while delivering on my expectations in many ways, I also discovered shortcomings and could never decide if the Daytona was a sports car or a grand touring car. It had the size of a GT but some of the elements of a sports car, among them manual steering, which was extremely heavy while in stop-and-go or parking lot traffic. The Daytona was great at high speeds, but a physical handful in daily driving.
I replaced the second Daytona with a car that did much of what the Daytona did, but with more luxury and comfort as a true GT. It was still quite fast when pushed, but was a much more livable vehicle. That car was a Maserati Ghibli.
The Maserati Ghibli was introduced in 1966 at the Turin Motor Show as a 2-seat concept car. It was designed by Giugiaro and powered by the front-mounted Maserati 4.7-liter 4-cam V8 engine with 306 horsepower and a 5-speed manual gearbox, giving it a strong for the era 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. Maserati also released a higher-performance version of the Ghibli called the Ghibli SS. The SS had a 4.9-liter engine with 330 horsepower and a top speed of 174 mph, putting it firmly in the Daytonas performance category. Maserati would build only 425 examples of the Ghibli SS.
The Pick of the Day is a 1971 Maserati Ghibli SS finished in Red paint with an off-white leather interior.
According to the Pontiac, Michigan, dealer offing this car in an advertisement on ClassicCars.com, it has been under the care of the same owner since 1988.
The dealer notes that after a few years of ownership, the Ghibli was placed in the hands of Personalized Automotive Services of Kenosha, Wisconsin for a full restoration.
As an added bonus, this Ghibli SS was factory-equipped with air conditioning. The dealer adds that the car is completely numbers matching, something quite important for a car of this type.
The best part about the Ghibli is the price. The price for a Ferrari Daytona starts at around $450,000 and this 1971 Ghibli SS is being offered for $215,000, making it one of the few bargains for higher-end Italian GT cars.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Very, very, VERY sweet, but 200 grand sweet???? nope.
Andy,
Thank you for a most interesting article, and write up on this Maserati. It’s a beautiful car! My question for you is, having owned many cars, do you think I should trade my 599 GTB for this red Ghibli ??
Sir- is this the model referenced in Joe Walsh’s song “Life’s Been Good”?
“My Maserati does 185,
I lost my license, now I don’t drive…”
Love the look, the color combination, and anything with a Trident not done by Chrysler is worthy.
But the only vintage Maserati I can imagine being capable of 185 is the Birdcage owned by the Speedway Museum in Indianapolis… if you haven’t been, multiple times, well. Not a real car guy, are ya?
Sorry, Indy born and bred. Catholics have Rome, Muslims have Mecca and Medina, Hindus have the Ganges.
Folk from ‘Nap have the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, the icing on the 2.5 mile rect-oval that still holds a section of the original brick surface.
Had an unbroken streak of attendance from 1963 (my first, I was 4) until 1978, the year I graduated and joined the USAF. And came back, over and over- flew 14,000 miles each way from Riyadh, capital of the Kingdom, first class on KLM when I was a military advisor in the early ’80’s. The money meant nothing, seeing the parade, the balloons, hearing Jim Nabors do it yet again, then the howling screaming land missiles do what they do. Yeah, I am an addict. Not a big fan of the Dallara/GM/Honda “spec car” thing, as I love the run what ya brung, nitrous in the frame tubes/turbine powered past. Jeez-us wept, Indy used to bring out the most creative insane cheatin’ lyin’ Smokey Yunicks in everydamnbody. And Sullivan, 360° at 180+, wins. Art Pollard, Swede Savage- gave all and more. When the Swede hit the wall, I was on pit row; as a member of Harvey Gill’s Indianapolis Boy Scout Band, we had VIP access; my Dad and Uncle raced dirt/sprint cars and were friends of the Kinsers, so I was a golden boy. I watched the tire try to achieve orbit, felt the impact in my feet, and knew from the fireball that Indy just took another.
Lighter note, I’ve seen Helio climb the fence in person, every time, and met- and helped detail all four cars- AJ Foyt multiple times. Ya, he’s often coarse and blunt, but he’s also the first 4 time winner, a real gentleman, cares for his drivers and team as his own children- he donated all four of his winning cars to the IMS museum, the display is kinda a shrine- and the man can tell stories of Indy and legendary drivers from history better than any stage comedian. At the Banquet, when AJ gets on the mic, even drinkers don’t touch their beers. (Do ya know about Lloyd Ruby? Or the “Joe Hunt Magneto Special”, that used a stock block Chevy and marine, over transom boat headers to attempt qualification? Know the real story about the nitrous charged frame, and it’s discovery?)
AJ tells you something ’bout Indy, it’s Gospel. He was there, did and done, knew, knows, and outlived all the players. Go see that man speak, if you haven’t (you haven’t?! not a car guy, huh?), cuz he’s old, and his passing will knock a hole in Indy that won’t ever be filled. Same same Mario Andretti, Indy/LeMans/ F1… Legends.
But what was Walsh singing about?
What?!