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The Greatest Maserati's










Sold for $764,500 on August 16, 2014


220 hp, 3,485 cc DOHC six-cylinder engine
with triple Weber 42 DCOE carburetors, ZF
five-speed manual gearbox, independent front
suspension with coil springs, double wishbones,
and an anti-roll bar, rigid rear axle with radius
arms and semi-elliptic leaf springs, and
hydraulic front disc and rear drum brakes.
Wheelbase: 100 in.

1962 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by Vignale

The Maserati 3500 GT, launched at the 1957 Geneva Salon, was designed by chief engineer Giulio Alfieri and was essentially developed from the company’s first street car, the AG6 of 1946, which was offered only as a rolling chassis and was bodied by numerous exotic coachbuilders. It is a testament to the chassis design that continued to evolve through the 1960s and ultimately powered the Sebring and Mistral. In its 3500 GT form, the twin-plug, 3.5-liter inline-six could carry its passengers upwards of 140 mph, which was an impressive figure for the era.

One of only 242 Vignale 3500 GT/GTi Spyders
No-expense-spared restoration by marque specialists
Fitted with desirable wire wheels and triple Weber carburetors
Strikingly beautiful in its original Argento Luna over dark blue leather

The best possible components went into the 3500 GT, including a ZF all-synchro four-speed gearbox, a Salisbury axle, Alford and Adler front suspension, and Girling brakes. Mechanical developments were steady throughout production, with a five-speed ZF gearbox made optional in 1960 and then standardized the next year. Massive Alfin drum brakes were offered until 1959, when three key options were added, which were front disc brakes, center-lock Borrani wire wheels, and a limited-slip differential. Lucas mechanical fuel injection was added in 1961.

The rarest factory iteration of the 3500 GT was the spyder, which was bodied by Alfredo Vignale on a slightly shortened 100-inch wheelbase chassis. The car offered here is an excellent, original, straight, rust-free example of that rarity, and it has been treated to a recent no-expense-spared restoration by a well-known marque specialist in Southern California. The body was refinished in its original color of Argento Luna (Silver Moon), and the interior featured elegant dark blue leather, a comprehensively instrumented dashboard, light grey carpet, and a new black top.