The Maserati 3500 GT
Enthusiasts of the Trident marque owe an awful lot to the 3500 GT. Before the handsome Gran Turismo was revealed in 1957, Maserati was in quite the financial predicament. In spite of a stellar year of motorsport in which Juan Manuel Fangio had won the Formula 1 World Championship of Drivers with the sensational 250F monoposto, problems were afoot.
Political unrest had gripped Argentina, a country in which Maserati’s parent company had heavily invested, and the history-steeped marque’s wealth was drying up, fast. Reluctantly, Maserati withdrew from all its factory motorsport activities.
An elegant, luxurious and, more importantly, higher-volume Gran Turismo was seen as the solution to the problem. Designed by chief engineer Giulio Alfieri, the resulting 3500 GT utilised the 3.5-litre twin-spark six-cylinder engine from the dizzyingly beautiful 350S sports-racing prototype, modified with wet-sump lubrication and tuned to be more tractable and refined for road use.
The high-waisted bodywork was the work of Touring, which employed its signature Superleggera lightweight construction technique. It’s a graceful yet understated design, which embodies the romance and allure of the classic Italian Gran Turismo.
The Maserati 3500 GT drives just as you’d imagine of a 1960s Gran Turismo. There are oodles of torque-laden power from that race-bred straight-six, which encourages you to rev it out. The cabin is a gloriously airy and relaxed place to sit, with that sculpted dash and delicate yet easily legible dials complementing the view ahead over the long and imposing bonnet.
“The Touring Superleggera body is a graceful yet understated design, which embodies the romance and allure of the classic Italian Gran Turismo.”
It’s a softly sprung car, but you can feel its inherent raciness – ride the wave of power and build up momentum, and you’ll realise the rate at which it travels defies the way it looks. Oh, and the gearbox is a delight, positive and satisfying, with a short throw. As Max likes to say, it’s an ‘A-to-B’ car, designed for dispatching long, cross-continental journeys with aplomb.
Chassis number 1550
Born on 1 May 1961, this Maserati 3500 GT was delivered new to the official Maserati concessionaire Cornacchia in Milan, who’d sold the car to its first owner Mario Guardamagna. Chassis number 1550 would remain in its motherland for four decades, during which time it passed through a handful of Italian owners and was awarded its Automotoclub Storico Certificato di Omologazione certificate.
As the New Millennium dawned, this Maserati headed across the Atlantic to the state of Illinois. And between 2003 and 2007, chassis number 1550 underwent a fastidious and fully documented nut-and-bolt restoration, carried out by a small number of specialists in Redwood City, California. The owner chose a deep blue for the exterior, a shade in which he’d once seen a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder and fallen head over heel in love. The body was complemented by a gorgeous cognac leather interior.
After patiently waiting for over four years, this Maserati’s custodian was understandably very proud of his gleaming 3500 GT and keen to show it off. Show it off he most certainly did. First up was the prestigious Concorso Italiano in California, where the car won the judges’ hearts and clinched the top gong in the ‘Best Maserati’ class. Subsequent shows at which chassis 1550 was exhibited over the course of the next three years included the Presidio of San Francisco Concours d’Elegance, Carmel Concours on the Avenue and the Hillsborough Concours.
Charmed by its beautiful colour combination and outstanding condition, the current British owner acquired this Maserati in 2010 and promptly imported it to – and registered it in – the United Kingdom. The Trident marque itself was clearly similarly taken with this 3500 GT, inviting the car to be exhibited on its stand at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Charmed by its beautiful colour combination and outstanding condition, the current British owner acquired this Maserati in 2010 and promptly imported it to – and registered it in – the United Kingdom. The Trident marque itself was clearly similarly taken with this 3500 GT, inviting the car to be exhibited on its stand at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
In the years since, chassis number 1550 has been carefully stored and seldomly driven. As a result, this Maserati is exceptional condition, both visually and from a mechanical perspective. The 3500 GT is a rare, desperately pretty Italian Gran Turismo coach-built by one of the greatest names in the business – the discerning collector’s alternative to the Aston Martin DB4. And this fabulous example can be counted among the very best of the breed.
