Maserati Ghibli
Maserati Ghibli Coupe (1966-1973)
The Maserati Ghibli was a sports car of Italian car manufacturer Maserati, which was produced by the fall of 1966 until the end of 1973. The name of the car is derived from Ghibli, a hot desert wind of the Sahara, from.
Contributed between spring 1992 and late 1997, another vehicle from Maserati that name. This new Ghibli was a descendant of the Biturbo family and had nothing to do with the Ghibli -1960s.
- 3.1 Production
- 3.2 Market situation
The background
In the 1960s, Maserati went to the Maserati Sebring and the somewhat later featured Mistral in the market area of the six-cylinder sports car. In addition, the company had until 1964 with the Maserati 5000 GT is a very high-priced, high-performance coupe with a attributable to a racing engine eight-cylinder engine in the offer. From 1963 Maserati built the model range in the eight-cylinder cars. After the Quattroporte, a four-door sports sedan, published in 1966 with the Maserati Mexico a two-door, four-seater Gran Turismo, which were both equipped with a power-reduced version of the famous eight-cylinder engine. What initially lacked was a two-seat sports car. This role became unveiled in the autumn of 1966, Ghibli, the intern the type name received 115 AM.
The car
The body
A special attraction of the Ghibli was his sensational body. She was the first draft, the Giorgetto Giugiaro realized after his departure from the Carrozzeria Bertone for Ghia. Giugiaro took only three months for the realization of the design; he holds the Ghibli today for its most beautiful creations. The design was based on a study that Ghia had already exhibited at the 1964 Turin Motor Show.
Giugiaro designed a flat design with a long bonnet, short passenger compartment and a distinctive hatchback. The extraordinary length of the bonnet - in the proportions of the Jaguar E-Type like - was a deliberately used stylistic device, with the Giugiaro claims to want " to emphasize the presence of the strong machine". In addition to the long bonnet especially the long sloping stern shaped the image of the Ghibli, which began a large rear window and ended only at the height of the waistline. The front bumpers were thin; they took a low, over the entire front -reaching barred grille. The rear bumpers reached far around the fenders. The Ghibli was electrically -operated pop-up headlamps; in the unfolded state broke through the headlight units, the flowing lines of the front section significantly. At the rear, the taillights of the Alfa Romeo Giulia were initially used, later the larger units of the Alfa Romeo 1750 /2000.
In November 1968, the Ghibli coupe was supplemented by a two-seater Spyder, which was also designed by Giugiaro. The cars front corresponded to that of the coupe; in the posterior belt line, the body was, however, modified. The short-cut cloth top of the Spyder could be completely folded down; it disappeared when it was not needed with a metal cover. For the Spyder hardtop metal factory was offered, which sold 25 copies at best.
The proportions of the Ghibli coupe and in particular the design of the Fließhecks influenced numerous other sports cars such as the Pietro Frua -designed Monteverdi High Speed 375 or the Bitter CD; also the Audi 100 Coupé quoted in the rear of the design features of the Ghibli. The design of the rear window and the Tankeinlässe finally found himself in a modified form even when presented in 1967 Aston Martin DBS again.
The engine
Maserati Ghibli equipped with a slightly revised version of the eight-cylinder engine, which debuted in 1956 with the Tipo 450S in racing and took place in the Quattroporte use since 1964. Unlike in the case of the four-door, the engine, however, had here a dry sump lubrication with separate oil tank. Only with this construction, the flat front end of the Ghibli realize was first, the Ghibli received the 4.7 -liter version of the engine, which - depending on the measurement - gave 310-330 hp.
1970 came the Maserati Ghibli SS 5000, who received an enlarged to 4.9 liters version with a power output of 335 hp. This engine was exactly in its dimensions to those of the Maserati 5000 GT. The Ghibli, reaching a top speed of 270 km / h
Chassis and Technology
The Ghibli had a steel body with a box subframe. The basic structure corresponded to - apart from the slightly reduced dimensions - that of the Maserati Mexico and thus of the Maserati Quattroporte.
While the front wheels were independently suspended, Maserati used a rear rigid axle, which was sourced from the UK by the Salisbury Wheel Company. The rear axle was out of leaf springs and a Panhard rod. The simplicity of the rear axle construction has been repeatedly criticized in the literature; the handling of the car was sometimes referred to as " rugged ", others paraphrased the chassis of the Ghibli than " a truck ". Although Maserati had temporarily considered to equip the Ghibli with the De -Dion rear axle of the Quattroporte; Driving tests with such a converted prototypes should have but does not improve the driving behavior so that Maserati of this design feature, despite the fact that Italian competition vehicles such as the Ferrari 365/GTB4 " Daytona " naturally possessed on all wheels independent suspension until the end of production of Ghibli maintained and even endowed in 1969 published model Indy with a corresponding construction.
As power transmission was standard, a manual-shift five-speed transmission from ZF offered, which had been derived in its basic conception of the power transmission of Hanomag Kurier and supplemented by a fifth gear. From 1968, a three-speed automatic was BorgWarner next available on request. Moreover, it was a power steering - to be ordered, which facilitated the use of the previously often perceived as cumbersome vehicle - again from ZF.
Special models
- At least one Ghibli coupe was converted into a fire truck. It contained several water tanks and carried a portable water sprayer on the roof. The car was shown at a number of Italian motor sport events; to a bet he never came.
- The Milanese company Carrozzeria Pavesi, which still deals with armor and body conversions, feathered 1968 Ghibli coupe with a removable roof panel in Targa style. The car remained a one-off.
Production, distribution and market situation
Production
The Maserati Ghibli was introduced at the Turin Motor Show in 1966 to the public. In the fall of 1966, the sale and the first cars will be delivered early 1967. The production of Ghibli lasted until the end of 1973. Maserati chassis and engine set forth, the body was, however, prepared at Vignale and Ghia.
The Ghibli was more expensive than most of its competitors models. On the German market, he was offered at a price of 73,000 DM 1969. He was DM 3,000 more expensive than a Lamborghini Miura and a Ferrari Daytona, which were each equipped with twelve-cylinder engines and to similar performance in the situation were like the Ghibli. An Iso Grifo was even 16,000 DM cheaper. In the Swiss market, the purchase price for a Ghibli was 1969 65.500 Swiss francs, 2,500 francs demanded more than Ferrari for the Daytona.
Notwithstanding emerged in eight years, a total of 1,250 copies, the coupe was more frequently produced with distance version: In 1124 only 125 Spyder coupe came. The Ghibli drivers were Jean -Paul Belmondo, Sammy Davis Junior, Henry Ford II and Peter Sellers.
Market situation
The Maserati Ghibli is a rare, attractive and sought-after classic. 1988 and 1989, had discovered as speculators short the classic car market for their shops, Ghibli's partially for millions bought and sold. This price levels reach Ghibli cars - as well as other classics - has long stopped. Nevertheless, the Ghibli is still a popular car for the still comparatively high demands to very high prices and are paid. In general, it should be noted that the much rarer Ghibli Spyder is more expensive by far than a coupe. For a Ghibli coupe in good condition currently a price of about 66,000 euros is recorded, while an equivalent Spyder can cost about 230,000 euros. In the UK market, a price of £ 50,000, and for a Spyder is given a price of £ 110,000 for an excellent Ghibli coupe.
Competitors
- Ferrari 365/GTB4 " Daytona "
- Lamborghini Islero
- Monteverdi High Speed 375