1960 Maserati 3500 GT

One of only forty right-hand drive examples of Maserati's landmark GT

220 bhp, 3,485cc DOHC inline six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, coil sprung independent front suspension

Lovely restoration finished in Grigio and Rosso with a Red leather interior piped in Grey

Supplied with an impressive history folder and its operating and owner's manuals

Very rare in right-hand drive and a special opportunity to own one of these charismatic 'Gran Turismos'

Throughout the 1950s, Maserati had achieved extraordinary results in Grand Prix and Sports Car racing around the world despite operating with a budget many times smaller than its competitors, however, it was becoming increasingly clear that to fund Maserati"s racing activities, the company would have to go beyond producing virtually one-off road cars and move into the business of car production. The Maserati 3500GT, therefore, was a very important car for its maker as it was the first time Maserati had locked horns with the Scuderia at showroom level.

Much of what lay under the 3500GT's skin was based on the old A6G including the tubular steel chassis, coil spring independent front suspension, and the live rear axle on semi-elliptic springs. The 3.4-litre straight-six engine was a significant step-up though, developing more power than the A6G, and pleasingly in terms of marketing, the 3500GT's power unit was distantly related to the 250F Grand Prix car's as well as the 300S and 350S sports racers. It was up-to-the-minute, boasting a twin-overhead camshaft design that had been reworked by chief engineer Giulio Alfieri to improve power delivery and to make it docile enough for road use. It breathed through triple Webers carburettors and with twin spark plugs per cylinder, boasted a power output of 220 bhp. The engine was mated to a newly designed ZF-S4-17 gearbox with synchromesh on all four gears making this, in the mid-fifties, a pretty advanced mechanical package, a fact that wasn't lost on Mr Ferrari

Most of the coupés were hand-built by Touring using aluminium panels and 'Superleggera' principles, but Bertone, Allemano and Frua also produced their own 3500GT variations, while Moretti and Boneschi built one-offs. A Spyder was also produced, styled by Giovanni Michelotti while he was at Vignale. Maserati continuously developed the 3500GT during its life and front disc brakes were introduced in 1959, and the 3500GTi was introduced in 1961. This new Maserati became the first Italian production car to feature fuel injection. Other changes included the introduction of a five-speed manual transmission, disc brakes all round, deletion of the front fog lights, and revised indicators and rear lights.

Silverstone Auctions are delighted to offer this beautiful and rare 1960 right-hand drive 3500 GT Coupé, chassis number 902, which was delivered new to the official Maserati concessionaire for the United Kingdom, Colin Murray of Fleetwood in Lancashire. Its first proud owner was a Mr R Whitehead in Lancashire who enjoyed it for 8 years before subsequently selling it to an, equally delighted Mr Bolinbroke, who became its custodian in 1968. After spending a brief period abroad, the Maserati returned to the UK in 1979, and since then it has had just four keepers. The last of these, our vendor, purchased the Maserati through knowledgeable dealers, DD Classics in 2015.

An official letter from Maserati in 1988 confirms the 3500 GT still wears its beautiful original colour scheme of Grigio over a Red leather interior, the only alteration being the stunning Ruby Red roof which greatly enhances the cars overall appearance. Inside the lovely Red leather piped in Grey remains soft and welcoming and the vibrant Italian Red carpets appear unworn. The dashboard is pure Maserati 1960 and the steering wheel is simply a work of art. Pleasingly, the car retains its cream Bakelite gear lever knob and the early Motorola radio.

Accompanying the car is a wonderful history folder that includes photographic documentation of the car's restoration, a large number of invoices detailing works completed over the years and numerous older MoTs, including one that was issued in 1983. Also included within the file are the Maserati 3500 GT"s Owner's Hand Books and Operating Manual.

Right-hand drive examples are exceptionally scarce, Maserati built just 40 in total, so this is a fantastic opportunity to own a rare piece of automotive history and a car that has clearly been fastidiously maintained throughout its life.

The 3500GT enhanced Maserati"s reputation and proved the perfect springboard for it to go chasing sales from Ferrari which they consistently achieved with a string of the 3500GT's successors including the Ghibli and the Indy. This is an important car and we welcome any inspection.