Maserati Khamsin

The Espada photo may not be a mistake but it sure may be confusing to the average person visiting the museum.

Ivan

 

Just received this photo from my friends at Mistral Classics in Ieper/Ypres, Belgium, a very fine restoration maintenance shop.

The one in the middle is AM120-234, best of show at KHAMSIN QUARANTA in 2012 in Burgundy, France. It currently resides in Gstaad Switzerland, owned by a lady, now receiving Spa treatment at Mistral Classics...the car not the lady.

Same car as in post...#1 (!) in this thread, started 17 years ago when in the hands of its previous owner. Could he have imagined this thread now has almost 2M views with only positive owners and connoisseurs, no nonsense?!


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One more courtesy Mistral Classics.

The white one with just one outside mirror is 1206, the one with two is 1246, both automatic, while the dark green 234 is manual.




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Coming up for auction with Bonhams in early September Khamsin 313.
Is this a new one Marc?

link here.

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/30971/lot/433/1976-maserati-khamsin-coupe-chassis-no-am-120-303-engine-no-1107/#photos


the description has the chassis number wrong. The plate says 0313.

I’m guessing it has a Ghibli engine.

best to all.
Mark

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the one that was recently auctioned in South Africa.

 

Hello Mark,

Yes you are right they are showing the wrong chassis number, Bonhams lost a lot of their good staff and it shows...

This car, 313 has been for years in Athens in the Hellenic Motor Museum, see photos.

So like any typical museum car it means it can be cosmetically good thanks to a dry environment with no direct sunlight BUT a disaster in terms of mechanical condition with dried out cracked rubber hoses, tires, old fuel that has separated, oils in diff, engine and box needing to be changed etc etc etc.

I am just going through this with another Maserati model that sat in another museum; it looks great but is scary underneath, long task list.



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Good thought but no that was 012, left hand drive, and it is now with a friend in Germany who posts here occasionally and would never sell it.

313 as its odd chassis number denotes is right hand drive.

Quick chassis number guide FYI:

Euro cars: even numbered AM120-002 to AM120-504.

RHD cars: odd numbered do not start at 001 but with AM120-301 to AM120-445.

US cars: even numbered start at 1000 with US letters: AM120US1000 to AM120US1330.

Note that there are some gaps for example 006 was never built.

430 total built, not 435 or any other number, 430 as confirmed with Fabio Collina of the factory archives, we went thought this together.

 

I didn’t mean 012, I meant the other one which is RHD - that also recently went to auction, same colour, I’ve got some pics somewhere.

 

I didn’t mean 012, I meant the other one which is RHD - that also recently went to auction, same colour, I’ve got some pics Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login .

 

Thank you Leo, these photos you posted show AM120-439 which was actually the very last of all Khamsins built. Yes there are higher RHD chassis numbers, up to 445 but this was the very last K of any kind completed. As per Ermanno Cozza at the factory when we discussed this car years ago, this was in May 1982.

It was owned for many years by Ian Huntly who ran the South African Maserati club.

It was auctioned last September and you emailed me about it, thanks again:

"The hammer fell at R1,650,000 or about €83k before the buyer’s premium, about 20%."

I am not sure where it is now.

Below some older photos of it including one with spectacular South African scenery during a touring rally.


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https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/30971/lot/433/1976-maserati-khamsin-coupe-chassis-no-am-120-303-engine-no-1107/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paidsocial&utm_campaign=120207168101850015_120207168101830015_120207168101900015

 

Marc has not posted for some time. Has anybody heard from him?

Ivan

 

17 days ... perhaps just vacationing?

 

PM sent

 

I just read of the passing of Mark via post on FB. I’m rather saddened by this news.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/maserati.classics/permalink/1785867045383914/?

 

I asked a while back and got very different information that he had a hip replacement operation? Now it's possible that there were complications, not typical or that this report was just plain wrong.
I think we need more details from a reliable source. FB reports are often wrong.

 

In Memory of Marc Sonnery (†2025)


The Maserati community has lost one of its passionate voices with the passing of Marc Sonnery, journalist, historian, and author. This information has been confirmed by his next of kin and the local authorities in France.

Marc’s fascination with Maserati began in childhood, when his father, CEO of Citroën in Sweden, Portugal, and Germany, brought home Maseratis during the golden era of 1968–1975. That spark became a lifelong devotion. He went on to author “Maserati, the Citroën Years”, a book that quickly became a reference point for collectors and historians alike. Hailed as “Book of the Month” in multiple publications, it captured the spirit of a fascinating, sometimes misunderstood era in Maserati’s history and soon sold out. Over decades, Marc contributed countless articles and features to the world’s most respected automotive magazines, cementing his reputation as a Maserati authority.

But it was with the Khamsin that Marc carved out his most enduring mark. In 2004, he founded the Maserati Khamsin Registry, an ambitious undertaking that, thanks to his relentless research, allowed him to document around 345 of the 430 examples ever built. His magnum opus for the model was the Khamsin Quaranta gathering in 2012 (which he repeated with Khamsin Cinquanta in 2023). In that 40th anniversary celebration, he brought together 27 Khamsins, including the prototype, alongside legendary figures such as designer Marcello Gandini, historian Ermanno Cozza, and Maserati Classiche’s Fabio Collina. He was also a strong force in making the Classiche Masters book of 2019 a reality, pushing forward with his knowledge, energy, and unwavering dedication to the marque.

Marc was, in every sense, a character. He was sharp, witty, stubborn, and always passionate. He had the courage to say what he thought, but also the warmth to connect people, to share his knowledge generously, and to make you feel part of something larger. Conversations with him were never dull – he had stories, details, and anecdotes at the ready, and he lived every bit of the passion he carried for the cars.

And of course, Marc was the kind of man who would never shy away from a great Barolo – a reminder that life, like a fine wine, is best savoured with intensity, depth, and a touch of mischief.

Through his writings, his registry, and his tireless efforts, Marc Sonnery aimed to ensure that future generations would understand and cherish the extraordinary cars that shaped an era.
We raise a glass to Marc Sonnery – a man who gave the Khamsin its voice. He will be remembered as a journalist, an author, a Khamsin’s greatest ambassador—and above all, as someone who lived his passion fully, leaving an unforgettable mark on everyone who has met him.


Marc,
Some say heaven is quiet. Clearly, they’ve never met you. By now, you’re probably explaining the difference between a Khamsin prototype and production model to a very patient angel… with a Barolo in hand. We’ll keep the stories alive down here, just as you would.


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Sadly it looks like he's not had Mark Twain's "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated" luck.

 

I was just in touch with Marc last week.

Does anyone know what happened?

BHW

 

Dear Mr. Workman,

could you please tell us exactly when and how (by phone, email or in person) you last had contact with Marc ?

Kind regards

Zdenek

 

Yes, we were in touch via Email recently.

We both worked for Motorcar Gallery. I had taken his place there when he went back to France
which was in 2005. We were casual friends and we stayed in touch on occasion.

Most recently, I had found out that our mutual friend Rene Herzog had passed in December
of 2023. I had been in the hospital with my own issues at the time and did not get the news
until trying to reach Mr. Herzog and found that he had passed during that time. I thought
Marc may know what had happened but he had claimed that all he knew was that he had
passed away but not the cause, similar to this circumstance.

This was when he relayed that he was having a hip replacement procedure done. I went
back and looked at the Email of August 30 where he stated that he's having hip replacement
surgery done in October but not a specific date. To this he stated referring to physical therapy,
"I should be able to lose weight and regain energy, very worn out now".

Last week, I had found out that our former boss at Motorcar Gallery is turning 80 this year.
I joked to Marc that, "There's hope for us yet" which he appreciated.

Two friends have sent me this image of Marc as a young man.

BHW