Maseratis in 2017 Monterey auctions

In the past Maserati seemed to have been under-representing at major auctions and those cars being offered were often not the best examples. That is certainly not the case this year at the Monterey auctions!

There are plenty of Maseratis being auctioned including some rather rare examples. The quality overall of the cars being offered, even of the production cars, appears to be quite good.

Below I list the cars per auction. Feel free to add any that I may have missed.

Ivan

 

RM has 3 Maseratis, two of which are one-offs.

The 1959 3500GT Frua spyder I find a bit weird. Perhaps it is the busy lines or perhaps it is because it uses the standard (long) 3500GT chassis making it too long. Michelotti did a much better job on the 3500GT spyder using the shorter chassis.

1959 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by Frua | Monterey 2017 | RM Sotheby's

The Michelotti 5000GT is interesting but again I find myself not loving the car.

1964 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe by Michelotti | Monterey 2017 | RM Sotheby's

The rame (copper) Bora I use to own years ago. Nice car.

1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 | Monterey 2017 | RM Sotheby's

Ivan

 

Gooding also has three Maseratis

1937 6CM. I must admit I do not know much about the early race cars.
1937 Maserati 6CM | Gooding & Company

1956 A6G/54 Berlinetta. There cannot be a more beautiful race car.
1956 Maserati A6G/54 Berlinetta | Gooding & Company

1962 3500GTi. Seems to be a very good survivor quality car
1962 Maserati 3500 GTi | Gooding & Company

Ivan

 

Bonhams leads the way with eight Maseratis being auctioned.

1974 Bora. Seems to be a nice clean car.
Bonhams : 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 Chassis no. AM117/49-US762Engine no. AM107/11/49 762

1956 300S
Another gorgeous race car.
Bonhams : 1956 Maserati 300S SPORTS RACING TWO SEATERChassis no. 3069Engine no. 3058 (see text)

1956 A6G/54 Frua spyder
This is by far my favorite Maserati from all the auctions. I would just park it in the garage, sit next to it and watch it all day.
Bonhams : 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider Chassis no. 2180 Engine no. 2146

1968 Mistral 4000 spyder
This is a car I know very well ... since it is my car. If it sells, this Mistral should make the next owner very happy.
Bonhams : 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider Chassis no. 2180 Engine no. 2146

1976 Khamsin – Euro version
Already been commented on the Khamsin thread. Very nice euro version.
Bonhams : 1976 Maserati Khamsin Chassis no. AM120-210 Engine no. AM120-210

1990 Shamal
Probably not legal in all states but for those of us in more lenient states this is one mean machine.
Bonhams : 1990 Maserati Shamal VIN. ZAM339B00MA300060

1966 Sebring II
Claimed to be a very low mileage car
Bonhams : 1966 Maserati Sebring Series II 3700 CoupeChassis no. AM101S 10403Engine no. AM101S 10403

1978 Khamsin
I remember seeing this car when it belonged to Sam Dibitonto back in 2000. It was a really nice car back then, now it has the Euro bumpers.
Bonhams : 1978 Maserati Khamsin Chassis no. AM120-1224 Engine no. AM120-1224

Ivan

 

Mecum has the strangest assembly of Maseratis

The star is a 2007 MC12 Corsa. What is a MC12 doing at Mecum ?? Perhaps they own the car.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0817-300278/2007-maserati-mc12-corsa/

1966 Sebring which is missing "a few" parts. Good luck finding Sebring doors.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0817-300181/1966-maserati-sebring/

There are three additional Maseratis but they are the type you can easily find on ebay

2004 GT coupe

2005 spyder cambriocorsa

2008 Gran Turismo coupe

Ivan

 

So one could look at this two ways.

Maserati has reached a new level of respect, still not at Ferrari level.

In a softening market the better Maseratis are being unloaded before a bigger fall occurs.

?

 

That's a lot of fine cars going on sale!

Like Ivan, my personal favorite is the Zagato-bodied A6G/54 Just beautiful.

 

Boy ... that's an awful lot of money for a Shamal even if it is a museum piece.

They're neat LOOKING cars but there are better Biturbo models like a Ghibli Cup.

But this is all about appearances now. I'd love to have one but not at that crazy estimate.

 

The Shamal is also significant in terms of being the first Masearti with a twin-turbo V8. In its 3200GT version, that line of engines became, as it turned out, the last to be produced at Viale Ciro Menotti.

 

Question?

I know when I was last there in 94 they were still making Shamals, the Ghibli II and the QPIV had just been introduced. The V6 engines were still being made there and I have video of a engine assembly demonstration of sorts. The talk was that Ferrari had interceded and made some changes on the V8 fo fix issues with that engine as it was now going into the QPIV. Then the 3200GT was finally released with a more changes to that engine. Were they actually still machining it there with that ancient Olivetti CNC machine or had that already moved to Ferrari's facilities?

 

I don't know for sure, but I think they were made in Modena. Would it make sense to set up an additional line in Maranello for those engines?

 

Referring to it as an engine assembly line in Modena is being rather generous.

I just wondered if the Olivetti was still working by then? All the casting and other bits were done by subcontractors such as Coscast anyway so machining the cranks, camshafts, blocks and heads at Ferrari might not have been that big a deal though it would have been an inconvenience I'm sure for such small volumes.

A question for the newest factory historian!

BTW is Cozza still alive?
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I think it is a little of both. The soft market is bringing out cars that in the past would have been difficult to find.

As they say ... the best time to buy is when "the herd" is not buying.

Ivan

 

Yes.

 

Ermanno is doing well, I speak with Fabio often was at the factory June 8 and we were talking about him, he still comes regularly to the factory to help Fabio in so doing passing the baton to him. Signor Cozza reminds me of another old man in Geneva who serviced exotics for many many decades, total kindness no negativity hence no stress no bad vibes and I think that has a genuine influence on one's longevity.

MS

 

Yes. I watched them at work!

Very early 1990s (can't recall right now) I showed up at VCM on a Friday afternoon with a friend, on our way to Imola for the GP.

Unannounced, out of the blue, I walked up to the Gate and asked the guard whether we could take a look around, brandishing my credentials as a Bora owner!
The guard called somebody and I was asked for the VIN of my Bora over the intercom.
Five minutes later a gentleman whom I had never met, came to the gate and introduced himself as Mr. Cozza.
This extraordinarily gracious man spent the next two hours+ walking us through every nook and cranny of the old factory and showered us with various gifts and mementos of Maserati history before our departure.
A very emotional day I shall never forget!

Regards.

 

Several of the links that I posted for the Bonhams auctions were wrong. Not sure why that happened, this is the corrected posting.

Bonhams leads the way with eight Maseratis being auctioned.

1974 Bora. Seems to be a nice clean car.
Bonhams : 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 Chassis no. AM117/49-US762Engine no. AM107/11/49 762

1956 300S
Another gorgeous race car.
Bonhams : 1956 Maserati 300S SPORTS RACING TWO SEATERChassis no. 3069Engine no. 3058 (see text)

1956 A6G/54 Frua spyder
This is by far my favorite Maserati from all the auctions. I would just park it in the garage, sit next to it and watch it all day.
Bonhams : 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider Chassis no. 2180 Engine no. 2146

1968 Mistral 4000 spyder
This is a car I know very well ... since it is my car. If it sells, this Mistral should make the next owner very happy.
Bonhams : 1968 Maserati Mistral 4000 Spyder Chassis no. AM109/SA1 691Engine no. AM109/SA1 691

1976 Khamsin – Euro version
Already been commented on the Khamsin thread. Very nice euro version.
Bonhams : 1976 Maserati Khamsin Chassis no. AM120-210 Engine no. AM120-210

1990 Shamal
Probably not legal in all states but for those of us in more lenient states this is one mean machine.
Bonhams : 1990 Maserati Shamal VIN. ZAM339B00MA300060

1966 Sebring II
Claimed to be a very low mileage car
Bonhams : 1966 Maserati Sebring Series II 3700 CoupeChassis no. AM101S 10403Engine no. AM101S 10403

1978 Khamsin
I remember seeing this car when it belonged to Sam Dibitonto back in 2000. It was a really nice car back then, now it has the Euro bumpers.
Bonhams : 1978 Maserati Khamsin Chassis no. AM120-1224 Engine no. AM120-1224

Ivan

 

You were there AFTER 1994?

 

What is the significance of 1994 in this discussion?

Please remember we are talking about Maserati's in-house designed and built twin-turbo V8, as used in the Shamal, among others.
Shamal was manufactured between 1990 and 1996.

Therefore in 1990 or 1991 or 1992 or 1993 these engines were being built at VCM, as I observed.

Needless to say, I have been back to VCM many times since then.

Regards.

 

PS. As well as 1994 and 1995 and 1996!

i.e. the entire Shamal production period.

 

The question is whether - as I have assumed - the twin-turbo V8s were built at VCM all the way to the last 3200GTs, i.e. in 2001/2002?

 

I was trying to get you to specify more precisely than very early 90's when you were there which you have done now.

I guess you forgot about the 3200GT?

Perhaps Marc will nudge an answer out of the factory about the V8 production details for the Shamal, QPIV and 3200GT.

 

Yes, absolutely right.
They were all built at VCM.

Regards.

 

Alllllright then

I have to send another email to Fabio later today (already communicated this morning) so please formulate whatever the exact question is in a simple clear way (I haven't been paying attention too busy trying not to drown in my work list) and I will ask him and via him Cozza. I try not to abuse of their help.

Best regards,

Marc

 

Actually, boralogist has already provided the answer, but perhaps Fabio can confirm?