1967 | Maserati Quattroporte 4200

Highlights:

• The fastest sedan of its era
• Documented restoration
• Collectible vehicle

Brand & Model History:

The tragic incidents at the Mille Miglia in 1957 marked the end of the company's official racing participation, although a few race cars for private use were still built in the early 1960s. Increasing competition from Ferrari, Porsche, and Ford also led Maserati to focus on road-legal vehicles. Up to that point, Maserati's road cars were essentially slightly modified race cars—fast, attractive, but also fragile and not built for durability. They primarily served to finance the factory racing team.

Subsequently, the company increasingly concentrated on the production of exclusive GT vehicles for the road. Chief engineer Giulio Alfieri led Maserati through this transformation and pushed the development of luxurious and exotic sports and grand touring cars. The first major success on this path was the 3500 GT, a six-cylinder sports car, which was launched alongside the more exclusive and larger 5000 GT. However, the latter was extremely expensive to produce and did not bring significant financial success.

To become profitable, Maserati needed vehicles that could be sold in larger quantities. Thus, the model portfolio was expanded, and in 1963, the first four-door sedan, the "Quattroporte"—which simply means "four doors" in Italian—was introduced. While the model may have lacked creativity in its naming, it more than made up for it with its impressive style and features. The elegant body, designed by Pietro Frua, was also the first Maserati with a unibody chassis. At the front, the car had an independent suspension with double wishbones, while a DeDion rear axle provided stability at the rear.

The Quattroporte was powered by a potent 4.2-liter V8 engine derived from the 450S and 5000GT. With this engine, the Quattroporte became the fastest four-door production car in the world for a time, underscoring Maserati's role as a manufacturer of luxurious and high-performance road vehicles.

History & Condition:

Due to the restoration work carried out, the car is in an exceptionally good overall condition. At the same time, great care was taken to preserve as much of the original substance as possible, as can be seen in the pictures and the expert report.

Every single step of the restoration between 2016 and 2018 was meticulously documented, including the hours spent and documentation of invoices and research, now filling three large binders.

While the early history of the car is largely unknown, the history of the last 10 years is exceptionally well-documented.

Market Evaluation and Prices:

Between 1963 and 1969, only around 762 units in total and 503 of the second series were produced, making the Maserati Quattroporte a coveted collector's item today. Its advanced technology and timeless elegance made the Quattroporte a symbol of sportiness and luxury even back then. Well-preserved vehicles have become rare today due to the limited production numbers. The restoration effort for such a vehicle currently far exceeds its market value, making perfectly restored cars like this almost impossible to find.

Vehicles in mid-range to worn condition are traded today for 30,000 EUR to 40,000 EUR. However, the market values of very good vehicles are much closer to the 100,000 EUR mark.

Summary:

The Maserati Quattroporte was one of the pioneers in the high-performance sedan segment and set standards in performance, design, and luxury. With its combination of sporty character and comfort, it offered an attractive option for wealthy customers who sought the best of both worlds. Today, even more than in the 1960s, the Quattroporte is a witness to the DNA of Italian automotive craftsmanship.

With a top speed of 230 km/h, the Quattroporte was not only the fastest sedan of its era but is still a fast touring car for up to four people by modern standards.

Automatic translation suggestion: Original text in German.