1967 Maserati Mistral 4000 Coupé

• One of only 828 Mistral Coupés produced
• Ultimate and most desirable 4.0-litre engine
• Aluminium coachwork
• Restored in 2010

"We do not suppose there are many cars whose names conjure up an aura of exotic glamour to the same extent as that of Maserati. Even now, many years after the company has withdrawn from any form of competition, past glories linger on." - Sporting Motorist, 1965.

Maserati's survival strategy for the 1960s centred on establishing the company - which hitherto had mainly concentrated on its Grand Prix and sports car racing activities - as a producer of road cars. The Modena marque's new era began in 1957 with the launch at the Geneva Salon of the Touring-bodied 3500 GT. A luxury aluminium-bodied '2+2', the 3500 GT drew heavily on Maserati's competition experience, employing a tubular chassis frame and an engine derived from the 350S sports car unit of 1956. Suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs, while at the back there was a conventional live axle/semi-elliptic arrangement. The 3500 GT's designer was none other than Giulio Alfieri, creator of the immortal Tipo 60/61 'Birdcage' sports-racer and the man responsible for developing the 250F into a World Championship winner. The twin-overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder engine was a close relative of that used in the 250F and developed around 220bhp initially, later examples producing 235bhp on Lucas mechanical fuel injection. Built initially with drum brakes and four-speed transmission, the 3500 GT was progressively updated, gaining five speeds, front disc brakes and, finally, all-disc braking.

The next development of the theme arrived in 1962. Built on the short-wheelbase chassis of the Vignale-bodied 3500 GT Spyder, the Sebring coupé featured a five-speed gearbox, disc brakes and fuel injection as standard equipment, with automatic transmission, air conditioning and a limited-slip differential available as options.

Last of the classic six-cylinder Maseratis, the Pietro Frua-styled Mistral commenced production in 1963. The 3.7-litre version of the famous long-stroke engine was fitted to most cars, other options being the 3.5-litre or, from 1966, the 4.0-litre unit, all of which came with Lucas fuel injection. A handsome two-seater on a shortened, square-tube chassis, the aluminium-bodied Mistral was built in Coupé and Spyder versions, the former's opening rear window hatch making it unusually practical for a sports car. Sporting Motorist was highly impressed by what Frua had achieved: "... this must surely be one of the best-looking cars that we have had through our hands. It looks dashing without being flamboyant, smart without being vulgar, purposeful without being brutal." Sporting Motorist concluded its test thus: "Overall, the Maserati Mistral is a magnificent motorcar, not only in appearance but in performance." We can only concur.

As with the Sebring, a five-speed gearbox, disc brakes and fuel injection were standard equipment; automatic transmission, air conditioning and a limited-slip differential the options. Mistral production ceased in 1970, by which time a total of 828 Coupés and 123 Spyders had been built.

A 1967 model, this Mistral 4000 has the desirable combination of the 4.0 liter engine and the manual transmission. The car was sold new in 1967 to mister Mario Calva in Turin and came to The Netherlands in 1990. The car was restored and resprayed in 2018 and the engine rebuild in 2017. It looks stunning in Silver metallic over a red Connolly interior.

The car is in generally very nice condition, with very good engine, transmission and interior. It has a matching engine and gearbox and it comes with Dutch registration documents.