The Maserati Ghibli:
An Exciting Evolution
By Jim Cantrell
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Origins
The mid-1960s are arguably the zenith
of the GT sports car culture and this is
especially true for the Italian manufacturers such as Maserati. Racing on
Sunday was seen to be inextricably
linked to sales the following week, the
world economy was in full swing and
the long arm of safety concerns and oil
embargoes were still years in the future.
This was also the heyday of continent
cruising across Europe or North
America at great speeds and in great
comfort. The wealthier set might think
nothing of jumping into a Ferrari 250 in
Milano and driving north to watch the
Le Mans event in one weekend. It is
thus both appropriate and symbolic
that one of Italy’s great GT cars was
born in this time: the Maserati Ghibli.
The Maserati Ghibli was a high performance front-engine coupé built by
Maserati between 1967 and 1973. It is a
true thoroughbred; undeniably a Grand
Touring car of significance, and it was
powered by a race bred 4.7-liter engine
developing 340 hp. This motor incorporated race-developed technology, such
as dry-sump oiling and twin overhead
cams per bank, fed by four twin-choke
carburetors. Earlier GT cars, such as the
Mexico and Quattroporte, used the
same basic engine, but it was the Ghibli
that put it to its penultimate form.
Maserati began life in the early part of
the century by building bespoke racecars and it was not until after World War
II that Maserati began to build cars for
general public use. The A6G was one of
Maserati’s first such cars and began the
post war focus on touring cars based
on race heritage. This continued
through the 1950s and Maserati’s first
real “production” cars that were made
in large numbers were the 3500GT (if
you want to consider production in the
thousands as “large,” which was the
case for the cottage Italian car industry
of the era). This model was produced
through the early 1960s and it provided
much needed cash flow for new models and more importantly, racing.
Figure 1. Early design drawings of the Ghibli as penned by Giugiaro show the early
thinking of the Ghibli design. Courtesy of the Vintage Exotics Collection.
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By the late 1950s Maserati found its
Factory racing efforts increasingly hampered by its shortage of cash and
sequentially developed purpose-built
racecars for privateers and provided
them with unofficial Factory support.
Maserati at the time was owned by the
Orsi family, whose machine tool business encountered a deal-gone-bad
with Argentina. Undaunted by difficult
economic conditions in Modena due to
these bad deals with the Peronist
Argentenian government, Maserati
began pushing into successively more
significant production cars by starting
to produce road cars by the thousands
per year, instead of several hundred per
year. Racing continued into the 60s,
but began to taper off as the decade
waned on. For Maserati, this became
the decade of the Gran Turismo and
much of its revenues were derived from
this source.
By the mid 1960s, the Gran Tursimo, or
GT, automobile became the cornerstone of Maserati’s economic engine.
The designation “GT” pays homage to
the tradition of the grand tour, and represents abilities to make long-distance,
high-speed journeys in both comfort
and style. Successful Maserati GT cars
of the 1960s included the Mexico, the
3500, the Quattroporte, and without a
doubt, the 5000 GT. The 5000 GT was
a coach-built car, which directly adopted the 450S motor with good performance results. However, ownership of
these cars was restricted more to
heads of State, extremely wealthy individuals and anyone else who could
afford to have four hours of service for
every hour on the road! The Ghibli in
many ways filled the gap between the
need for a similar car with a tad more
reliability and perhaps less exclusivity.
Technologically, the Ghibli followed a
successful line of Maserati racecars and
Grand Touring machines alike. Prior to
the Ghibli, Maserati had fielded a long
list of modern racecars, including the
300S, the “Birdcage,” and the inimitable
450S. The latter was powered by a V8,
which is a direct predecessor to the
later 4.7 and 4.9 motors found in the
Ghibli. The newer V8 motors were
milder in many ways and had improvements for reliability with, of course,
compromise in performance. For those
lucky enough to have heard the 450S
run in anger, there is not much to compare with it. Its sounds are a deep rumble, tempered with the tease of sound
of gear driven cams, and throaty sound
of air rushing into the four downdraft
Weber carburetors. When I drive my
Ghibli, I still hear echoes of these same
sounds and this savagery has some-
how remained in a subtle way in the
heart of the Ghibli. The 450S’s success
was so great and its threat to the racing
establishment so immense that rule
changes on engine displacement
essentially removed it from competition.
It is hard to pinpoint exactly what heritage was drawn on for the Ghibli, but
many sources point to a combination of
the Mexico and 5000 GT for the
mechanicals – including engine and
suspension. Mechanically, much of the
Maserati Mexico and Quattroporte were
used as a basis for the Ghibli’s
mechanical under-pinnings. The motor,
ultimately derived from the 450S motor
and later 5000 GT versions, was a
direct descendant derived from the
Mexico and QP, but with displacement
of 4.7 liters and a dry sump oiling system. The dry sump oiling system, while
race inspired, is surprisingly due to the
need for a low hood height rather than
anticipated operating conditions.
The car is based on the mechanicals
from the Maserati Mexico and the earlier 5000 GT and 450S, by borrowing the
Figure 2. The author’s 1967 Ghibli – originally
an Italian market model – shows the clean lines
of the first year production Ghibli without safety
equipment and extra lights (Courtesy Vintage
Exotics Collection).
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Mexico chassis and suspension and
improving on the motor first put in the
great 450S racing machine, and later
fitted for the street on the 5000 GT. The
Mexico further refined this motor for
street use and the Ghibli used a derivative of the Mexico V8 in 4.7-liter form.
Differing from the Mexico, the Ghibli V8
had a dry sump oiling system, which
was normally associated with racing
motors, but in this case was more due
to the need for a low and sleek hood.
Eliminating the oil sump allowed the
motor height to be reduced by about
100 mm. Even the radiator had to be
slanted to accommodate the low hood
profile, thus demonstrating the dominance of the product design over engineering necessity.
So much about the Ghibli styling was
new and innovative, that apart from the
obvious mechanical inheritance, there
was little precedence to draw on at
Maserati to inspire this kind of style. For
the styling, a bright and strong new
force in the design field was brought
into the fold to develop the revolutionary
and fresh Ghibli form – Giorgetto
Guigiaro, the famed Italian designer.
The Tipo 115, in Factory parlance,
began as his brainchild and was named
after a warm wind in North Africa, as the
Maserati tradition dictated.
Giugiaro was a relatively young 27-yearold designer when he joined Ghia in
1965 after leaving Bertone. At the time,
Ghia was going through a number of
ownership changes and was widely
believed to be on the verge of closing
Figure 3. Early drawings show quarter view of Ghibli with surprising inclusion of rear window defroster lines showing. Drawing courtesy of Vintage Exotics Collection.
when Giugiaro joined them as the head
of design. Here, Giugiaro penned the
Ghibli, which many people believe to be
his lifetime masterpiece. Many
observers of the 60s GT automobile
industry believe that the Ghibli was “the
best of the best” in many ways. In terms
of style, it is perhaps one of the most
beautiful cars ever made, with a form
that seems to imitate the wind that it
splits as it flies down the Autostrada.
The Ghibli’s form is a delicate balance
of sex appeal, brutish masculinity, and a
faint sense of feminine balance. Some
42 years after the Ghibli was first
penned, it is still considered one of the
most beautiful cars ever made. Giugiaro
is quoted as saying, “The Ghibli is a
symbol of outrageous hedonism, the
result of total creative freedom. I finally
got one, but not until my 60th birthday.
" The Ghibli was much emulated in later
models by other manufacturers, but
none of them struck this balance in the
same way.
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Its technological prowess was first in
class, with a front “mid-engine” design
enabling the low sloping hood by the
shorter dry sump V8, and power transmitted through a 5-speed gearbox. It is
important to remember the era – the
1960s – and how advanced much of
this was for the time. The suspension
was based on standard double A-arms
in the front, and a live axle and leaf
springs at the rear coupled with leaf
springs. Together, this car is capable of
160+ MPH top speed, impressive cornering capability, and brisk acceleration
that would give many cars of the day a
good run.
The Ghibli, as these early concept
design drawings show, was designed
to be low, sleek and well rounded.
Looking down the hood of the Ghibli
shows an aggressive and beautiful low
profile that looks as good from the
inside as it does as seen by the passerby. Normally hidden pop-up headlight
assemblies also compliment the low
front end. These blend well into the
small grill opening, which gracefully
leads the Ghibli slicing into the wind.
Also note the vertical turn indicator
lights that were used on the prototype,
but did not make it into production,
which were horizontally mounted.
The profile of the Ghibli shows how form
follows function, and the remainder of
the design is both aerodynamic and
continues the theme of being low and
long. The Ghibli is a long car for the
times and the GT theme. The long
wheelbase is complimented by its low
overall height. The rear quarter panels of
the car incorporate air vents flared into
the panel and adding design interest to
the car with the addition of the fuel
doors and Maserati emblems. The rear
of the car gradually slopes down to a
large and nearly horizontal window. It is
interesting to note that the window
heater lines in the Ghibli are vertical
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Maserati Ghibli
from 1967 to 1973
The Maserati Ghibli was a high performance front-engine coupé
built by Maserati between 1967 and 1973. A true thoroughbred
GT, it was powered by a 4.7-liter engine developing 315 hp. The
dry-sump twin cam V8 engine with four twin-choke carburetors
differed from that used in the Mexico and Quattroporte of the
same period, which followed a wet sump design. The model was
originally devised as a two-seater, despite being 4.69 meters long
and having a wheelbase of 2.55 meters. The Ghibli did become
a 2+2 for production.
The chassis featured simple, yet effective cart-sprung rear susFigure 4. The original Ghibli prototype as displayed at the 1966 Turin auto show as its public debut. The response to this original
showing was overwhelming for Maserati. What was believed to be a limited production car received so many orders stapled with
checks that increased production had to be planned.
rather than the traditional horizontal. This
can also be seen in the early design
drawings and this small touch seems to
further the overall appearance of low
and long. The rear of the Ghibli abruptly
descends vertically, but nicely turns
somewhat forward, seeming to imply
that every part of this car wants to be on
the move forward. This continues with
the outer panels wrapping down under
the rear bumper to finish far forward of
the most rearward point of the car.
The Ghibli has a fantastic visual look
and sold itself on appearance alone.
Giugiaro himself described the Ghibli as
having “a very striking, long, flat hood,
full-width radiator grille, pop-up headlights, a sharply angled windscreen,
wide squat sidelights that ended in a
vertical segment, and very clean flanks
– even though the coach-line did have
lots of movement to it. The rear end
was high for aerodynamic efficiency, as
well as functional reasons (the two fuel
tanks lie behind the rear axle and have
a very raised neck).”
Over the years, the Ghibli had many
famous owners. Henry Ford II was so
impressed by the Ghibli that he reportedly approached the Orsi family with an
offer to buy the company from them.
Other notable owners included Frank
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Sinatra, Milton Berle, Wilt Chamberlain,
Sammy Davis Junior, Peter Sellers and
Jean-Paul Belmondo. Certainly there
are other famous owners of these cars,
but even this short list shows that this
car was considered as a “A-list” car to
own in its day.
Early Concept Cars and
Turin Prototype
The eventual implementation of the
Ghibli in production is remarkably
unchanged from the original design
penned by Giugiaro. Many subtle elements that can be seen in the initial
design are changed, due to either style
considerations or practicality of design
and manufacturing. What is unexpected from early drawings of the Ghibli is
how little the design actually evolved
from the initial sketches to the final
design. Notable changes include the
style, but not form of the rear tail lights,
the orientation of the front marker lights,
the lack of air vents in the hood some of
the locations of emblems, and side
marker lights. The production models
eventually had a different trunk (early
wrap-down trunks like the prototype are
limited to the first 130 production models), vents in the hood, side vents
behind the front wheels and emblems
and side marker lights on the front and
rear side flanks of the cars.
Figure 5. An early Ghibli studio form that appears to be made from clay used to evaluate the design concept and plan for production (Courtesy of Maserati North America).
MODEL
MASERATI INTERNAL CODE
PRODUCTION START
NUMBER PRODUCED
IGNITION
LUBRICATION
TRANSMISSION
REDUCTION
GEAR RATIOS
CHASSIS
FRONT SUSPENSION
REAR SUSPENSION
BRAKES
BRAKES FRONT
BRAKES REAR
STEERING
COOLING SYSTEM
LENGTH
WIDTH
HEIGHT
WHEELBASE
FRONT TRACK
REAR TRACK
DRY WEIGHT
CURB WEIGHT
TIRES
WHEELS
TOP SPEED
BODYWORK
FUEL TANK
PRODUCTION DATES
ENGINE
BORE AND STROKE
TOTAL DISPLACEMENT
DISPLACEMENTS (UNITARY)
COMPRESSION RATIO
MAXIMUM POWER
MAXIMUM TORQUE
TIMING GEAR
FUEL FEED
FUEL & LUBRICANT
pension, also found on the Quattroporte II which was introduced
at the same time. The project was principally overseen by Eng.
Alfieri and it was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in late 1966 on
the Ghia stand, with deliveries starting in March of the following
year. The steel bodies (with an alloy hood) were manufactured by
Vignale.
The Ghibli had a fantastic asset in its striking visual appearance,
and it could easily have sold itself based on looks alone. Its dramatic styling was the work of a young Giorgetto Giugiaro, at that
time working for the Ghia studio in Turin.
Ghibli
Tipo AM115
1967
1170 (all coupés combined including Ghibli SS)
single-plug Bosch distributor with automatic advance, coil ignition (via a transistor from 1970)
two concentric gear pumps (pressure and scavenge)
5-speed + reverse ZF (automatic to order), self-locking differential
1:3.31
I=2.97; II=1.92; III=1.34; IV=1; V=0.9; R= 3.31
tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis
double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
leaf springs, hydraulic telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
ventilated discs, servo-assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit
294 mm discs
272 mm discs
worm and sector (power assistance to order)
water-cooled
185.04 inches (4,700 mm)
70.47 inches (1,790 mm)
45.67 inches (1,160 mm)
100.39 inches (2,550 mm)
56.6 inches (1,440 mm)
55.9 inches (1,420 mm)
3416 lbs (1,550 Kg)
3637 lbs (1,650 Kg)
front/rear Pirelli HS 205 VR 15 (215 VR 15 from 1972)
magnesium alloy, 7.50 x 15 (wire wheels to order)
164.5 mph (265 kmh)
2-door, 2+2 coupé
two tanks, 100 liters (21 Imperial Gallons / 26 US gallons)
1969-1973
90° V8, light alloy casting with pressed-in cylinder liners in special cast iron
93.9x85 mm
4,709 cc
588.62 cc
8.5:1
310 bhp at 6,000 rpm
47 Kgm (341 lbs/ft) at 3,500 rpm
two valves per cylinder, two chain-driven overhead camshafts per cylinder bank
naturally aspirated, four vertical twin Weber 40 DCNF/5 carburetors (42 DCNF/9 from 1969)
N.O 98/100 RM
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The new Ghibli project was principally
overseen by Engineer Alfieri, and it was
unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in late
1966 on the Ghia stand. At this show,
deliveries were to start in March of the
following year, so the production of the
bodies and mechanical elements were
fairly mature by the time of the show.
The steel bodies (with an occasional
alloy hood or trunk) were manufactured
by Carrozzeria Ghia, although several
sources (including Maserati’s web site)
state that Vignale assisted in production
in some capacity.
Judging by the construction of the
Ghibli, the early bodies were coachbuilt and showed the expected quality
of build associated with hand-crafted
and stitched body panels. Many of the
early Ghiblis show hammer marks on
the hoods, trunks and lower portions
of the bodies, not readily seen from
“street level.” Later Ghiblis show
marked improvements in the body
workmanship, as the details of the
manufacturing
and
processes
assumedly improved with experience
and number. Many of the surviving
Ghiblis have been restored to the point
of being very straight, and the crafts-
manship of the bodies is far better now
than when they left the Factory.
The early Ghiblis were very rough
machines. The history on how the bodies were made, what processes were
employed, and when changes occurred
are not entirely clear. However, the very
early bodies appear to be mostly coach
built, while the later bodies – 1969 and
later – appear more refined, perhaps as
a result of more stamping operations for
panels and improved assembly
processes. I personally refer to the early
bodies (the first approximately 130 cars)
as the “early production bodies,” as
they closely resemble the original prototype shown in Geneva. I also refer to the
1968 and later bodies as “production
bodies” since they show serious signs
of production improvements.
Maserati changed a lot of the features
on the cars – especially during the first
year of production. The very earliest
cars had some unique features not
found on the later cars, and these
included both mechanical and cosmetic elements. To further the confusion,
the numbering on the cars has a haphazard element to it with cars numbered later having earlier features and
differing engine sizes than one would
expect. Maserati apparently had logical
reasons for doing this, ranging from the
way the cars were ordered, to using
parts on hand to finish a production run,
to avoiding ever increasing US market
import requirements.
According to sources at the Maserati
Factory and other collectors with experience with these cars, the bodies were
assembled and painted at the
Carrozzeria and delivered to Maserati
ready for assembly. Many of the cars’
bodies remained at the Factory until an
order was received asking for a particular color. This explains the fact that
many of the early bodies with the wrap
down trunks were mixed in with later
production cars. This author’s 1967
Ghibli, for example, is numbered
AM115-276 – was assembled in March
1968 according to Factory records,
included an early (and rough) wrap
down trunk body, but had electrical and
mechanical components from later
1968 models. Maserati was also known
to “fudge” the year of manufacture, as
was the case with this car, to avoid
emissions requirements and make customer orders.
Figure 6. The first Ghibli prototype with Bertochi, the official Maserati “test driver” holding the door open.
(Source: Road and Track 1967)
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Prototype
The first, and I believe only, pre-production Ghibli prototype was unveiled in
Geneva in late 1966. This car was,
unlike many prototypes of the day, a
working model. It was used later in the
year for demonstrations to the press
and for engineering development of the
production models. Road and Track
was given a ride in this vehicle in the
early in 1967. This road test and the
associated photography give us a feel
for the early Ghibli prototype.
This car was finished in a bronze exterior with a light gray leather interior and
charcoal carpets. While this color combination might be controversial in some
quarters, the end result was not. This
car was low slung and was, in fact, a bit
lower than later production models.
What is most striking to me, and many
other observers, is how close this prototype is to the actual early production
models and this speaks well to its true
status as a production prototype.
Despite this high similarity, there were
some unique features of this car that
did not make it into the production car.
One of the notable unique features is
the vertical front marker lights that fit
into the edge of the bumpers.
Production models had conventional
(and likely cheaper) Carello lights that
mounted to the upper or lower parts of
the bumper, instead of being specially
made for the Ghibli bumper. Another
interesting feature of the prototype was
the location of the door entry mechanisms and the apparent lack of exterior
door handles. Examination of the photos and Factory sources indicate that
the “door handles” were located at the
top of the doors and resemble more the
later Corvette production door handles
of the 70s that are integrated into a
pocket in the door. It is not known why
these were installed on the prototype. A
1966 Road and Track article describes
these vertical “Corvette-like” door handles as a design issue. Production
Ghiblis used a more common handle
Figure 7. This side shot of the Ghibli prototype shows the lack of exterior production
door handles and the early drop down trunk. The exhaust, bumpers and side trim are
much as they were on early production models. (Source: Road and Track 1966)
Figure 8. Front shot of the Ghibli with the lights lifted. The early bodies, like the prototype, lacked additional air inlets for the radiator. (Source: Road and Track 1967)
that was also used on other Italian
makes, including the Iso. Perhaps it
was simply a cost and availability issue
with Maserati deciding to implement the
more commonly available handles
instead of these prototype systems.
The prototype showed a wrap down
trunk which was carried over to approximately the first 130 models built. Later
production models had a cleaner trunk
lip that was about one inch tall and
removed the “head banger” reputation
of these early models. A wrap down
trunk is a tell tale sign that the car is an
early model and was built in the very earliest production run of bodies – or as I
refer to them “early production bodies.”
One source (unconfirmed) stated that
Maserati never thought beyond the first
100 cars when it was shown and the
unexpected rush of orders for the new
car caused them to expand the original
hand built production run to 130 cars
and plan for a larger production run
resulting in the later production bodies.
The prototype and early versions of this
car had a single air inlet to the radiator
through the grill as can be seen in
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129
production easier. Again, a good
assumption is that the hood vents were
added later to deal with apparently troublesome airflow issues. On the author’s
Ghibli 276, it is clear that the hood vents
were added to an otherwise flat hood
by welding in hammer formed vents into
the flat hood panel. Later production
hoods appear to be stamped.
Figure 9. Interior shot of the Ghibli prototype. (Source: Road and Track 1967)
Figure 10. The engine bay of the Ghibli prototype. (Source: Road and Track 1967)
Figure 8. Later models of the early bodies had two additional air vents formed
in the sheet metal directly below the
grille, adding additional airflow. We can
only assume that incidences of overheating at speed have been reported
due to this oversight. All production
bodies have the air inlet modification.
The Factory also retrofitted some of the
early cars (such as the author’s AM115276) with these two air inlets.
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Another interesting area of difference
between the prototype and early cars is
the hood. The prototype Ghibli has a
pair of air vents in the hood that provide
for increased airflow through the radiator and most likely reduce under hood
temperatures. They also look great. I
have personally seen some of very early
cars that do not have these vents and
this leads me to believe that many early
hoods had this “simplification” to make
Examination of the interior of the prototype Ghibli indicates that overall it is
much the same as the early Ghibli cars.
The gauge positions and switches
appear to be the same as production
cars. One interesting variation is the
location of the gearshift exit from the
center console. Experienced Ghibli
owners will notice that the production
car had the gearshift exiting further
back on the center console. Thus, the
apparent position in this car could be
due to a different transmission than the
production cars, the motor/transmission assembly being mounted further
forward than the production models, or
the dash assembly being further back in
the car. Whatever the reason, there is a
notable geometry difference here.
The view of the motor compartment of
the prototype also reveals similarity to
the production models. Overall, there is
much the same equipment – the two
brake fluid reservoirs indicating dual
hydraulic system brakes, the unique
“backwards” York air conditioning compressor, the slanted radiator and conventional ignition. The fuel pressure regulator is mounted further back than the
production cars and there is a “mystery
box” between the ignition coil and the
fuel regulator. Ghibli owners familiar with
adjusting the latches on the hood will
notice that the hood latches vary from
production units and have an interesting
center pivot which shows in the parts
manuals but is not seen on later cars.
Production Models
All early production Maserati Ghiblis
used the standard independent front
Maserati Ghibli SS
from 1969 to 1973
In 1969 Maserati launched the Ghibli SS, a sportier version of
its flagship coupé with the dry-sump 90° V8 now enlarged to
4.9 liters. The dry sump design had been devised in order to
best accommodate the low hood line of Giugiaro’s sleek
coupé, and was later used for the very same reason on the
Khamsin. Horsepower was up to 335 which gave a top speed
of 280 kph (175 mph). This turned the Ghibli SS into the
fastest Maserati road car in production. Prodigious braking
MODEL
MASERATI INTERNAL CODE
PRODUCTION START
NUMBER PRODUCED
IGNITION
LUBRICATION
TRANSMISSION
REDUCTION
GEAR RATIOS
CHASSIS
FRONT SUSPENSION
REAR SUSPENSION
BRAKES
BRAKES FRONT
BRAKES REAR
STEERING
COOLING SYSTEM
LENGTH
WIDTH
HEIGHT
WHEELBASE
FRONT TRACK
REAR TRACK
DRY WEIGHT
CURB WEIGHT
TIRES
WHEELS
TOP SPEED
BODYWORK
FUEL TANK
YEARS OF ACTIVITY
ENGINE
BORE AND STROKE
TOTAL DISPLACEMENT
DISPLACEMENTS (UNITARY)
COMPRESSION RATIO
MAXIMUM POWER
MAXIMUM TORQUE
TIMING GEAR
FUEL FEED
FUEL & LUBRICANT
performance came from the two twin-servo assisted ventilated discs with three pistons per caliper.
The equipment level was worthy of such a thoroughbred GT
with adjustable steering column, anti-theft steering lock,
leather upholstery, tinted & electric windows, reclining seats
with head rests, heated rear windscreen, dashboard clock
and even air conditioning all came as standard.
Ghibli SS
Tipo AM115/49
1969
1170 (total Ghibli & Ghibli SS production)
single-plug Bosch distributor with automatic advance, coil ignition (transistorised from 1970)
two concentric gear pumps (pressure and scavenge)
5-speed + reverse ZF (automatic to order), single dry plate clutch, self-locking differential
1:3.31
I=2.97; II=1.92; III=1.34; IV=1; V=0.9; R= 3.31
tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis
double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
leaf springs, hydraulic telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
ventilated discs, servo-assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit
294 mm discs
272 mm discs
worm and sector (power assistance to order)
water-cooled
185 inches (4,690 mm)
70.47 inches (1,790 mm)
45.67 inches (1,160 mm)
100.39 inches (2,550 mm)
56.6 inches (1,440 mm)
55.9 inches (1,420 mm)
3,640 lbs (1,660 kg)
3,901 lbs (1,770 kg)
front/rear Pirelli HS 205 VR 15 (215 VR 15 from 1972)
magnesium alloy, 7.50 x 15 inch (wire wheels to order)
285 Km/h (177 mph)
2-door, 2+2 coupé
two tanks, 100 liters (21 Imperial Gallons / 26.5 US gallons)
1969-1973
90° V8, light alloy casting with pressed-in cylinder liners in special cast iron
3.7x3.5 inches (93.9x89 mm)
4,930 cc
616.16 cc
8.5:1
335 bhp at 5,500 rpm
49 Kgm (355.5 lbs/ft) at 4,000 rpm
two valves per cylinder, two chain-driven overhead camshafts per cylinder bank
naturally aspirated, four vertical twin Weber 42 DCNF/11 carburetors
N.O 98/100 RM
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Production Numbers
Nominally, the Ghibli numbering followed a systematic development and
started at AM115-002 and continued
using even numbers only for the
Coupes. Motors always had the same
number stamped on them, as the chassis and this stamp is located on the top
of the block near the back of the heads.
The Spyders had odd numbers and
this is a key method to determine if the
Maserati Spyder at hand is a conversion or a Factory produced Spyder. It
is estimated that approximately 50
Coupes were converted to Spyders.
(See chart above.)
• Early production
bodies
• Smiths gauges
• Dual brake
boosters (Girling)
Dual front calipers
• Wrap down trunk
• Heads cast for
two plugs per
cylinder
• Cannister oil filters
Figure 12. The Ghibli Spyder hardtop. Some consider this a
less than desirable addition to the clean lines of te Ghibli but
Figure 11. The beautiful Maserati Ghibli. This model was also
with its rarity, it is still considered a very desirable option to
equipped with the optional removable hard top (Courtesy of Ivan Ruiz). have. (Courtesy of Ivan Ruiz)
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• 38 DCNL Webers
Number Produced
Coupe: 002 - 182
Coupe: 184 - 732
Coupe: 734 - 1432 Spyder: 1001 - 1059
Coupe: 1434- 1884 Spyder: 1061 - 1233
Coupe: 1886 – 2282 Spyder: 1235 - 1299
Coupe: 2284 – 2508
90 Coupes
274 Coupes
271 Coupes, 29 Spyders
225 Coupes, 64 Spyders
198 Coupes, 32 Spyders
112 Coupes
Variations Between Models
Maserati made a number of modifications during the production of the Ghibli.
Many of the variations involved modifications of the mechanical, interior and
cosmetic facets of the car. Some of the
changes were due to changes from
prototype based production techniques
and many of the changes were due to
changes in safety and emissions
requirements.
Tracking such variations and changes
are always interesting. Maserati had a
policy of assembling cars to order as
dictated by customer’s needs, as well
as the availability of parts on hand. As
such, many early cars have different
body features (no hood vents, no under
grille vents, and wrap down trunks) and
numbers of such cars did not always fall
• Ventilated disks
on brakes
• Larger diameter
knock off wheel
hubs
• Under grille air
vents
• New window lifts
• Veglia gauges
• Spin off oil filters
• 40 DCNL
Webers
Chassis Number Range
• New door locks
• New hood locks
• New windshield
wiper system
• Shorter trunk lid
(with exceptions
such as author's
AM115-276 with
wrap down trunk)
into the first 120 cars, even though it is
believed that only 120 of the early bodies were produced. Further, customers
would occasionally order items such as
enlarged fuel tanks (one such car was
owned by Ivan Ruiz – a euro version SS
Ghibli numbered AM115/49 1986). The
Factory is also known to have installed
the larger 4.9L motors into a dozen or
so non-SS cars. One such example is
number AM115-206, which is an early
car, it left the Factory on January 9,
1968 for Germany, had ventilated disks,
type 42 wheel hubs, and was fitted with
a 4.9 L motor. Factory records record
this car as a Ghibli 5000 – which is odd
and interesting. Thus, any and all variations of the configurations quoted here
are subject to a large uncertainty factor!
Continued on Page 136
• New carburetors
(42 DCNF Webers)
• Change to new
distributor &
capacative discharge ignition
• Mods to air conditioning and ventilation systems
• Single disk clutch
• New panhard
rod assembly
AM115-678 - AM115-2508
In 1969 Maserati launched the Ghibli
SS, a sportier version of the coupe with
The Maserati Ghibli was offered as a
convertible from 1969 until 1972, with
the same dry sump 4.7 liter V8 as the
coupe. The Spyder was first shown at
the Turin Salon in November 1968 and
production was underway by early
1969. Some twenty-one examples
were completed before the end of that
year. The Ghibli Spyder was one of the
last projects Giugaro worked on for
Ghia in 1967 before setting up his own
consultancy – Italdesign. The clean lines
that characterized the Coupe were only
accentuated by the drop dead gorgeous Spyder. The fabric top folded
away neatly underneath a rear deck
panel behind the seats and could be
raised or lowered in quickly. The gas
fillers were relocated to the top of the
quarter panels ahead of the trunk lid,
but the remainder of the car is much as
the Coupe. A Factory hardtop with large
windows made the car a practical companion for all seasons, although only
between 20 and 25 Ghibli Spyders
The Spyder was also offered in SS
form. With only twelve produced, it
remains a mystery why so few Ghiblis
were ordered in Spyder trim. Production of both these 4.7-liter and 4.9-liter
variants continued until late 1972.
Model
Year
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
AM115-418 to AM115-676
Several options were available for the
production car, including a BorgWarner automatic transmission, power
steering and Borrani wire wheels.
Supplementary driving lights could be
ordered along with a Blaupunkt AM/FM
stereo. European cars were fitted with a
3.31 rear axle ratio and North American
models received a slightly livelier 3.54
axle ratio.
Factory Spyders
were ever sold with it. Many people
found the top somewhat unattractive,
as it breaks up the otherwise beautiful
lines of the Spyder, but its rarity makes
it an accessory that is in high demand
among collectors today.
AM115-234 to AM115-416
The Ghibli stood at a mere 45-inches
high and access to the interior was
remarkably good. The interior demonstrated a well laid out set of instruments
and switches, but there is still some
mystery in decoding the purpose of
many of the switches without reading
the Owner’s Manual. One of the
remarkable things that tall people will
notice about the Ghibli is the very tall
headroom available. Even the tallest
people could fit into the Ghibli with no
problems. Air conditioning was fitted as
standard along with electric windows.
Early cars had a small tray and cushions
behind the seats that served as small
rear seats. My children have rode back
in these “seats” and enjoyed the experience immensely.
the V8 now enlarged to 4.9 liters.
Horsepower for the SS was up to 335,
which gave a top speed of 175 mph.
This turned the Ghibli SS into the fastest
Maserati road car in production. There
are few visual cues to the SS model,
other than the SS emblems on the trunk
and on the glove box. An additional and
notable visual difference was the
exhausts where the Factory SS had
dual exhaust exits below the rear
bumper as opposed to the standard
Ghibli driver’s side exits.
AM115-204 to AM115-232
Maserati's proven four overhead
camshaft V8 was derived from the old
450S motor. The motor’s displacement
was 4719 cc, thanks to a bore and
stroke of 93.9 x 85 mm, respectively.
Compression was 8.5:1 and four
Weber 38 DCNL carburetors were fitted
to early models. The earliest engines
produced 330 bhp at 5500 rpm, but
later production engines were fitted with
the bigger 40 DCNLs and the motors
were capable of running at 6000 rpm
and producing 340 bhp. The motor was
dry sump oiled and was coupled to a
hydraulic clutch. Early models used the
dual plate clutch system, which was
derived from race experience. While
perhaps a superior engineering solution, customers found this combination
difficult to drive due to the “on-off”
nature of this arrangement. A change
early in the production run to a single
plate clutch made the standard ZF fivespeed gearbox a bit more civilized. The
4.7-litre V8 provided enough grunt for a
168 mph top speed, 0-60 in 6.4 seconds and 0-100 in 15.2. The standing
quarter was possible in 14.5 seconds.
AM115-002 to AM115-202
suspension employing coil springs,
conventional shock absorbers and an
anti-roll bar. At the back was a conventional Dana 44 (Salisbury) differential
with dual leaf springs, radius rods, conventional Koni shocks and another antiroll bar. A pair of 12-gallon fuel tanks
provided a range of nearly 300 miles.
Braking was accomplished by Girling
disc brakes, using dual brake boosters
as was used on various Sunbeams,
Lamborghinis and other European cars.
Standard were beautiful Campagnolo
magnesium alloy knock-off wheels with
Pirelli Cinturato tires. Knock-off Borrani
wire wheels were also available as an
option and gave the car a beautiful, if
not aggressive appearance.
• Bonaldi brake
booster (single)
• New crankshaft
• Bolt on wheels as
standard
• New plastic dash
vents
• New dashboard
layout and swiches
(square)
• Padded steering
wheel hubs
Figure 13. Factory changes based on production number. Maserati's numbering system was not always reliable and as such this
list should only be considered as a guide. The author's own car is an excellent example with an early body and late mechanicals.
Viale Ciro Menotti, Issue #93
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Maserati Ghibli Spyder
Maserati Ghibli Spyder SS
The Maserati Ghibli was offered as a convertible from 1969
until 1972, with the same dry sump 4.7 liter V8 as the coupé.
The clean lines that characterized Giugiaro’s design were a
visual delight, the classic proportions of the front-engine configuration with a long hood and steeply raked windscreen produced this effect. It was strictly a two-seater. The fabric roof
folded away neatly underneath a rear deck panel behind the
seats and could be raised or lowered in just a matter of minutes. A stunning factory hardtop with large windows made the
car a practical companion for all seasons, although only
Maserati’s Ghibli Spyder was launched in 1969, the same
year the 4.9 engine was introduced on the coupé. The new
power unit was immediately available on the Spyder and the
cars that were fitted with it were identified as the Ghibli Spyder
SS. With 335 hp and a 270 kph top speed (169 mph) to
match its stunning looks it was one of the most desirable production cars in the world at that time. It was also one of the
most expensive. Of just 125 total Ghibli Spyders sold in the
five years that the model was available, only a fifth were to SS
spec – which today makes it a universally recognized and
from 1969 to 1972
MODEL
MASERATI INTERNAL CODE
PRODUCTION START
NUMBER PRODUCED
IGNITION
LUBRICATION
TRANSMISSION
REDUCTION
GEAR RATIOS
CHASSIS
FRONT SUSPENSION
REAR SUSPENSION
BRAKES
BRAKES FRONT
BRAKES REAR
STEERING
COOLING SYSTEM
LENGTH
WIDTH
HEIGHT
WHEELBASE
FRONT TRACK
REAR TRACK
DRY WEIGHT
CURB WEIGHT
TIRES
WHEELS
TOP SPEED
BODYWORK
FUEL TANK
PRODUCTION DATES
ENGINE
BORE AND STROKE
TOTAL DISPLACEMENT
DISPLACEMENTS (UNITARY)
COMPRESSION RATIO
MAXIMUM POWER
MAXIMUM TORQUE
TIMING GEAR
FUEL FEED
FUEL & LUBRICANT
134
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Viale Ciro Menotti, Issue #93
between 20 and 25 Ghibli Spyders were ever sold with it,
making it an accessory that is in high demand among collectors today.
Along with the Simùn prototype, the Ghibli Spyder was one of
the last projects Giugiaro worked on for Ghia in 1967 before
setting up his own consultancy. In the 4.7 guise the Ghibli
Spyder was capable of reaching speeds of 250 kph (156
mph).
Ghibli Spyder
Tipo AM115/S
1967
125 (total Ghibli Spyder & Spyder SS production)
single-plug Bosch distributor with automatic advance, coil ignition (via a transistor from 1970)
two concentric gear pumps (pressure and scavenge)
5-speed + reverse ZF (automatic to order), self-locking differential
1:3.31
I=2.97; II=1.92; III=1.34; IV=1; V=0.9; R= 3.31
tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis
double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
leaf springs, hydraulic telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
ventilated discs, servo-assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit
294 mm discs
272 mm discs
worm and sector (power assistance to order)
water-cooled
185.04 inches (4,700 mm)
70.47 inches (1,790 mm)
45.67 inches (1,160 mm)
100.39 inches (2,550 mm)
56.6 inches (1,440 mm)
55.9 inches (1,420 mm)
3416 lbs (1,550 Kg)
3637 lbs (1,650 Kg)
front/rear Pirelli HS 205 VR 15 (215 VR 15 from 1972)
magnesium alloy, 7.50 x 15 (wire wheels on request)
169 mph (272 kmh)
two-door, two-seater spyder
two tanks, 100 liters (21 imperial gallons / 26 US gallons.)
1969-1973
90° V8, light alloy casting with pressed-in cylinder liners in special cast iron
93.9x85 mm
4,709 cc
588.62 cc
8.5:1
310 bhp at 6,000 rpm
47 Kgm (341 lbs/ft) at 3,500 rpm
two valves per cylinder, two chain-driven overhead camshafts per cylinder bank
aturally aspirated, four vertical twin Weber 40 DCNF/5 carburetors (42 DCNF/9 from 1969)
N.O 98/100 RM
1973
MODEL
MASERATI INTERNAL CODE
PRODUCTION START
NUMBER PRODUCED
IGNITION
LUBRICATION
TRANSMISSION
REDUCTION
GEAR RATIOS
CHASSIS
FRONT SUSPENSION
REAR SUSPENSION
BRAKES
BRAKES FRONT
BRAKES REAR
STEERING
COOLING SYSTEM
LENGTH
WIDTH
HEIGHT
WHEELBASE
FRONT TRACK
REAR TRACK
DRY WEIGHT
CURB WEIGHT
TIRES
WHEELS
TOP SPEED
BODYWORK
FUEL TANK
PRODUCTION DATES
ENGINE
BORE AND STROKE
TOTAL DISPLACEMENT
DISPLACEMENTS (UNITARY)
COMPRESSION RATIO
MAXIMUM POWER
MAXIMUM TORQUE
TIMING GEAR
FUEL FEED
FUEL & LUBRICANT
much sought after classic, to such an extent that more than a
few coupés have been transformed into Spyders through the
years.
As on the coupé, an automatic gearbox could be fitted upon
request and a significant number of Ghiblis were sold with it,
as the United States was always the model’s main market. At
the Turin motor show in late 1970 minor changes were introduced to the Ghibli model lineup, mainly involving the headlights, dashboard and headrests.
Ghibli Spyder SS
Tipo AM115.S/49
1973
125 (total Ghibli Spyder and Spyder SS production)
single-plug Bosch distributor with automatic advance, coil ignition (via a transistor from 1970)
two concentric gear pumps (pressure and scavenge)
5-speed + reverse ZF (automatic to order), self-locking differential
1:3.31
I=2.97; II=1.92; III=1.34; IV=1; V=0.9; R= 3.31
tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis
double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
leaf springs, hydraulic telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar
ventilated discs, servo-assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit
294 mm discs
272 mm discs
worm and sector (power assistance to order)
water-cooled
185.04 inches (4,700 mm)
70.47 inches (1,790 mm)
45.67 inches (1,160 mm)
100.39 inches (2,550 mm)
56.6 inches (1,440 mm)
55.9 inches (1,420 mm)
3416 lbs (1,550 Kg)
3637 lbs (1,650 Kg)
front/rear Pirelli HS 205 VR 15 (215 VR 15 from 1972)
magnesium alloy, 7.50 x 15 (wire wheels to order)
174 mph (280 kmh)
two-door, two-seater spyder
two tanks, 100 liters (21 Imperial gallons / 26 US gallons)
1969-1973
90° V8, light alloy casting with pressed-in cylinder liners in special cast iron
93.9x89 mm
4,930 cc
616.16 cc
8.5:1
335 bhp at 5,500 rpm
49 Kgm (355.5 lbs/ft) at 4,000 rpm
two valves per cylinder, two chain-driven overhead camshafts per cylinder bank
naturally aspirated, four vertical twin Weber 42 DCNF/11 carburetors
N.O 98/100 RM
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Brakes
All Ghiblis had four-wheel disk brakes
with power assist, but there were three
significant variations. The very earliest
cars used non-ventilated disks and the
front brakes had dual calipers. Less
than 100 cars had this unique setup.
Early cars also had the dual hydraulic
system with dual brake boosters. These
Girling units were common to
Lamborghini. Sunbeams and Volvos of
the era and operated independently of
each other. Later models used a more
conventional Bonaldi booster mounted
to the master cylinder.
Interior and
Instrumentation
Figure 14. Image of the early dual brake caliper setup. Courtesy of Ivan Ruiz.
Figure 15. Dual brake boosters used on early cars. These systems were located
behind the driver's side wheel as shown. Courtesy of the Vintage Exotics Collection.
The early cars through 1969, and many
euro versions after this date, are considered to have the most graceful interior and dash setup. These cars were
equipped with Smiths gauges and toggle switches like many other Italian cars
of the era. They also had the solid cast
aluminum vent covers for heating and
ventilation. In 1968, Maserati switched
the gauges to a more modern Veglia
gauge. US bound cars were later fitted
in late 1969 and 1970 with less attractive and less reliable rocker switches.
Many of the later interiors had padded
steering wheels in the interest of safety.
It is almost universally agreed that the
early dash and interior is more attractive
and desired.
Figure 16. Early Ghibli dash with rocker switches and steering wheel “not safe at any speed.” Courtesy of Ivan Ruiz.
The remainder of the Ghibli interior
remained much the same as the later
models outside of the dashboard.
Many different interior colors were
available including, but not limited to:
black, cream, red, tobacco, tan and
blue. The dashboards are all covered
by Alcantara and always in black, as
can be seen in the associated images.
The headliner was also a single color,
which would best be described as a
light tan color.
Figure 17. Later dash board configuration (actually from a SS model) with rocker switches and padded steering wheel. Courtesy of
Ivan Ruiz.
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Factory Ordered Options
Figure 18. This very early Ghibli has several unique features
including a ventless hood, no air inlet vents under the grille, and
no marker lights. Courtesy of the Vintage Exotics Collection.
There are no rules in Maserati collection except that any combination of production number, year and option is possible and
it may indeed be genuinely a Factory option. The bottom line is
that Maserati often tailored the many cars that it produced for
its owners. The following is a list of options that have been
noted on some cars and are believed to be Factory installed:
enlarged fuel tanks, 4.9 liter motors in non-SS cars, later
mechanicals installed in early bodies and registered as an early
car, special paint and interior colors, custom tail-lights featuring three round Ferrari-like lenses and non-standard wheels
(one example with Ferrari like Chromodora wheels is known). I
am sure that there are other examples that have been noted by
other collectors and the possibilities are numerous!
deletion. Even the very first prototype had this feature so the
deletion may have been an attempt at design simplification
which was later added back into the production run because
of functionality.
Other changes to the exterior of the car had to do with
bumper over-riders and marker lights. Starting in approximately 1969, bumperettes were added to the Ghibli that were
mostly graceful. Later models in 1971 and 1972 had much
heavier looking bumper riders as seen in Figure 20. These
were due to US bumper impact ratings and became rather
unsightly. Other deviations and changes are the front marker
lights. Very early cars had the front turn signal lamps mounted
on the lower portion of the front bumper. Additionally, large
marker lights were added on post 1971 cars for the same US
safety regulations.
Figure 20. A later SS model with bumper over-riders and
changes in marker lights. Many euro versions of these later cars
did not have the unsighly additions added in response to US
safety regulations.
Colors
Maserati has had a standard set of exterior colors that they
offered. The following colors were noted from an early
Factory note translated from Italian by the author:
Table 1. Colors available
Bianco Polo Park
Verde Germoglio
Giallo Fly
Azzuro
Bleu Montecarlo
Rosso Fuoco
Nero
Argento Auteuil
Grigio Ferro Metallic
Oro Longchamps
Rame Metallic
Blue Sera Metallic
Bleu Ischia Metallic
Bleu Metallic
Celeste Chiaro Metallic
Berde Pino Metallic
Verde Medio Metallic
Marrone Metallic
Rosso Rubino
on the Ghibli
Soft White
Pea Green
Fly Yellow
Bright Blue
Navy Blue
Bright Red
Black
Silver
Metallic Charcoal Grey
Metallic Brown
Bronze
Metallic Dark Blue
Metallic Medium Blue
Metallic Light Blue
Light Sky Blue
Metallic Dark green
Metallic Light Green
Brown metallic
Maroon Metallic
Figure 21. From bumper light locations. Early versions are on the left. For 1968 through about 1970, the Carello lights were moved
to the top of the grille opening. Later cars had a cheaper looking plastic light mounted on the bottom of the grille.
Motor
Changes to Body
Apart from the obvious difference with the Spyder and
Coupe, the bodies remained more or less similar in appearance. The early cars showed the majority of unique body
features and this is possibly due to the hand built nature of
the early cars. The variations on the early bodies included:
hood, under grille air inlets, and the trunk.
A few very early cars appear without the notable hood vents.
I have personally noted three different cars, all with chassis
numbers less than 100, with “ventless” hoods. Other than
ease of manufacture, there is no apparent reason for this
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Figure 19. Comparison of two differing trunks from the early production bodies and the later production series. The latter is generally accepted as more practical if that word applies!
Figure 22. Early V8 with the DCNL carburetors. The Maseratis seem to have as much
beauty under the hood as outside. Courtesy of Ivan Ruiz.
The Ghibli motor stayed mostly
unchanged throughout the production
run. With the exception of the larger
4.9-liter SS motor, the Ghibli had the
same 4.7-liter V8. The early models had
the 38 DCNL and 40 DCNL Weber carburetors, while the later motors
switched to the DCNF carburetors.
Visually, these systems were the same
until later versions of the car had a different air filter that is often referred to as
the “box.” In approximately 1969, the
Ghibli received a much-needed
upgrade in its ignition system – from a
standard dual point system to a
Capacitive Discharge ignition. This
solved a troublesome cold start problem with the motor, as well as known
incidences of plug fouling. Early V8s
also had an old-fashioned cartridge oil
filter system that had a heat exchanger
built into it to serve as an oil cooler. This
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system circulated coolant through the
oil filter to maintain consistent oil temperatures. Conventional “throw away”
oil filters, along with an externally
mounted oil cooler, later replaced this
system. Many owners report the old
heat exchanger system is prone to leaking engine coolant into the oil and vice
versa.
Wheels
The Ghibli came with four wheel variations. The early models were all classic
knock-off hub designs and had a very
clean outward appearance. Newer
models switched to a more classic
lug/nut design and particularly on wire
wheels were less graceful. The Ghibli
was offered with the Campognolo
Magnesium star wheels as standard
with Borrani wire wheels as optional.
Later models continued with wire
wheels and the bolt-on Campognolo
wheels, but also had an upgraded
Camognolo wheel mounted to only the
very latest cars.
The Last Ghibli
Over its design life, the Ghibli did not
vary greatly in overall function. Many
technical improvements were made to
the car to fix problems that became
known to the Factory, and other
changes were made in the name of regulation. This was true mostly of the USbound cars. The European market cars
remained truer to the initial vision and
are often considered the highly desirable models. In the end, nearly 1200
Ghiblis were made and many have survived.
Figure 23. Variations on Ghibli wheels
including the most common
Campognolos, the Borrani wire wheels,
the bolt-on wire wheels and the late
Campognolo wheels.
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their motors replaced by Chevy V-8s
(yes, I know) and eventually died of neglect. Yet others were wrecked and met
their demise by the crusher. Rust was
also a well-known malady of these cars,
as the hand-made nature of the cars
was not conducive to long life.
In the end, the Ghibli went through
much the same pattern as other unloved exotics. Maintenance costs were
high due to specialty mechanics and
parts costs, and after a certain amount
of depreciation, the cars no longer justified keeping in the minds of many original buyers. The lower priced cars
(many Ghiblis could be had for less then
$10,000 USD a mere 15 years ago)
were bought by people without the
money to maintain them.
The market for the Ghibli has clearly
turned, and with it many cars are now
being restored and being done well.
This has also helped by increasing
availability of many parts for the cars.
While it’s only a guess, there are likely
some 500-600 Ghiblis remaining
worldwide, with about half of them still
on the road on any regular basis. I
expect that the number will continue to
decline, but I would imagine this
decline to slow, as more and more
people find this highly desirous car
worthy of the cost of ownership. n
Figure 24. One of the very first Ghibli Coupes and very last Ghibli Coupes. Largely unchanged, this car transisioned from the heyday
of the 1960s to the emissions and safety laden concerns of the 1970s.
How many have survived through the
years? It’s hard to know exactly. It is
clear that the very early cars often suffered from engine fires and met their
eventual demise in this way. Others had
"The good, the bad and the donkey.(Giugiaro at 70)(Giorgetto Giugiaro automotive
engineer shares his wish for designing cars)." Automotive News Europe. Crain
Communications, Inc. 2008. HighBeam Research. 24 May. 2009
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