Lot 207: 1975 Maserati Indy 4.7

During the 1960s Maserati gradually gave up the idea of motor racing and turned more to road cars, although these harked back to the marque's days of glory on the race tracks. Nowhere is this dichotomy better illustrated than in Maserati's V8 models. The engine was commissioned with the intention of winning the Indianapolis 500 but then the commissioner ran short of funds and withdrew from the project. Maserati could not allow a wonderful large-block 'quad-cam' engine to gather dust and so gave it gainful employment in the 450S sports-racer which almost won the 1957 World Sports Car Championship. The front-engined cars originating in the 1960s shared the same basic floorpan although crucial dimensions changed according to whether it was to support the lithe Ghibli or the corpulent Quattroporte. By 1968 it was felt that the road car designs were rather plain so shortly after the exotic Ghibli the Indy was introduced, a striking gran turismo with four seater coachwork by Vignale. With servo-assisted disc brakes on all four wheels, monocoque construction, a 260bhp quadruple camshaft V8 engine and five speed gearbox this was, for its day, a thoroughly modern and potent motor car, capable of a claimed maximum speed of over 150mph. In 1970 a larger, 4.7 litre engine became an option, with improved performance and greater refinement Suitably finished in metallic gold with a contrasting black leather interior, this 4.7 litre Indy, bearing its original Turin registration plates, presents itself in good original condition. Recently serviced, TO 31583N is accompanied with its original Italian libretto.L'auto che possiamo ammirare qui oggi sapientemente rifinita in color oro metallizzato con interni in pelle nera. Ancora provvista delle targhe originali TO 31583N, si presenta in condizioni originali buone. stata recentemente tagliandata ed fornita dell'originale libretto italiano.