Maserati Mistral Spider 3700 + Hardtop '66

• 1 of 124 Maserati Mistral; 1 of 46 with this 3,7-litre engine configuration


• Probably the most coveted Maserati ever made


• The most ‘collector’s item’ out of all collector’s item


• This very car was shown in the London Motorshow in 1965


• In mintest condition

The Maserati Mistral was built from 1963 to 1970 and is often considered to be the ‘most beautiful and coveted’ car Maserati ever built. Its resonant name that is often supplemented with superlatives, refers to, and is eponymous to the Mediterranean wind. Under the hood lies a straight-six engine that embodies its name and produces a great deal of power. The Mistrals are very rare, with just under a thousand models produced, having the chance to get one on hands is a dream come true for every collector.

The Mistral is not just a Italian trident, it is the trident of tridents, the holy trinity in the guise of a classic car. Pietro Frua was the man entrusted with shaping the Mistral. He had already shown his capacities when working for Fiat, Renault, and as a freelance designer. He and his studio had designed the flamboyant Volvo P1800 and already added the Quattroporte to his portfolio for Maserati. He was no novice, therefore he had the privilege of designing Maserati's masterpiece, which he did in an eminent way; the Mistral is delightful in any way.

The design radiates Italian class and prestige. Inside, the car is finished with seats made of the finest leather, and the dashboard is adorned with chrome-framed gauges. From the outside, it becomes clear that this is not just ‘any Maserati’, although that should, of course, be taken in context: it is the most desired of them all.

The Mistral was highly innovative. The air intake was mounted lower than traditional, it was entirely made of aluminium, and was provided with indirect fuel injection. For the engine, one could choose different power sources ranging from a 3.5-litre engine to 3.7 litres and even 4.0 litres. From 1964, a convertible Mistral was built under the name ‘Mistral Spyder’. According to Maserati, only 124 of these were ever made.

In 1967, Maserati decided to bring a new breeze to their line-up by introduced the Ghibli. The Mistral continued to be sold until 1970 and has since become a one of the most coveted classics ever.

Maserati Mistral Spyder

Within the limited Mistral family, the Spyder is the convertible of the series. Due to its small production amount, it is the most sought-after variant among collectors. The regular Mistral stunned everyone upon its debut, but the Mistral Spyder took it to the next level in 1964.

Only 124 of the Spyder were built, and it is unclear how many of them still exist. It will remain rare and therefore highly coveted.

Technical information:

Body work

• Length (cm): 450 (177 inch)


• Width (cm): 165 (65 inch)


• Height (cm): 130 (51 inch)


• Wheelbase (cm): 240 (94 inch)


• Weight (kg): 1430 (3153 lbs)

Mechanics

• Engine: 3694 cc straight-six front-engine


• Valve gear: 12, DOHC


• Fuel system: indirect fuel injection Lucas


• Gear box: 5-speed manual


• Transmission: RWD


• Left-steered


• power: 245 hp (183 kW) at 5800 t/m


• torque: 343 Nm at 4000 t/m


• Top speed: 245 km/h (152 mph)