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Bid on the very first Maserati Ghibli Spyder [w/video]

In reviving the Ghibli nameplate, Maserati may have applied it to a sedan this time around. But the original Maserati Ghibli was a coupe – and as anyone who knows their history of exotic Italian automobiles will tell you, it also bred a convertible. What you see here is the first example, and now it's going up for auction during Monterey Car Week. Maserati only built 128 examples of the Ghibli Spyder, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Ghia, making it a highly sought-after roadster and an icon of its time. This Ghibli – bearing chassis number AM115/S 1001 – wasn't merely one of them. It was the factory prototype, the one which the Modenese automaker displayed at both the Turin Motor Show in 1968 and the Geneva Motor Show in '69. The production models that followed featured some subtle changes, particularly to the trunk, filler caps, and door handles. But rather than hold on to the prototype, Maserati sold this yellow show car when it was done with it. The roadster was bought by one Ruggiero Capuano in 1969, who had it for six years before selling it to Libero Girardi, an Italian-American and Ferrari mechanic in Rhode Island, who in turn transferred ownership to John Ferro, his son-in-law. Ferro drove it for over a decade before putting it in storage for the better part of 30 years. Its current owner bought it from Ferro, took it out of storage, and put it on the concours circuit, picking up numerous trophies along the way. Having been properly stored, the Ghibli Spyder never required much restoration, and remains in highly original condition. That ought to make it a hot item even among the other notable lots that RM Sotheby's has lined up for Monterey this year. Though the auction house isn't saying how much it expects the prototype to sell for, Sports Car Market records that a Ghibli Spyder (also in yellow) was sold by Artcurial in Paris last year for over $1 million. Considering the provenance and condition of this prototype, we'd expect it to sell for even more. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 1968 Maserati Ghibli Spyder Prototype - AM115/S 1001 View 41 Photos News Source: RM Sotheby'sImage Credit: Darin Schnabel/RM Maserati Auctions Convertible Concept Cars Classics Pebble Beach RM Sotheby's maserati ghibli

Maserati ramping up production of Ghibli, Quattroporte

While Porsche may be relatively new to the four-door game, Maserati has been building the Quattroporte with few interruptions since 1963. But like its rival from Stuttgart, the Trident marque is rapidly shifting from a sports car company primarily to a manufacturer of high-end family transportation. Not only does it have the new Quattroporte on the market, but now it's got the Ghibli sedan as well and the Levante crossover on its way.
It's a gambit that's reaping huge benefits not only for Maserati itself but also for its newly merged parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which is finding the mass market less lucrative than it once was and is positioning both Maserati and Alfa Romeo against other luxury marques like BMW, Audi and Porsche. As a result, Maserati is considerably expanding its production.
Last month, Maserati sold over 3,000 cars, putting it on track to double its sales from 2013. But it's not about to stop there. With growing demand for its authentically Italian luxury sedans, Maserati is shifting more workers to its assembly plant in the Turinese suburn of Grugliasco (where the QP and Ghibli are made) and shortening vacation time to ramp production up from 750 cars per week to 900.

Maserati betting big on Levante SUV

In 2014, Maserati was booming thanks to a sales spike, and executives contemplated capping production. The company's fortunes, however, have changed quickly this year. Its sales dropped 13 percent globally to 8,281 cars in the second quarter, and earnings were down 30 percent, according to Automotive News. This performance has led the company to pin its future hopes on the launch of the Levante crossover. The Levante arrives in the first half of 2016. An official debut is scheduled for sometime this year, according to the company's five-year plan, though the unveiling might be pushed back until the 2016 Detroit auto show in January, Automotive News reports. The Levante shares a platform with the Ghibli and reportedly will use its V6 engines. The crossover also is expected to have all-wheel drive. Patent drawings suggest a look reminiscent of the earlier Kubang concept (pictured above). FCA explains some of Maserati's current weakness is due to problems in China. Deliveries were down 37 percent there in the second quarter, according to Automotive News, and the country's weak economy isn't expected to let up soon. Related Video: