Maserati had its origins in 1914, and in its long history, it has produced some of the most sought-after classic cars out there. After decades in the professional racing car business, they took their expertise in performance and applied it to vehicles that were actually driveable on public roads.
Because the company puts a limit of 75,000 cars manufactured per year today, Maserati's trident badge is one of the most exclusive in the world. And if you are looking at the classic Maseratis, most of their vehicles barely hit four digits across their entire production run, it that. So, how much will it cost you if you want a piece of that exclusivity for yourself?
Maserati is one of the most glamorous performance car companies there are. Here is what some of their hit cars will cost you.
The Merak Is An Awesome 2+2 Sports Ride
The Maserati Merak was a mid-engined 2+2 sports car that Maserati built from 1972 to 1983. It shared many features with the Maserati Bora, which came out a year earlier than it, but had a few key differences. Whereas the Bora has a 4.7-liter V8 engine producing 320-hp, the Merak had a 3.0-liter V6 engine that only produced 190-hp. However, the space saved by fitting a smaller engine meant that Maserati could expand the cabin size, allowing them to add two seats in the back.
They aren't exactly the roomiest seats ever fitted to a car, of course. The Merak's rear seats may only be fit for children or for extra cargo space, but still more than you get on the two-seater Bora. Only 1,830 were ever made, and they usually go for over $50,000 at auction—honestly, kind of a bargain with a car that rare.
The Ghibli Has A Long History
Maserati has actually built three quite different cars under the Ghibli name, inspired by the name of the south-westerly winds of the Libyan desert—a wind that can reach up to hurricane force in the summer. The name is an apt choice for all three iterations, which are all very high-performance vehicles.
The original Maserati Ghibli had a production run lasting from 1967 to 1973, as a big 2+2 grand tourer with a V8 engine. Eventually, Maserati brought the name back with the Ghibli AM336. This Ghibli, running from 1992 to 1998, was a two-door, V6 powered coupe based on the Maserati Biturbo. Finally, the modern Maserati Ghibli M157 is a V6 powered four-door sedan. All of them are highly sought after by enthusiasts.
Prices, of course, are going to vary a lot depending on which example you are looking for. The modern 2022 Ghibli will start with a base MSRP of $78,000. Older models are going to cost you a lot more, upwards of $130,000. When you consider that there were only 1,170 of the original grand tourer Ghibli ever made, that price actually seems pretty reasonable.
The Quattroporte Is Another Neat Maserati
The Quattroporte is the model that made Maserati a name in the luxury car market. Originally introduced in 1963, the Quattroporte is a big, luxurious four-seater sedan, when most of Maserati's offerings up until that point had been high-performance sports cars. The original Quattroporte ran from 1963 to 1969, then after a brief hiatus, has been in production with five more generations since 1972.
The second generation was a rather odd collaboration with Citroen, featuring a front wheel drive layout instead of rear wheel drive and a V6 engine instead of a V8. The confluence of Citroen's collapsing finances and the 1973 oil crisis killed it in the cradle, however, preventing it from getting approval for the European market. In the end, only 12 examples of the second generation were ever built. Since the third generation, the Quattroporte has run smoothly, though, and the starting MSRP for a modern-day 2022 Quattroporte is $98,400.
The 3500 GT Is Gorgeous
For its first few years of existence Maserati specialized in racing cars rather than anything that a normal person—well, a normal person with a lot of money—could actually buy. In the mid-fifties, however, the company was looking to change that. The car that put them on the map with grand tourer cars was the 3500 GT, introduced in 1957.
Now Maserati was not just building cars for the likes of Formula 1, they had vehicles in series production. The 3500 GT was an instant hit, and it is not hard to see why. Downright jaw-dropping looks and impressive performance for the time make it a classic to this day, so you can expect to pay out classic level money for it. It is not exactly a common vehicle either, with only 2,210 ever made, so finding one for sale is going to run you north of $180,000.