Description
What a stunning car this 1967 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi Series I is. Grigio Montebello with a black leather interior, a magnificent six-cylinder engine up front, and bodywork that combines Italian elegance with exactly the right amount of sporting character. But with this Sebring, the story goes far beyond the beautiful color combination alone. The car was fully restored by renowned Maserati specialist Franco Tralli, with deliberate attention paid to something that is all too often lost during a restoration: authenticity.
With this Sebring, “balance” seems to be exactly the right word. The car was entrusted to established marque specialists and today presents in exceptionally attractive and carefully maintained condition. At the same time, every effort was made to preserve the character of the Maserati. This is still a car that reminds you that you are sitting behind the wheel of an Italian Gran Turismo from the 1960s. And what a Gran Turismo it is.
The Sebring appeared in the early 1960s as a further development within Maserati’s successful line of Gran Turismos. Its name referred to Maserati’s victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1957. A suitably sporting name, then, but do not let that mislead you: this is not an uncompromising race car. The Sebring was developed as a fast and comfortable 2+2 capable of covering great distances with ease. Performance and luxury were allowed to coexist here.
Under the long hood lies the 3, 485 cc inline-six engine. Its engineering was closely related to that of the 3500 GTi and gave the Sebring performance that was genuinely serious for a luxurious GT of this period. A top speed of close to 140 mph was quoted at the time. But figures tell only part of the story with a Maserati like this. What matters is the way the six-cylinder engine goes about its work, the mechanical involvement, and above all the idea that one car can take on both a mountain pass and hundreds of miles of autostrada.
Then there is the design. Take a close look at the front, because that is where you will find one of the details that makes the Series I so instantly recognizable: the distinctive headlight surrounds. It may seem like a small feature, but details like this are precisely what give the early Sebring its individual identity. The twin headlights, broad grille, and subtle chrome accents combine to create a front end that is difficult to mistake for anything else.
Grigio Montebello is a fantastic choice for this bodywork. The color allows the lines to speak for themselves without demanding attention, and it pairs beautifully with the black leather interior. Inside, you will find exactly the atmosphere you would expect from an Italian Gran Turismo of this era: beautiful leather, classic instrumentation, and a cabin designed to be enjoyed for hours at a time. Not merely beautiful to look at, but genuinely created for traveling.
The documentation accompanying this Maserati is particularly interesting as well. Even the original “Avviso Spedizione” on parchment has been preserved. These are exactly the kinds of documents that excite us. Not because a piece of paper makes the car drive any better, but because original documentation like this makes the story tangible. With an important classic Maserati, it is simply wonderful to have.
And that brings us back to the restoration. Franco Tralli is a name closely associated with the maintenance and restoration of historic Maseratis. The fact that this Sebring has passed through specialist hands is clearly reflected in the way the car presents today. The intention was not to erase every trace of age, but rather to create an exceptionally good, well-cared-for, and convincing Sebring while respecting its original character.
That is what makes this Maserati so appealing. It is a car you can spend a long time looking at, constantly discovering new details, but ultimately a Sebring belongs on the road. Start the six-cylinder engine, allow it to come gently up to temperature, and then set off for somewhere preferably a few hundred miles away. After all, that is what a true Gran Turismo was made for.
This Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi Series I combines a fantastic color scheme with specialist restoration, excellent documentation, and the characteristic details of the early version. An exceptionally elegant Maserati that perfectly demonstrates why Italian Gran Turismos from the 1960s remain such an irresistible category of automobile.
Interested? Contact us today. We will be delighted to assist you. You are very welcome at Gallery Aaldering, active since 1975. We have many years of experience exporting our vehicles worldwide. Please feel free to ask us about the possibilities.
