1961 Maserati 3500GT – Auction Car of the Week

Here at Car & Classic Auctions, we are lucky to play host to some of the world’s most beautiful vehicles. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Lancias, we’ve auctioned them all. As you might imagine, with such a delightful conveyor belt of coveted classics, it can often be tricky for us to pick a favourite. Every now and then, though, something comes along that takes us aback. A case in point being this frankly jaw-dropping 1961 Maserati 3500GT. There are cars, and then there are Maseratis. Just look at it and tell us it doesn’t make your bidding finger twitch? Though if it causes other twitches, we wouldn’t blame you.

The 3500GT was only built in small numbers, with around 2200 believed to have been built. But in Maserati terms, that made the car a considerable success. You see, generally speaking, 2200 is indeed a small number. But for Maserati it signified a massive ramp up in production. The 3500GT made the Maserati name more accessible to buyers than it had ever been. This car was more than just a glorious grand tourer, it was also the beginning of Maserati mass-production.

What we have here is the coupe version, styled by Carrozzeria Touring. A glorious, free-flowing design that did much to bring some fight to its established Italian peers, it was and still is stunning. But in true Maserati fashion, the car wasn’t simply an exercise in aesthetics. It had the mechanical minerals to back up the sleek, sporty looks. Under that handmade body was a tube chassis, double wishbone front suspension, Salisbury rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, hydraulic shocks all round with (on later cars such as this) disc brakes up front and drums at the rear. As for power, that came from a Maserati-designed and built 3,485cc double overhead-cam straight-six. The block was aluminium as was the head, though the former of course had cast iron sleeves. The car here has the more… soulful addition of three triple Weber 42 DCOE carbs, which of course, sound glorious as they gulp away at the surrounding air.

The car we have for auction started life in the USA before being shipped to Dubai and then here to the UK. In 2009 it was treated to a cosmetic restoration, and has recently had a full engine rebuild. As the listing states, though, this car has never needed a frame-off restoration, thanks in no small part to the dry climates in which it has lived most of its life. Being an older restoration, there is some age to it now, but we find that charming. It makes what would normally be a very intimidating car somewhat approachable. You could, and indeed should, use this car. Drive it, experience all it has to offer. Then pull over in a picturesque spot and take a moment to just stare at it. You can’t do that with a Nissan Micra.

Make no mistake, this Maserati 3500GT makes for a very special opportunity. In many ways, this is the car that defined Maserati and set the wheels in motion for the production of all future cars. It took the brand away from the race track and introduced it to people’s garages. It was the Maserati that popularised the brand, and on that basis alone it’s worth bidding on. But the real motivator is the soul and the heart this thing has. It’s an event of a car, a celebration of just how beautifully fuel and air can be ignited to generate motion. It’s rolling art, and with just a few clicks of the mouse, it could well be yours. Imagine.