Maserati Indy America 4.7

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"The Ghibli was a fabulous looking car but the Indy, a rather roomy 2+2, in spite of its quite ordinary chassis with a rigid rear axle on leaf springs, was probably the best-handling of the front-engined Maseratis and a very potent car that I liked very much" - Paul Frere.

Styled by Carrozzeria Vignale, the Indy was intended to replace the ageing Mexico and Quattroporte and was named in honour of the marque’s two great Indianapolis wins in 1939 and 1940. It first appeared in prototype form on Vignale's stand at the 1968 Turin Motor Show and was officially launched at the following year’s Geneva Salon. The first unitary construction Maserati, its fastback coupe styling clothed a spacious 2+2 interior luxuriously trimmed in typical Italian style.

Initially powered by a 260bhp 4.2-litre quad-cam V8, this was soon upgraded to a 4.7-litre unit that produced a healthy 290bhp and could propel the car to 60mph in just 7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 165mph. Externally the new version could be distinguished by its deeper full length chrome door sill and re-positioned front indicators.

Brakes were vented discs all round with independent coil-and-wishbone front suspension and an anti-roll bar, while at the rear there was a live axle on leaf springs located by a single torque reaction arm restrained by another anti-roll bar. Transmission was by way of a ZF 5-speed gearbox with a 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic available to special order. ZF power-assisted steering and a limited-slip differential were also available on request.

Internally the re-designed front seats now had retractable headrests and Vingale's design concealed an ample interior where even the rear passengers were afforded plenty of room. The luggage area, accessed via the almost horizontal hatch, was excellent with around 18 cubic feet of space. This area was flanked by two 50-litre petrol tanks, the battery, spare wheel, car jack and an adequate tool kit being housed under the boot floor.

In 1971 an even more luxurious Indy America version was launched with extra dash instruments and power steering and air conditioning as standard. A 320bhp 4.9-litre engine was also added to the range which pushed the top speed to 170mph.

A worthy rival to the contemporary Ferrari 365GT 2+2 and the Lamborghini Espada, the Maserati Indy was well received by press and public alike, Motor magazine revelling in the “restrained ferocity” of the exhaust note, the "tremendous performance" and the "outstandingly smooth and quiet race-bred V8." Autocar also enthused over the “beautifully smooth power unit, silky gearbox, balanced handling, comfortable ride and superb stability.” Of the 1,104 Indys made in total, 364 were in 4.7-litre form of which only around 35 were in right-hand drive, making this a rare car indeed.

Dating from September 1971, this Indy America 4.7 Automatic was bought new by a Mr Maurice Wick of London W1 who registered it as 11 MW and kept it right up until June 1983. It then had three further keepers in quick succession (at least two of them dealers) before being acquired in April 1985 by a Mr Francis Perriman of Woking who was to keep it for the next 21 years, finally selling it to the current owner in June 2006.

It comes with a large history file from new documenting regular upkeep and maintenance and the 60,600 miles on the clock is genuine, backed up by a run of 34 old MOTs back to 1975 at which point the car had covered 15,730 miles. An owner's handbook, technical manual and period sales brochure are also included. Originally dark brown metallic, it has been resprayed light blue metallic at some point, possibly in 1992 when much of the lower bodywork was restored by Bill McGrath Maserati, including new inner and outer sills, at a cost of over £7,000 (bills and photos on file).

More recent work includes a full overhaul of the braking system in 2002 at 55,154 miles by Talacrest and reconditioned ZF power steering in 2012 at around 60,000 miles. A stainless steel exhaust system has also been fitted. Always in regular light use and kept garaged during the winter months, it remains in good and largely original condition throughout with a wonderfully preserved tan leather interior.

In February 1987 it was the subject of a six-page feature in Classic & Sportscar magazine where it was described as being “recognised by those ‘in the Maserati know’ as one of the best Indy’s around”. The tester went on to say: “The Indy is a very easy car to drive, especially in automatic form. It starts without fuss, stops progressively, steers sensitively through the excellent power steering and never worries the driver… Acceleration from a standstill is far from spectacular, the auto box being a bit reluctant to respond to the engine’s revs. Once on the move though, a swift dab on the throttle changes the Indy’s character immediately. In fact at any speed over about 40mph if you push the accelerator hard the Borg Warner box kicks down instantly, the quite unobtrusive V8 suddenly sounds like a 450S sports racing unit on full cry, and the Maserati hurtles forward at an incredible pace.”

Widely regarded as perhaps the most usable and untemperamental supercar of the Seventies, any Indy is a joy to own but this 'matching numbers' low mileage cracker, with effectively just three owners from new, a town-friendly automatic gearbox and impeccable service record, must surely be among the most appealing examples available. 

With top examples already fetching in excess of £60k at auction yet still only a third of the price of a comparable Ferrari 365GT 2+2, it looks like a no-brainer at the modest guide price suggested and doubtless has decades of useful life ahead of it. We like it a lot!