Unveiled to much fanfare at the 1966 Turin Motor Show, the shark-nosed Maserati Ghibli combined the allure of crisp Giorgetto Giugiaro fastback styling with the proven performance of the marque’s 4.7-litre quad-cam dry-sump V-8 to create one of the most appealing grand tourers of the decade. Named for hot desert winds that swept the North African coast, the gran turismo’s performance more than matched its billing, with its four carburettor, 310-horsepower engine urging it on to an autostrada-storming top speed in excess of 164 mph.

A total of 779 Ghibli 4.7 coupés were built during the model’s seven-year production run between 1967 and 1973, of which chassis 028 is one of the earliest to leave the firm’s Modena workshop, being just the 14th chassis number in the sequence–with odd numbers reserved for the Spyder variant, which entered production two years later. Ordered by Vicenza-based dealer Ditta Orfeo Ferasin on 14 April 1967 on behalf of a customer, the car was delivered just three months later, on 17 July, resplendent in the deeply attractive yet uncommon shade of Rame Metallizzato over complementary Senape Conolly hide interior, paired with Campagnolo forged wheels and the desirable five-speed manual ZF gearbox. This car later travelled to North America, returning to Europe in 1989 and entering the care of a Swiss owner, who by January 1991 had registered the car for use on the road. Said to have been the subject of an older restoration while in Switzerland, the car was later imported to Finland in 2009, and so into the stewardship of its current custodian.

Accompanied by a Maserati Classiche certificate, chassis 028 retains its original matching-numbers chassis and engine, presenting today in its factory-correct Rame Metallizzato paintwork with correct Campagnolo knock-off forged wheels—as confirmed by Maserati Classiche’s Fabio Collina—with the stylish addition of wing-mounted Sebring-style mirrors. Interior appointments are to factory specification, with the desirable features unique to early examples including instruments by Smiths, a more delicate wood-rimmed steering wheel, stainless-steel trim to the dashboard, and toggle-style dashboard switches. The partial history file is complemented by documents including copies of the internal factory order sheet, final-tests data sheet, technical data sheet, and delivery note.

A golden opportunity to acquire an early, matching-numbers Ghibli 4.7 finished in a timeless specification, this is an exemplar of the enduring appeal of Maserati’s premier gran turismo.