In 1970, Maserati added a 4.9-liter engine to the Ghibli stable, resulting in the most powerful roadgoing Maserati yet, the Ghibli SS. This magnificently presented example benefits from an ownership chain of dedicated Australian caretakers, as well as a recent restoration by marque specialist McGrath Maserati.

According to a build record from Maserati Classiche, chassis no. 1668 completed assembly in April 1970. The car was factory equipped with a five-speed ZF gearbox and bolt-on Campagnolo wheels, and finished in Rosso Rubino paint with a white Connolly leather interior.

In the early 1970s, the Ghibli SS is believed to have been purchased by Peter Garrett of Brighton, Victoria. After importing the car to Australia, Garrett commissioned a conversion to right-hand drive though Eddie Thomas, a high-profile Australian drag racer with a restoration and speed shop. After the conversion to RHD specifications, Garrett retained possession into the late 1980s and the car was sold upon his passing by Eddie Thomas on behalf of the family.

Circa 1989, the Maserati was acquired by Michael Gostelow, though he kept the car only briefly before selling it to Richard Prince of Brighton, Victoria. Prince drove the Ghibli SS regularly through 1994, when he sold the car to collector and restoration specialist David Rodd of Caulfield, Victoria (at the time a partial owner of JB Hi-Fi, one of the country’s leading consumer electronics retailers).

In 1996, the 4.9 Coupe was purchased by Brian Telfer of Queensland, and he enjoyed the car for seven years before selling it to the consignor in February 2003. Chassis no. 1668 was the first Maserati in the consignor’s collection, and it ignited a passion within him for the marque. He initially commissioned some light mechanical freshening and then drove the car modestly for a few years before opting for a full restoration.

In 2012, the car was shipped to the experts at McGrath Maserati in the UK, and a three-year refurbishment was conducted that included a return to the original left-hand-drive configuration. The 4.9-liter V-8 was comprehensively rebuilt, and the body and interior were cosmetically refinished in the original factory colour scheme. McGrath has continued to maintain the car as needed over the past few years. Depicted as the cover image for a feature in the November 2017 issue of Auto Italia magazine, this beautifully presented Ghibli SS is a splendid example that would bolster any sporting collection.