Like its sisters the Mistral and later the Khamsin, the Ghibli was named after a fierce wind. Maserati’s penchant for using such nomenclature proved apropos as the cars were able performers in contemporary road tests. Being of a small boutique manufacturer, the Ghibli shared its tubular chassis with other cars in the company repertoire: the Quattroporte sedan and the Mexico coupe. Its wheelbase was reduced 3.5 inches from the Mexico, and the strictly two-seater was blessed with a gorgeous body all its own.

Unveiled at the 1966 Turin Auto Show, the beautiful lines were penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, then chief designer at Ghia. The styling was long, low, and wide, with hidden headlamps and a grille prominently punctuated by the firm’s trident emblem foreshadowing the styling of Maseratis to come in the 1970s. Production began in 1967, and the Ghibli quickly proved a worthy competitor against the Ferrari 275 GTB and Lamborghini 400 GT, its chief rivals.

Maserati upped the ante in 1970 with the introduction of the SS model, like this example, featuring a 335-hp 4.9-liter engine with solid-state ignition, four Weber 42 DCNF carburetors, and a top speed of 175 mph. In total, just 1,149 coupes and 125 spiders were produced over the production run; it is believed that just 250 Ghiblis were 4.9 SS models in any variation.

This authentic SS 4.9 was built on 11 October 1972, in its present unusual and highly exhilarating color combination, Azzurro Artico over White Connolly leather interior, with the five-speed ZF manual transmission, and was originally delivered in Milan. It is also fitted with the desirable Becker Europa II stereo AM/FM radio. According to the owner, it was fully restored in 2008, after being driven over 117,000 km from new, and has since earned multiple awards at concours d’elegance, both in the ownership of former caretaker Michael Welch and with the current owner, who bought it from the restorer, Martin Loge. It was also featured in the March 2016 issue of Autostrada Forum magazine, in which it received a glowing review for its fine style. It is offered with Maserati factory build and delivery information, as well as original owner’s and service manuals, a collection of restoration photographs, and service invoices between 2002 and 2009, covering extensive mechanical work and much of the restoration.

This is a car for the Maserati enthusiast seeking one of the finest, best-equipped examples of one of the famed automaker’s greatest, most evocative creations.