The 1939 and ’40 Maserati 8CTF Boyle Special driven to two of his three Indianapolis 500 wins by the legendary Hoosier Wilbur Shaw is well recognized as one of the most important racecars in the world of motorsport. Until the Italian manufacturer Dallara was commissioned to build the current era of Indy Cars in the spec-era, Shaw’s Maserati was the only Italian manufacturer to have been victorious in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” This writer remembers the enthusiastic run that seven-time Formula One World Champion, Michael Schumacher, gave Shaw’s Maserati on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course the morning of the USGP in 2000. Being a Ferrari driver and now with Maserati as part of the Fiat group with Ferrari collaboration, it was a perfect introduction for the re-establishment of the marque on American shores. The photos of his broad smile afterwards told you the significance of the moment.

With this historically momentous racing achievement in mind; Maserati would remember the triumphs with the Maserati Indy. In 1968, at the Salone dell'Automobile di Torino, there appeared on the Carrozzeria Vignale stand the prototype of a sleek new four-seater coupé, based on Maserati's now established V-8 front-engine / rear wheel drive platform. The actual Indy design was penned by Vignale’s Giovanni Michelotti. Alfredo Vignale had already designed the fabulous 3500 GT Spider, Sebring and the Mexico for Maserati as the successors to the 3500 GT by Touring, whose commercial success had rescued Maserati from their period of administration. It is with this context that this four-seater coupe, thought to be the likely heir to the now ageing Mexico and Quattroporte, appeared in Turin. In March 1969, at the Salone d'Automobile de Genève, Maserati launched the Maserati Indy. The Indy with its fastback-type lines and rear hatchback was favorably received by the press, public and fans of Maserati's fabulous GTs.

For a car that accommodated four adult passengers, rather than the traditional two plus two formation of the majority of GTs of that period, it was praised for its handsome styling. The Indy came in the single body configuration of a two-door four-seater Coupe. More important, the Indy had a choice of three engines, a 4.1-liter V-8, 4.7-liter V-8 and a 4.9-liter V-8, which produced 260, 290 and 320 horsepower respectively. Production of the Indy ended in 1975. It is reported that in total 1,104 examples of the Indy were produced; 440 of them Indy 4.2s, 364 Indy 4.7s and 300 Indy 4.9s. Badging indicates this is one of the 300 Indy 4.9-liter cars.

This dark blue example is fitted with an interior in primarily off-white leather with black carpet and trim – the interior fittings are thought to possibly be the factory original, while the cassette player is not the stock unit. The interior is plush in appearance and comforts, plus the rear seating is handsomely styled in the fashion of two bucket-type seats. The engine is a V-8 powerplant that is matched with a manual transmission. The car was originally equipped with air conditioning, but at this time there is not an air conditioning compressor intalled in the car. Four-wheel disc brakes and period luxuries make for a very pleasant and uncommon driving experience.