260 bhp, 4,136 cc DOHC V-8 engine, four Weber two-barrel carburettors, ZF five-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with unequal-length A-arms, coil springs and anti-roll bar, rigid rear axle with radius arms and semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,640 mm

• One of only 250 examples built

• Matching-numbers engine

• Powerful V-8 with ZF five-speed gearbox

• Wire wheels, original upholstery

To complement the Quattroporte sedan, Maserati displayed a prototype of a four-seat, two-door version on a shortened chassis in 1965. When production of the car commenced the following year, it was named Mexico, commemorating John Surtees’ Grand Prix victory there in a Maserati-powered Cooper. Powered by Maserati’s versatile 4.7-litre and later 4.1-litre V-8s, the Mexico was praised for its excellent driving dynamics and balanced two-door styling.

Maserati commissioned three Mexico prototypes from Bertone, Frua and Vignale, with the latter’s design favoured for production and some 250 examples produced at its new Grugliasco factory. Innes Ireland, testing a Mexico in 1968 for Autocar, remarked, “On a twisting, undulating country road the car was most exciting…Fast cornering produced very little roll.”

According to a copy of records from Maserati’s Historical Consultancy, this Mexico was originally finished in Metallic Silver with blue Connolly hides and delivered new to Advocato Piero Della Verita in Bologna in March that year. Now, it is being offered from its fifth caretaker, and the odometer currently reads about 95,500 miles. It was selectively restored and has been professionally maintained under the current owner over the past five years. During the past two years, he drove it from Hamburg, Germany to the UK for the Goodwood Revival Meeting, and it was noted to have performed well. It has been maintained by Steinke Sportwagenservice since 2007 and in 2008 received a new paint job and full service, among other work.

It retains the matching-numbers engine and original blue leather interior upholstery. It is fitted with a set of period-correct Michelin XWX radial tyres and wire-spoke wheels and comes complete with an original Maserati brochure and a German title document.