Ghibli I
| Manufacturer | Maserati |
|---|---|
| Production | 1967–1973 |
| Assembly | Modena, Italy |
| Successor | Maserati Khamsin Maserati Bora Maserati Ghibli II |
| Body style | 2-door coupé 2-door spider |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Engine | 4.7 L V8 4.9 L V8 |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic 5-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 2,550 mm (100 in) |
| Length | 4,700 mm (190 in) |
| Width | 1,790 mm (70 in) |
| Height | 1,160 mm (46 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,550 kg (3,400 lb) |
| Designer(s) | Giorgetto Giugiaro at Ghia |
The original Maserati Ghibli is a two-door, two-seater GT released by Maserati in 1967. The V8-powered Ghibli debuted at the 1966 Turin Motor Show and proved to be the most popular Maserati vehicle since the automaker withdrew from racing in the 1950s, outselling its two biggest rivals, the Ferrari Daytona and the Lamborghini Miura. So well regarded was the Ghibli Sports Car International named it number nine on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.
The Ghibli's steel body, renowned for its low, shark-shaped nose, was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Giugiaro, who today heads his own company ItalDesign, worked at coachbuilder Ghia when he designed the Ghibli.
The car was powered by a front-placed quad-cam 330 hp (250 kW) V8 engine. It had a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 6.8 seconds, had a top speed of 154 mph (248 km/h) and could be operated by either a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. Even by the standards of its time and class, the car consumed copious volumes of fuel, but Maserati fitted the car with two 50 L (13.2 US gal; 11.0 imp gal) fuel tanks, which could be filled via flaps on either side of the roof pillars. The car also featured pop-up headlamps, leather sport seats and alloy wheels.
The convertible Ghibli Spyder went into production in 1969. The Spyders were relatively rare, and were outnumbered by the coupés by almost ten to one. The slightly more powerful Ghibli SS (335 hp) was released in 1970. The Ghibli went out of production in 1973 and found a successor the following year with the Bertone-designed Khamsin.
In all, 1,149 Coupes, 125 Spyders and 25 Spyder SS models were produced.
| Model | Engine | Displacement | Power | Fuel system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghibli | V8 dohc | 4719 cc | 340 PS (250 kW; 335 hp) | 4 pcs Weber 38DCNL carburetor |
| Ghibli SS | V8 dohc | 4930 cc | 355 PS (261 kW; 350 hp) | 4 pcs Weber 38DCNL carburetor |
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