1965 maserati sebring

Maserati 1965 – A Grand Year

The 60s was the first time a war of sorts ensued between carmakers. Between winning the Le Mans and establishing themselves as premier carmakers, every single automobile manufacturer in the world wanted to be the best. This ignited carmakers to try radical approaches towards their design, manufacturing, and sometimes even change up their entire line-up of cars.

Not many saw or even thought that the carmaker that would be leading the charge would be Maserati. When they first launched the Maserati 3500 GT, it blew away the competition. It was an audacious move from a company that was really known only in the racing industry. They were the first to introduce the concept of a Grand Tourer in earlier years, creating the iconic A6 series of Maserati’s in the 1940s and 50s, then moving onto the arguably even more iconic Maserati 3500 GT in the late 1950s. Since then, almost every carmaker has attempted to make their own version of a GT car.

As the 60s rolled around, the Maserati brand name began to pick up some steam, and eventually, they started focusing even more on production cars. For Maserati 1965 was a great year. It was when a majority of their cars had matured and instead of bold radically designed cars, they were objects of adoration.

Why in 1965 Maserati had a Fortuitous Year

By 1965 Maserati was already an admirable brand. Their initial Maserati 3500 GT model was such a massive success that it opened doors for the carmaker to work on more cars. Their production line was operating at peak capacity. Maserati went from making maybe a dozen cars a year to opening a manufacturing line that produced a few hundred in a year. By the time 1965 rolled around the Maserati stable was churning out new models.

For Maserati 1965 was a year of peak production and admiration. Their cars had matured into poster boys for the brand. They had taken an aging market by storm and did so with a lot of flair and panache. To know its true impact, let’s revisit some of the fantastic Maserati 1965 models that were on sale during 1965. You will be glad to know that some of these models that have survived the years, are still available for purchase, however, they are slightly more expensive as they are collector’s items.

Establishing Maserati as a Carmaker

As we said before, the 1960s were crucial for Maserati. They became a fully-fledged automobile manufacturer and their line-up was simply stunning. What cars were in the Maserati 1965 stable? Let’s take a look.

1965 Maserati 3500 GT

The car that started it all, the Maserati 3500 GT was the pioneer. The iconic Grand Tourer design, the steel body, multi-spoke chrome wheels, fine-grain leather seats, and an aluminum bonnet were all standard. The 3500 GT was a first in many ways. It was the first Italian production car to come with a fuel-injected engine, the first touring convertible car in the market, and many more.

1965 maserati 3500 gt
1965 Maserati 3500 GT

It was the benchmark for what a car should be as it entered the 60s. As it evolved over the course of the late 50s and the early 60s, the 3500 GT became the foundation for many other Maserati 1965 models. Various coachbuilders built and worked on the Maserati 3500 GT, thus each production model varied slightly from the other. The 1965 Maserati 3500 GT was among the last of the 3500 GTs to be built.

1965 Maserati Mistral

The successor to the 3500 GT, the 1965 Maserati Mistral was a revolutionary car. It was the first Maserati car to take its name from a wind that blows across Europe. It was also the last to feature Maserati’s patented double overhead cam straight-six engine.

1965 maserati mistral

The Mistral was designed by legendary car designer Pietro Frua. The car was also made by the famous Maggoria house of Turin.

The most striking part about the Mistral is the design. It was a slight departure from the previous design language. The Mistral featured a coupe-like rear, however, the front was a completely different story.

1965 maserati mistral spyder

The front was more modern and visually appealing to some at the time, as compared to the older 3500 GT as it possessed a sportier look. The 1965 Maserati Mistral Spyder was introduced as a more stylish open-top version. The Mistral Spyder was redesigned by Giovanni Michelotti to add to its flair. Today it remains one of the most sought-after Maserati GTs.

1965 maserati mistral spyder interior

1965 Maserati Sebring

A car designed to penetrate the American car market, the 1965 Maserati Sebring was based on the iconic Maserati 3500 GT. The car was named after the company’s famous victory in 1957 in the 12 Hours of Sebring. The stunning design was concocted and brought to life by Vignale, the famous coachbuilder in Italy. The car was intended to be a slightly sportier and meaner-looking version of the 3500 GT. The car came with a more powerful 235 bhp engine that gave a top speed of 145mph.

1965 maserati sebring side

In 1965 Maserati Sebring received upgrades across the board. The model came to be known as Sebring “2+2”. It had a brand new power unit that delivered a neat 265 bhp and enabled the car to hit top speeds of 158mph. The front end was restyled and a chrome housing for the iconic four-headlamp arrangement was added.

Special mention: Maserati Quattroporte 1965

A special shout out to the car that is still around today, the Quattroporte. The Maserati Quattroporte 1965 was one of very few Italian four-door cars on the market at the time, the only other that comes to mind is a 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia or a 1965 Fiat 1100/1500. While the 21st-century version might be in line with modern design philosophy, the first edition in the 60s did not play by any rules.

maserati quattroporte 1965

The car had the classic grille, a four-headlamp setup, and had the sleekest design of any sedan at the time. It had a 4.1-liter V8 that was more powerful than any engine on any sedan. Today the 1965 Maserati Quattroporte is a collector’s item.

Adored by All

The Maserati family of cars has drastically changed over the years. They are now one of the most exclusive luxury carmakers in the world. While they have risen to become acclaimed carmakers in the 21st century, their story in the 60s was quite poetic. Their dedication to bringing angular and radical designs was met with gazes and a raised brow. But in due time it paid off. For Maserati 1965 was a fantastic year, their line-up of cars was well received and adored by everyone, a testament to their rapid rise and a sign of things to come.

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