The Maserati 3500GT: A Grand Touring Icon In 1956, Maserati were keen to build a road car that took their experiences in racing to the road. The company had achieved, much success in racing thanks to legendary racers like the A6GCM and 350S. So, to further fund their racing empire, the company opted to build road cars that would fund their racing programme. So they took the 3.5l straight six from the 350S racer and modified it with components from the UK to tune it down to touring whilst maintaining its responsive racing pedigree. The lightweight aluminium body came from legendary coachbuilders, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera and was painted in a stunning Diama Bianca, Maserati’s white livery. A year later a prototype 3500GT made its grand debut to the world at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show where it clearly made an impact. Not only was it breathtakingly beautiful but it was fast. Its 3.5l straight-six developed 217 horsepower, and that meant it could top out at 127 mph and achieve 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds. Not amazing by today’s standards but back in the 50s, it was a right rocket ship. In 1961, Maserati introduced fuel injection and replaced the 4-speed manual with a 5-speed. The result was that the 3500GT would now produce 232 horsepower and achieve 130mph. A V8 was later introduced to create the more powerful 5000GT. Read More 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Recall: Dodgy Fuel Readings, How Wonderfully Italian However, despite the aluminium body, the 3500GT weighed a moderate 1,440kg, a lot for this type of car. But that was really the appeal. Once the driver had finished clowning around as though he were Fangio in a 250F, he could settle down and enjoy this car a luxurious grand-tourer. That’s what made the 3500GT Maserati’s most important car. It was the one that made Maserati find their footing and stand out amongst the crowd. The racing pedigree that Ferrari revelled with the grand-touring comfort of an Aston. By the time production ended in 1964, Maserati had built a whopping 2,226 3500GTs, a fairly large number for such a small Italian performance-based manufacturer. The History of the Restored 1959 Maserati 3500GT Now 60 years since the last 3500GT rolled off the production line, under the guise of Touring Superleggera, Maserati Classiche have revealed a beautifully restored 1959 3500GT. This particular car was built for the California market and was first owned by Horace Elgin Dodge III, a member of the legendary Dodge automobile family. After decades of being treasured by the Dodge family and other infamous collectors, the car returned to its hometown of Milan, where its original coachbuilders, Touring Superleggera, have carried out an exhaustive restoration to return this grand tourer to its original 1959 condition. Key aspects of the restoration included:· Chassis and structural refinements.· Full engine and transmission rebuilds.· Suspension, brakes, wheels, and tyres meticulously restored to original factory specifications.· Authentic materials and colours used to recreate the original interior and exterior. Maserati Classiche: Different to Other Manufacturer Recreations To ensure every component was as accurate to original as possible Maserati recently opened up their Classiche Department. Now unlike Jaguar Classic or Aston Martin Works, Maserati Classiche does not specialise in recreating bespoke past models for the 21st century. Rather they will work in tandem with Touring Superleggera to restore legendary past Masers. They simply verify if the parts are correct. Their Certification of Authenticity required over 300 technical verifications, comparing the car’s components against Maserati’s Historical Archives. Beyond certification, Maserati Classiche also provides owners of classic models with:· Custom restoration assistance.· Manufacturing of rare or unavailable replacement parts.· Specialized maintenance and servicing for vintage Maseratis. Read More Jaguar Classic E-Type Commemorative: A 50-Year-Old Tribute to One of the Greatest Cars Ever Made Rétromobile 2025: Should Maserati Continue this Restomod This beautifully restored Maserati 3500GT will be the star attraction at Rétromobile, one of the world’s premier classic car events. At the Porte de Versailles in Paris, the car will be on display at the Touring Superleggera stand (K-068, Pavilion 1). In addition, Maserati’s Schumacher Paris dealership will showcase other legendary models, including the MC12 Corsa Blu Victory and the new GT2 Stradale. This reveal will determine if Maserati Classiche and Touring Superleggera should continue their collaboration to restore legendary Masers of the past. Undoubtedly showcasing a restored variant of the company’s most important car at Rétromobile 2025 is unquestionably the correct first step in determining this future endeavour. Fingers crossed, it will be a show-stealer because in this world of EVs and twin-turbo hybrids, Aston Martin, Jaguar and now Maserati honouring their past, that’s something worth celebrating. Source: Maserati
