Maserati Mistral

Overview

Simply labelled “2 Posti” (or even “Berlina 2 Posti” as Road & Track still stated in 1964), it took the Mistral name following the suggestion of the French Maserati importer Colonel John Simone. Mistral is the name of a French wind blowing from the Mediterranean coast, and from this point onwards Maserati two-seater sports cars would be named after winds. 2+2 coupés would take the names of race tracks, the Sebring started this trend earlier that year.

The 1964 Maserati range was the most comprehensive yet, with the Mistral and Quattroporte joining the Sebring, 3500 GT and 3500 GT Spyder. The Mistral’s styling was an enormous success courtesy of Pietro Frua of Turin. The car was exceptionally innovative, with its air intake mounted underneath the front bumper, thus abandoning the traditional grille. Its high tail featured another interesting first: the tailgate. Large windows made the cabin very airy. Bodies were manufactured by Maggiora in Turin and finished at Officine Padane in Modena.

The majority of Mistrals were constructed in alloy, but from 1967 thy were replaced with a steel construction, with just the bonnet and doors remaining in alloy. The chassis – made of square-section tubes – was new, with a wheelbase of just 2.4 metres, 10 cm shorter than the Sebring and the Vignale Spyder.

The engine was increased to 3.7 litres, the same unit that would later be fitted to the Sebring, whilst the Mistral Spyder would initially be fitted with the 3.5 version, deemed sufficient for drop-top motoring. According to the original brochure, “twin ignition and indirect fuel injection offered exceptional power, smoothness and economy”. All Mistrals were fitted with disc brakes, whilst air conditioning, the 3-speed automatic transmission and a radio were optional.

The Mistral’s supremely elegant design was further enhanced by convertible offered in 1966. It was offered with a choice of either the 3.5 litre engine from the 3500 GT or the 3.7 litre variant, to which a further enhanced 4 litre unit was added a couple years later.

Already available in the coupé and in the Sebring, it became a somewhat less popular choice, when, in 1966 the new 4 litre unit was introduced. However, more than half of the Mistral Spyders assembled were produced with the 3.7 litre engine. A customer could specify an automatic gearbox on both the 3.7 and 4.0 litre versions.

Wire wheels came as standard, but from 1967 light alloy wheels similar to those on the Ghibli became available. Maximum speed was around 250 kph (156 mph). Italian actors Alberto Sordi and Ugo Tognazzi figured amongst Mistral Spyder owners. Overall, 125 Mistral Spyders were assembled between 1964 and 1970, 20 of them were right hand drive models. In 1968 the Mistral Spyder became the most modern car ever to win the Best in Show award at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance.