Maserati 5000 GT

Maserati 5000 GT
The Shah of Persia, body by Carrozzeria Touring.
Overview
Manufacturer	Maserati
Production	1959–1965 34 units
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé
Layout	FR layout

The Maserati 5000 GT (1959–1965) is a 2-door coupé automobile, made by Maserati of Italy. A total of thirty-two were made.

The first car in the Tipo 103 series, was the Shah of Persia, delivered to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had been impressed by the Maserati 3500. He commissioned Maserati's chief engineer Giulio Alfieri to use a slightly modified 5-litre engine from the Maserati 450S on the 3500GT's chassis. Carrozzeria Touring developed the superleggera tubing and aluminum body of the two-seater coupé. The second car, also a Shah of Persia by Touring, was displayed at Salone dell'automobile di Torino 1959.

Specifications

Specifications for the first 5000 GT were:

• Maserati 450S-derived V8 cylinder, four-OHC, 4937.8 cc,
• Lucas mechanical injection or four 45 DCOE Weber carburetor (325 bhp at 5500 rpm),
• mechanical Magneti-Marelli ignition, dual spark plugs and dual fuel pump
• 4-speed ZF (later 5-speed)
• Front discs, rear drums (later all-discs)

In 1960 the engine was modified: the displacement increased to 4940cc with a bigger stroke and a smaller bore, with fuel injection added. The new engine developed 340 bhp. The fuel injected 5000 GT was shown at the 1960 Salone di Torino.

Coachbuilders

After the first two bodies by Touring, the main body partner since 1960 became Carrozzeria Allemano which did 22 of the cars, designed by Giovanni Michelotti. Other builders were Pietro Frua (3), Carrozzeria Monterosa (2), Pininfarina (1), Ghia (Sergio Sartorelli) (1), Giovanni Michelotti (1), Bertone (Giorgetto Giugiaro) (1) and Carrozzeria Touring (2 more).

• 

  Reza Pahlavi's or the first 5000 GT, front three quarters

• 

  The original Shah of Persia, chassis 103.102, rear three quarters

• 

  The one-off 5000 GT Pininfarina

• 

  5000 GT Allemano, front three quarters

• 

  5000 GT Allemano, rear three quarters

In 1961 Bertone made a 5000 GT, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The car had a Tipo 104 chassis and a different engine, therefore purists don't qualify it as a true 5000 GT. It still counts toward total 34 units.

Buyers

5000 GT with bodywork by Carrozzeria Allemano

The 5000 GT was sold at prices around US$17,000 (twice the cost of a Maserati 3500), and in many respects individualized to the desires of its celebrity buyers, including Karim Aga Khan, Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli, sportsman Briggs Cunningham, actor Stewart Granger, Ferdinando Innocenti (Ghia-bodied 5000 GT), Basil Read, count Giuseppe Comola, and president Adolfo López Mateos. Over time, some of the cars were added to Alfredo Breners collection, that was auctioned in 2003.

See also

• Maurice Khawam, Maserati 5000 GT - A Significant Automobile. ISBN 978-0-9715215-5-1.
• Maurizio Tabucchi, Nel segno del Tridente. ISBN 978-88-7911-259-8.

External links

• maserati-alfieri.co.uk - The 5000GT