Engine No. AM115/10/49

Bertone Body No. 500029

In 1972, at a time when Ferrari had virtually retreated from the American market, Maserati forged ahead by unveiling the Ghibli's successor at the Turin Auto Show-the Khamsin, named for a fierce desert wind that sweeps across North Africa through Egypt and Libya. This new model, the first series-production Maserati designed by Bertone under Marcello Gandini's direction, maintained the Ghibli's V8 powertrain and basic chassis architecture while introducing Maserati's first front-engine platform with fully independent rear suspension.

As the final Maserati designed under Citroën management, it featured Citroën's hydraulic systems that controlled multiple functions including variable power steering assistance, clutch operation, retractable headlights, and the braking system with four-wheel disc brakes. Built in an exclusive production run of just 435 units between 1974 and 1982, the Khamsin's front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration marked the conclusion of a classic grand touring era in Maserati's history-a layout that would remain absent from the manufacturer's lineup until the arrival of the 3200GT in the late 1990s.

According to its Maserati Certificate of Origin, this Maserati Khamsin bearing chassis number 0070 was completed during the first full year of production in May of 1974. It was clothed in Bertone body number 500029 finished in Argento over a Black Connolly leather interior. In November 1974, the car was initially registered in Shinagawa, Japan, with registration number "33 せ2922." The Italian grand tourer then passed through a couple of Japanese dealers in the late 1970s before landing with a Mr. Kazuhiko Kura of Meguro-ku, Tokyo, in December 1982. The car found its next caretaker in a Mr. Keizo Saeki of Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, who registered the car in May of 1986. Documents on file show that the Maserati remained registered on the island nation as late as 2004, when it was issued a temporary deregistration-likely a strategic preservation decision due to its increasing collectability. An export certificate shows that the Maserati finally left Japan after over four decades when it was exported to New Zealand on 23 June 2016.

There, chassis 0070 was acquired by the current owner who subsequently relocated the car to Germany and initiated a complete nut-and-bolt restoration to factory specifications undertaken by Auto Sauer in Bamberg. Renewed in the stunning shade of Oro Kelso over a tan leather interior-noted to be designer Marcello Gandini's hue-the meticulous effort is documented by restoration images on file. This work also incorporated welcome upgrades to address common overheating issues and to improve the output of the air conditioning.

Informally designated as an early series one example by Maserati enthusiasts, the car exhibits numerous correct early features such as its flat, non-louvered front nose section, integrated headrests in the front seats, and a three-spoke steering wheel without a padded center. Furthermore, chassis 0070 is distinguished as a matching-numbers example, with its engine number (AM115/10/49) matching that on its Certificate of Origin.

This finely restored Khamsin represents one of the last great Maseratis from Italy's Golden Age of grand touring manufacture. With its potent 4.9-liter V8 delivering smooth, muscular performance, this exceptional example is perfectly suited for prestigious concours events and Italian car gatherings, while offering its next owner the pure pleasure of grand touring in one of Maserati's most accomplished GT cars.