The 3500GT can lay claim to being the first true production Maserati, and was first shown at the 1957 Geneva Show. Beneath aluminium coupé coachwork by Allemano (later by Touring), the Maserati featured a tubular frame chassis. Suspension comprised independent coil springs and wishbones at the front and a leaf-sprung rear axle while brakes were alloy-finned drums all round. Power came from a 3,485cc, twin overhead camshaft, straight six engine, via triple Weber carburettors and twin spark plugs per cylinder it produced 230bhp at 5,500rpm which, allied to an all-synchromesh five-speed ZF gearbox, allowed a 144mph top speed and 0-60mph in around eight seconds.
Early in 1960 front servo-assisted disc brakes became standard, rear discs being added for 1962, later that year, power rose by 5bhp when Lucas fuel injection replaced the carburettors, the model being renamed the 3500GTI - it made Maserati the first Italian manufacturer to offer such an induction system and the first worldwide to