Maserati Ghibli Spider (1969 to 1972)
The Maserati Ghibli was offered as a convertible from 1969 until 1972, with the same dry sump 4.7 liter V8 as the coupé. The clean lines that characterized Giugiaro’s design were a visual delight, the classic proportions of the front-engine configuration with a long hood and steeply raked windscreen produced this effect. It was strictly a two-seater. The fabric roof folded away neatly underneath a rear deck panel behind the seats and could be raised or lowered in just a matter of minutes. A stunning factory hardtop with large windows made the car a practical companion for all seasons, although only between 20 and 25 Ghibli Spyders were ever sold with it, making it an accessory that is in high demand among collectors today.
Along with the Simùn prototype, the Ghibli Spyder was one of the last projects Giugiaro worked on for Ghia in 1967 before setting up his own consultancy. In the 4.7 guise the Ghibli Spyder was capable of reaching speeds of 250 kph (156 mph).
Maserati Ghibli Spider SS (1973)
Maserati’s Ghibli Spyder was launched in 1969, the same year the 4.9 engine was introduced on the coupé. The new power unit was immediately available on the Spyder and the cars that were fitted with it were identified as the Ghibli Spyder SS. With 335 hp and a 270 kph top speed (169 mph) to match its stunning looks it was one of the most desirable production cars in the world at that time. It was also one of the most expensive. Of just 125 total Ghibli Spyders sold in the five years that the model was available, only a fifth were to SS spec – which today makes it a universally recognized and much sought after classic, to such an extent that more than a few coupés have been transformed into Spyders through the years.
As on the coupé, an automatic gearbox could be fitted upon request and a significant number of Ghiblis were sold with it, as the United States was always the model’s main market. At the Turin motor show in late 1970 minor changes were introduced to the Ghibli model lineup, mainly involving the headlights, dashboard and headrests.
Specifications and Features
| Model | Ghibli Spyder |
| Maserati internal code | Tipo AM115/S |
| Production start | 1967 |
| Number Produced | 125 (total Ghibli Spyder & Spyder SS production) |
| Ignition | single-plug Bosch distributor with automatic advance, coil ignition (via a transistor from 1970) |
| Lubrication | two concentric gear pumps (pressure and scavenge) |
| Transmission | 5-speed + reverse ZF (automatic to order), self-locking differential |
| Reduction | 1:3.31 |
| Gear ratios | I=2.97; II=1.92; III=1.34; IV=1; V=0.9; R= 3.31 |
| Chassis | tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis |
| Front suspension | double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | leaf springs, hydraulic telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar |
| Brakes | ventilated discs, servo-assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit |
| Brakes front | 294 mm discs |
| Brakes rear | 272 mm discs |
| Steering | worm and sector (power assistance to order) |
| Cooling system | water-cooled |
| Length | 185.04 inches (4,700 mm) |
| Width | 70.47 inches (1,790 mm) |
| Height | 45.67 inches (1,160 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 100.39 inches (2,550 mm) |
| Front track | 56.6 inches (1,440 mm) |
| Rear track | 55.9 inches (1,420 mm) |
| Dry weight | 3416 lbs (1,550 Kg) |
| Curb weight | 3637 lbs (1,650 Kg) |
| Tires | front/rear Pirelli HS 205 VR 15 (215 VR 15 from 1972) |
| Wheels | magnesium alloy, 7.50 x 15 (wire wheels on request) |
| Top speed | 169 mph (272 kmh) |
| Bodywork | two-door, two-seater spyder |
| Fuel tank | two tanks, 100 liters (21 imperial gallons / 26 US gallons.) |
| Production dates | 1969-1973 |
| Engine | 90° V8, light alloy casting with pressed-in cylinder liners in special cast iron |
| Bore and stroke | 93.9×85 mm |
| Total displacement | 4,709 cc |
| Displacements (unitary) | 588.62 cc |
| Compression ratio | 8.5:1 |
| Maximum power | 310 bhp at 6,000 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 47 Kgm (341 lbs/ft) at 3,500 rpm |
| Timing gear | two valves per cylinder, two chain-driven overhead camshafts per cylinder bank |
| Fuel feed | aturally aspirated, four vertical twin Weber 40 DCNF/5 carburetors (42 DCNF/9 from 1969) |
| Fuel & lubricant | N.O 98/100 RM |
| Model | Ghibli Spyder SS |
| Maserati internal code | Tipo AM115.S/49 |
| Production start | 1973 |
| Number Produced | 125 (total Ghibli Spyder and Spyder SS production) |
| Ignition | single-plug Bosch distributor with automatic advance, coil ignition (via a transistor from 1970) |
| Lubrication | two concentric gear pumps (pressure and scavenge) |
| Transmission | 5-speed + reverse ZF (automatic to order), self-locking differential |
| Reduction | 1:3.31 |
| Gear ratios | I=2.97; II=1.92; III=1.34; IV=1; V=0.9; R= 3.31 |
| Chassis | tubular steel ladder-frame platform chassis |
| Front suspension | double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | leaf springs, hydraulic telescopic dampers and anti-roll bar |
| Brakes | ventilated discs, servo-assisted, hydraulic, independent dual circuit |
| Brakes front | 294 mm discs |
| Brakes rear | 272 mm discs |
| Steering | worm and sector (power assistance to order) |
| Cooling system | water-cooled |
| Length | 185.04 inches (4,700 mm) |
| Width | 70.47 inches (1,790 mm) |
| Height | 45.67 inches (1,160 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 100.39 inches (2,550 mm) |
| Front track | 56.6 inches (1,440 mm) |
| Rear track | 55.9 inches (1,420 mm) |
| Dry weight | 3416 lbs (1,550 Kg) |
| Curb weight | 3637 lbs (1,650 Kg) |
| Tires | front/rear Pirelli HS 205 VR 15 (215 VR 15 from 1972) |
| Wheels | magnesium alloy, 7.50 x 15 (wire wheels to order) |
| Top speed | 174 mph (280 kmh) |
| Bodywork | two-door, two-seater spyder |
| Fuel tank | two tanks, 100 liters (21 Imperial gallons / 26 US gallons) |
| Production dates | 1969-1973 |
| Engine | 90° V8, light alloy casting with pressed-in cylinder liners in special cast iron |
| Bore and stroke | 93.9×89 mm |
| Total displacement | 4,930 cc |
| Displacements (unitary) | 616.16 cc |
| Compression ratio | 8.5:1 |
| Maximum power | 335 bhp at 5,500 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 49 Kgm (355.5 lbs/ft) at 4,000 rpm |
| Timing gear | two valves per cylinder, two chain-driven overhead camshafts per cylinder bank |
| Fuel feed | naturally aspirated, four vertical twin Weber 42 DCNF/11 carburetors |
| Fuel & lubricant | N.O 98/100 RM |
