Lot details
Registration No: KTM984Y
Chassis No: AM33049A0032
Mot Expiry: 28.4.2003

Citroen acquired a controlling shareholding in the hitherto very Italian Maserati in 1968, resulting in the Maserati engined Citroen SM. After Peugeot had taken over Citroen, however, the OPEC crisis induced slump in luxury cars nearly caused the French owners to close Maserati down, the marque only being saved thanks to Argentinian Alejandro de Tomaso taking over with the aid of an Italian Government grant.
In the days before the next Bi-Turbo era, the Quattroporte III was the final model in the line of traditional Maseratis. The Q III had a stretched Kyalami floorplan with styling by Guigiaro's Ital Design studio, rather than the Bertone bodywork of the Q II, and choice of either 4.1 or 4.9-litre V8, compared to the 3.0-litre V6 of the earlier model. The 1982-built Quattroporte III offered here is powered by the 290bhp 4.9 eight.
Since acquisition in May 2002, a full and detailed service has been carried out, and a pair of non-functioning instruments rectified with relevant receipts on file from Italian GT specialists Foskers of Fawkham. The Surrey vendor had intended to adapt the up-market, sports-saloon for towing a Maserati Osca single seater race car, though unfortunately this has proved not to be a practical proposition - hence the car's appearance in this auction. The 4-door bodywork, acquamarine paint, tan interior, 4900cc 8-cylinder engine and automatic transmission are reportedly all in very good condition.