Beschreibung:

1966 Maserati Sebring Series II 3.7 Coupe Coachwork by Vignale Chassis no. AM101/10185 Engine no. AM101/10185• Previously owned by Michael Sellers, son of legendary actor Peter Sellers • Desirable matching-numbers Series II example with 5-speed manual ZF gearbox • Elegant and powerful Michelotti-designed Maserati GT, one of just 247 examples produced • Exquisite, factory-correct restoration performed by marque specialists • Offered with impressive history file including restoration receipts and photos FootnotesIntroduced in 1962, the Sebring was one of the final manifestations of the landmark 3500 GT, which had been the linchpin of Maserati's program to establish itself as a manufacturer of road cars. Despite numerous racetrack successes that included Juan Manuel Fangio's fifth World Championship - at the wheel of a 250F - and runner-up spot in the World Sports Car Championship with the fabulous 450S - both in 1957, the marque's most successful season - Maserati was by that time facing a bleak future. Its parent company's financial difficulties forced a withdrawal from racing and Maserati's survival strategy for the 1960s centered on switching production from competition to road models. The Modena marque's new era began in 1957 with the launch of the Touring-bodied 3500 GT, its first road car built in significant numbers. A luxury 2+2, the 3500GT drew heavily on Maserati's competition experience, employing a tubular chassis frame and an engine derived from the 350S sports car unit of 1956. Suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs, while at the back there was a conventional live axle/semi-elliptic arrangement. The 3500 GT's designer was none other than Giulio Alfieri, creator of the immortal Tipo 60/61 'Birdcage' sports-racer and the man responsible for developing the 250F into a World Championship winner. The twin-overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder engine was a close relative of that used in the 250F and developed around 220bhp initially, later examples producing 235bhp on Lucas mechanical fuel injection. Built initially with drum brakes and four-speed transmission, the 3500 GT was progressively updated, gaining five speeds, front disc brakes and, finally, all-disc braking. A car possessing such impeccable antecedents not unnaturally attracted the attention of Italy's finest carrozzeria: Allemano, Bertone and Frua all created bodies for the 3500 GT chassis. Most Coupes were the work of Touring, while all but one (a Frua-bodied example) of the much less common Spider version were the work of Carrozzeria Vignale. Built on the short-wheelbase chassis of the Spider and likewise coachbuilt by Vignale while styled by legendary designer Giovanni Michelotti, the Sebring Coupe arrived in 1962. By now a five-speed ZF gearbox, four-wheel disc brakes and fuel injection were standard equipment, with automatic transmission, air conditioning and a limited-slip differential available as options. With a hefty price tag, the new Maserati was some 22% more expensive than the contemporary Aston Martin DB5, its closest rival. Introduced in 1965, the Sebring Series II came with a 3.7-litre, potent 245bhp engine, while some cars left the factory with 4.0-litre units towards the end of production in 1966, by which time 591 Sebrings had been built, 247 of which were in the second series. One of the most elegant and understated Grand Touring cars of the 1960s, the Maserati Sebring offered here is a Series II model factory-fitted with the larger 3.7-litre engine and five-speed ZF gearbox. This fine example was delivered new to Italy, painted 'Argento Auteuil' . The car later migrated to the USA, where it remained until 1988, when exported to the UK. The Sebring was there purchased by Michael Sellers in 1996, son of legendary actor, comedian and singer, Peter Sellers, CBE. The Sellers were avid sports car enthusiasts, with a keen interest in Maserati GT cars. The current owner acquired the Sebring in 2005, and soon after set out