1971 Maserati Mexico 4700

Chassis No. AM112-11032

After the 5000 GT and the Quattroporte, the Mexico was Maserati's third road car to use a civilized version of the 450 S racing car's V8 engine. It shared its basic body with the Quattroporte, although the first prototype had actually been derived from a damaged 5000GT and was powered by a 4.9-liter V8 engine. A true four-seater, the Mexico 4700 had very elegant and refined bodywork, courtesy of Vignale. Unlike other four-seater Maserati coupés, it was not named after a race track. The name Mexico was chosen because the 5000 GT, which served as a prototype, once belonged to Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos with it returning to Mexico after being unveiled at the 1965 Turin Motor Show. It was truly fitting, but also purely coincidental, that John Surtees finished the 1966 Formula One season with a convincing victory in the Mexican Grand Prix at the wheel of a Cooper-Maserati T81. Introduced at the 1966 Paris Motor Show, the production version of the Mexico offered the same V8 engine options as the Quattroporte: either a 4.2-liter or a 4.7-liter version. The chassis itself was derived from the Quattroporte with a wheelbase shortened by 11 centimeters.

In total only about 482 Maserati Mexico were produced, of which only about 182 cars were powered by the big 4700 engine with 290 hp. This example, chassis number 11032, is one of these rare and powerful 4700 examples. It is incredible to imagine that a Mexico 4700 reached a top speed of 255 kph, an enormous value in the late 1960s, especially for a four-seater. This example was extensively restored between 2014 and 2016. This included an overhaul of the engine and chassis, including new shock absorbers, springs, and wishbones. The chrome trim was re-chromed and the silver paintwork was renewed. The car received a new set of Borrani wire wheels and the original interior was gently reupholstered in parts. The last major inspection was carried out in May 2021 by the technicians of the Koch company in Cologne, Germany. In addition, in July 2021 the engine run was adjusted by a Maserati specialist workshop for €2,700 and in November 2021 the underbody was cleaned for €3,227.