Background
THIS CAR IS UNDER TEMPORARY IMPORT BOND, AND DUTY WILL HAVE TO BE PAID TO IMPORT THE CAR.
The Maserati Mexico is a four-seater tourer offering space for four adults and their luggage. The Mexico, named in honour of Cooper-Maserati’s victory in the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix, when Surtees triumphed in the final round of that year's Formula 1 World Championship, was first unveiled to the public at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. The car featured a newly developed V8 engine and was dressed in elegant coachwork by Maserati’s favourite carrozziere; Vignale. The new car was designed for customers who were looking for a luxurious four-seater but preferred something sportier than the Quattroporte, an elegant saloon car, but not very agile with its four-door layout and long wheelbase.
Designed for competition, the robust V8 engine had first been seen in the 450S sports-racer back in 1957 and made its road-car debut in that most celebrated of Maseratis: the 5000 GT. Progressively developed for road use, the V8 arrived in 'production' form in the first Quattroporte of 1963 and would be the backbone power plant of the Maserati range throughout the 1960s and '70s. As installed in the Mexico, the 4.7-litre version produced 290bhp, which was good enough for a top speed of around 225km/h (140mph) though several sources quote speeds of around 240km/h (150mph). A more economical 4.2-litre (4200) version was available also, which despite having 'only' 260bhp on tap, was only a few kilometres per hour slower. Apart from its live rear axle, the Mexico's underpinnings were similar to the contemporary Quattroporte saloon's, featuring double wishbone independent front suspension, disc brakes all round, a ZF five-speed gearbox as standard and optional automatic transmission.
The Mexico is a subtle piece of styling that combines understatement and effortless elegance like few other cars from the era. With room enough for four adults, ample amounts of power and one of the most beautiful dashboards you will ever encounter (with enough instruments to make any airline pilot feel at home), the Mexico ticks many boxes and really is a very desirable and underrated car. When production ended in 1973 after seven years, a mere 480 cars had been built, of which 305 featured the 4.2-litre engine. These are numbers that make the contemporary Ghibli (1,274 built) seem mass produced by comparison.







