1982 – Maserati Quattroporte 4.9L - Lot 55

1982 – Maserati Quattroporte 4.9L The epitome of the Italian-style luxury sports sedan of the 1980s French registration certificate Chassis No. ZAM330000CA003808 - Designed by De Tomaso on a Kyalami chassis, featuring the in-house V8 and styling by Giugiaro - The most powerful 4.9L version and a very rare example with a manual transmission! - Dark Golden Beryl exterior and Cuoio leather interior with Nardi aluminum and wood steering wheel - 31,500 km on the odometer, driven since the engine overhaul at Franco Tralli - One owner for nearly 25 years and in exceptional condition! - Service history, technical documentation, owner’s manual, jack, and original tool kit The full test drive of this Maserati Quattroporte III 4.9L, conducted in 2024 by the News d’Anciennes team, can be found at the following link: https://newsdanciennes.com/essai-dune-maserati-quattroporte-gros-moteur-grande-routiere-et-classe-italienne/ When we think of a luxury limousine, most of us picture a Rolls-Royce, Bentley, or Jaguar—or perhaps a BMW or Mercedes. Fewer people imagine themselves behind the wheel of a Maserati. Yet the Quattroporte, whose first series dates back to 1963, is an institution—a true dynasty, even among Italians. Each model has left its mark on its era, whether clad in a body designed by Frua for the first generation, or Bertone for the second, even though only 13 units of the latter were produced. The Maserati Quattroportes are quite simply the most luxurious and dynamic Italian limousines of their era. Despite a development process that was erratic, to say the least, under Citroën in the 1970s—which did have the merit of saving the Modena-based brand from bankruptcy—after the takeover by Alejandro De Tomaso, a third iteration was introduced in 1979. At that time, it was the most expensive model in the lineup, and following the second-generation V6, it relaunched the brand in the sports sedan segment with a return to the V8, featuring a 4.2L or 4.9L displacement. Designed by the master Giugiaro, the Quattroporte III is equipped with the famous “Alfieri” V8 featuring four overhead camshafts and producing 280 horsepower, whose origins date back to the 450S race cars. The chassis, derived from that of the De Tomaso Deauville, is a model of rigidity and was designed by Dallara. The result is a sedan nearly 5 meters long, of wild baroque beauty, with dynamic handling and entirely hand-assembled. The third generation of the Quattroporte is also packed with features that were uncommon for the time, such as central locking, power seats, and air conditioning, all set against a backdrop of leather and wood trim. The finish is indeed particularly opulent. After a final hurrah with the Royale version, a total of 2,141 Quattroporte III models rolled off the assembly lines, making it a true rarity. It is the last Maserati equipped with one of the most prestigious Italian engines of the post-war era, before twin-turbo V6 engines established their dominance. Our Quattroporte III is the most exclusive, as it features a powerful 4.9L engine and a very rare version equipped with a five-speed ZF manual transmission. According to our information, barely 150 units were fitted with this transmission. It features a metallic brown paint (Dark Golden Beryl) paired with a natural leather (cuoio) interior—a color scheme identical to that of the press model from that era. The only deviation from the original is that the leather steering wheel has been replaced with a Nardi accessory made of aluminum and wood. It has had only a few owners, one of whom owned it for nearly 25 years, giving it a stable history—always a sign of quality. This is all the more true given that it has clearly always been used sparingly and well-maintained. This undoubtedly explains its simply exceptional condition for this model. The odometer reads just under 31,500 kilometers, which, according to one of the former owners, corresponds to the mileage covered since an engine overhaul performed by the Italian specialist Franco Tralli, based in Modena. The car has also received regular maintenance using parts from the renowned Giuseppe Candini, also in Modena. According to the invoice on file, the last general service was performed in 2018 by JP Classic in Puteaux. A routine service is therefore recommended, including the replacement of a brake cable. Important points to note for these cars: the bodywork is in excellent condition, and all instruments were functioning at the time of our test drive. The interior is also miraculously