A Tale of Two Icons
A Tale of Two Icons Parallel Paths,
Contrasting Souls
Since the invention of the automobile, each generation has defined its supercars according to the prevailing zeitgeist and ideals. These vehicles captivate us—unique and rare, distinguished by technological breakthroughs, exceptional performance, or avant-garde and alluring designs. They represent the pinnacle of engineering at the time while offering exciting glimpses into the future. These are sculptures we dream of, where we invest our desires, passions, ambitions, and aspirations—becoming reality for only a select few.
POST-WAR RENAISSANCE
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a unique set of circumstances created the perfect environment for the birth of extraordinary and breathtaking automobiles. The war had been over for 15 years, industry and society had recovered, and the appreciation for the extraordinary was renewed. People began to take pleasure in, enjoy, and proudly display beautiful objects. At the same time, the most renowned car manufacturers had begun developing highly powerful engines, which were then draped in the most exclusive bodies by numerous coachbuilders. The ‘carrozzerie’ were free to create daring and bold designs without the constraints of safety, ergonomics, or fuel-efficiency regulations. Italian coachbuilding (Scuola Italiana) was at its zenith, setting the global standard. Labour costs were still low—an ideal environment for crafting the most exciting car bodies ever, each meticulously hand-built with great attention to detail. Today, we turn our attention to two supercars of that era: the 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spider by Vignale and the 1966 Maserati Mistral 3700 Spider by Frua. These limited-production Maserati convertibles have unique features and characteristics that set them apart in the automotive world.
FROM TRACK TO ROAD
By the late 1950s, Maserati had earned a distinguished reputation as a manufacturer of racing and sports cars, shaped mainly by their focus on racing vehicles, which dominated the company’s activities until 1957. Maserati was active across many local and international racing classes, supporting numerous private drivers while also maintaining a factory team. The pin-nacle of this era was winning the 1957 Formula 1 World Championship with Juan Manuel Fangio. Following this success, the company increasingly began emphasising the production of high-end road cars. At the time, Maserati employed approximately 250 people. The foundation of Maserati’s road car concept was the 3500cc aluminium engine, derived from their Formula 1 engine. This street-legal version was managed by timing gears and chains and featured twin overhead camshafts.
VIGNALE’S STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
The Maserati 3500GT initially debuted as a Coupé, with a body crafted by Touring. Built using the Superleggera principle, this lightweight construction involved an aluminium skin stretched over a framework of steel tubes and steel box sections. Following the tremendous success of the Coupé, Maserati decided to develop an open-top version. The leading Italian coachbuilders of the time were commissioned to create concepts and begin work on prototypes. The designs by Carrozzeria Touring and Carrozzeria Vignale made it to the final selection, with Vignale ultimately winning the commission.
THE VISION OF VIGNALE AND MICHELOTTI
Carrozzeria Vignale was one of the most respected Italian coachbuilders of the time. The company was founded by Alfredo Vignale and produced bespoke one-offs and small series (Fuoriserie) for all significant Italian manufacturers by the late 1950s. From a coachbuilding perspective, Vignale was notable for its early focus on torsional rigidity. Many of Vignale’s creations featured pronounced rocker panels (often with multiple chambers) and high beltlines, a concept that proved highly successful in motorsport: All Mille Miglia winners between 1951 and 1953 drove cars (Ferrari) with Vignale bodies.
From around 3,000 RPM, the Vignale transforms into a turbine-like powerhouse. When driven fast, you feel like you’re in a typical 1950s racing car.
The Vignale concept was fundamentally well-suited for open sports cars. This body structure proved to be a better fit for the upcoming Maserati Spyder than the more torsionally flexible Touring (Superleggera) concept. The structure of the Vignale Spider is much closer to that of the Maserati Sebring, also built by Vignale, than to the closed Coupé by Touring. The external design is equally important to the body structure. The Maserati Spyder is yet another product of the excellent collaboration between Carrozzeria Vignale and designer Giovanni Michelotti. Michelotti was one of the outstanding designers of Italy’s post-war automotive industry. Although he worked as an independent designer, he maintained a close partnership with Vignale over a long period. In this context, many beautiful bodies were created, including the Maserati 3500GT Vignale Spyder.
DRIVING THE VIGNALE SPIDER
The car’s appearance and driving behaviour clearly express this design philosophy. Visually, the car is a style icon, embodying everything associated with the beauty of Italy in the 1950s: the glamour and elegance of the Mediterranean coast. The vehicle is pure “Bella Italia,” fitting perfectly with the fashion, style, taste and spirit of affluent individuals from that era. It is almost unbelievable that both models are technically so closely related yet so different in appearance, character, and driving behaviour. The driving position is relatively high. Surrounded by a solid inner sill, one feels exceptionally secure. The car feels rigid, solid, and compact, with no body noise. It grips the road confidently and remains agile even by today’s standards. More than narrow mountain roads, long sweeping curves are its ideal terrain. Its engine delivers exceptional torque, accelerating almost from a standstill in high gears with no hesitation. It is silky smooth at lower RPMs, while from around 3,000 RPM, it transforms into a turbine-like powerhouse. When driven fast, you feel like you’re in a typical 1950s racing car.
MISTRAL SPIDER: A NEW ERA
The Maserati Mistral Spider is an entirely different car. Although technically very similar, the two models differ significantly in character, driving behaviour, and presence. By 1963, Maserati was contemplating a successor to the highly successful 3500GT and GTi. Two approaches were pursued: Carrozzeria Vignale was commissioned to build the Maserati Sebring, a Michelotti design. Shortly afterwards, Carrozzeria Frua was tasked with putting the ‘Coupé Due Posti’ prototype into production. This ‘Due Posti’ was a revolutionary design that evolved into the Maserati Mistral. This car would come to define a new era in Maserati’s road car production.
While some of Frua’s designs might seem unusual by today’s standards, he also introduced groundbreaking design elements that paved the way for future innovations
BOLD IN DESIGN
Carrozzeria Pietro Frua was founded by Pietro Frua in 1944. Like Michelotti, Frua initially worked as an independent designer for various Italian and international manufacturers. However, he developed a close relationship with Maserati early on. For Maserati, Frua designed and produced some beautiful models in very limited numbers, including the A6 2000, A6 G54, and A6 GCS. While some of Frua’s designs might seem unusual by today’s standards, he also introduced groundbreaking design elements that paved the way for future innovations. Notable contributions include the development of the Maserati 5000GT (with its distinctive rear deck dome) and, especially, the Renault Floride (front end and headlight treatment). The front end of the Maserati Mistral, in particular, showcased for the first time a design solution where the radiator grille was positioned below the bumper—a design element that would be adopted by many manufacturers in subsequent years.
Due to the lighter front end, the Mistral Spider steers with precise ease, much lighter than the Vignale Compared to the front, the rear of the Mistral Spider is angular yet incredibly elegant and well-proportioned. While the car may not be as iconic as the Vignale design, it is more distinctive, delicate, and unique
Maserati also commissioned Frua to develop an open-top version of the Mistral. The body structure of the Mistral Spider was more in line with the Superleggera concept by Touring, with an aluminium front end placed over a steel frame. The rear of the car, however, consists of steel panels over a steel structure. The chassis structure significantly improved over the 3500GT (Touring) chassis. Insights from aeronautics and structural engineering—such as the design of the side sills and splash shields—were incorporated into the body elements, resulting in much-improved torsional rigidity similar to the Vignale designs but with considerably less weight.
TECHNICAL AND AESTHETICAL EVOLUTION
As with the 3500GT, the Mistral Spider was powered by Maserati’s six-cylinder twin-spark engine, but with increasing displacements: 3500cc, 3700cc, and 4000cc. All variants featured fuel injection provided by a LUCAS system. This technology was developed by LUCAS during World War II for fighter planes and was later adapted for road vehicles through its use in motorsport. Maserati was the first manufacturer to adopt this technology for production cars. The system was the ideal fuel supply for Maserati’s torque-rich six-cylinder engine, as it ensured the correct fuel mixture even at lower RPMs, something that carbureted engines struggled to achieve. Maintaining and adjusting these injection systems is challenging and requires solid technical knowledge and specialised test equipment. However, when properly serviced, these injection systems perform very reliably. In combination with a well-tuned engine, the results are phenomenal. The fuel injection system is much better suited to the engine’s characteristics than the previous carburettor technology. The body of the Mistral Spider takes some getting used to at first. However, when you can see this car in a larger space, you notice its many beautiful and unique body details. For example, the edge running over the front headlight housings and across the wheel arches—arguably one of the most intricate design elements of all time. Compared to the front, the rear is angular yet incredibly elegant and well-proportioned. While the car may not be as iconic as the Vignale design, it is more distinctive, delicate, and unique.
We are dealing with two ultra-rare vehicles here. The Vignale Spider was produced 242 times, while the Mistral Spider—in all variants— was made only 121 times
LIGHTNESS AND PRECISION
The driving experience is entirely different. You sit much lower, perfectly protected by the wraparound windshield, and are provided with information from seven instruments. The seats and seating position are very comfortable, even for taller drivers. Due to the lighter front end, the car steers with precise ease, much lighter than the Vignale. The engine delivers power seemingly effortlessly and with far less strain. In summary, this car is noticeably faster and more enjoyable to drive. The combination of the lighter, torsionally rigid body and the highly elastic engine provides a very secure, agile, and lively driving experience. It is almost unbelievable that both models are technically so closely related yet so different in appearance, character, and driving behaviour. We are dealing with two ultra-rare vehicles here. The Vignale Spider was produced 242 times, while the Mistral Spider—in all variants—was made only 121 times. These cars were costly at the time. In 1960, the 3500GT Vignale cost over 45,000 Deutsche Marks—a hefty price compared to the Mercedes 300SL, which was 32,000 DM. The price difference was equivalent to the cost of a Porsche 356 Roadster. Having a refined taste certainly comes at a price. In recent years, we’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to restore several of these beautiful cars. This allowed us to delve deeply into the bodywork and mechanics of these vehicles. It is fascinating to see the execution of two very different bodywork concepts, which were not born from computer simulations but rather from intuition, experience, and trial and error. It’s captivating to see the traces of their creation. The unique signatures of the different coachbuilders who hand-built the bodies at Vignale and Maggiore (Frua) are evident. Not a single part of these cars was ever made in a press. Maserati engines are rightly known for their robustness, and it is often astonishing to see the abuse these engines have endured—both during operation and from improper repairs. Restoring such an engine to perfection is challenging. Yet, seeing one back in operation is immensely satisfying: smooth and utterly vibration-free at low revs and beyond 3,000 RPM—a racing engine spinning like a turbine. Indeed, they are two genuinely fascinating cars.
La Bella Diva – License to kill
In Licence to Kill, where cars are as iconic as James Bond himself, the Maserati Biturbo 425i adds a thrilling twist. Starring Timothy Dalton, whose brooding portrayal adds intensity, the film stands out for its darker tone. The Maserati, with its Italian flair, mirrors the glamour of espionage. Unlike Bond’s usual gadget-laden vehicles, the Biturbo is a standout of Italian engineering, combining speed, style, and sophistication. Its sleek design and powerful V6 engine symbolize 1980s innovation, blending aesthetics and performance in a bold statement. The Maserati’s raw power and charisma enhance the film’s action sequences, especially in a high-stakes chase that embodies Bond’s trademark thrills. Without relying on high-tech modifications, the Biturbo adds real-world prestige and allure, making its scenes more visually compelling. Licence to Kill offers a unique Bond experience where the Maserati plays a crucial role in creating an atmosphere of tension and elegance. This film is perfect for those who appreciate classic spy drama paired with distinctive automotive heritage, proving that style always matters in espionage.
