The Maserati 5000 GT sports car was truly a car 'Fit for a King', for it was the Shah of Persia, now Iran, who instigated the concept of this true supercar.
When in 1958 the regulatory body of motor sport, the FIA, decided to reduce the maximum engine size for the World Sportscar Championship to 3000cc, Maserati, who had had a real championship contender in the 450S, were left with several 5-litre V8 engines on their hands. Financial difficulties brought about by a combination of the FIA ruling, the total loss of two 450Ss in accidents at Caracas and the failure to secure the settlement of large debts owed to Maserati by the Argentinian government after the fall of the Peron regime, caused Maserati to retire from racing altogether.
In 1959 the Shah, a great Maserati enthusiast, commissioned a road going sports car with the 5-litre race engine. Maserati decided to mount the engine in a modified 3500GT chassis. This car became known as the 5000GT 'Shah of Persia' and gave rise to a limited production of 'custom made' 5000GTs. The term 'custom made' can easily be applied for no two cars were identical even if some of the differences were only minor. Some of the world's richest and most influential people wanted to own a 5000 GT most notably the Aga Khan, Italian industrialist Giovanni Agnelli and American multimillionaire sportsman Briggs Cunningham.
The most common, if you can call 22 out of a total production of 34 cars built between 1959 and 1965 common, 5000 GT was the car with coachwork by Allemano. Allemano's 5000 GT was conservative in design when compared with the other examples by Touring (3), Frua (3), Monterosa (2), Pinin Farina (1), Ghia (1), Michelotti (1) and Bertone (1).
The first Allemano bodied 5000 GT, designed by Giovanni Michelotti, was displayed at the Turin Motor Show in 1961 and became known as the 'Indianapolis' in honour of Maserati's victories at the 'Indy 500' in 1938 and 1939. This car is important as it was the basis for the 'production' 5000 GTs.
The first production 5000 GT was built in October 1961, one of three built that year. In the following year, the 5000's most productive, 12 cars were built, a further 4 cars in 1963 and another 2 cars in 1964. The final car, with coachwork by Frua, was built in 1965.
The fist two 5000 GTs were powered by an engine virtually identical to that which powered the 450S race car the only modifications made were a reduction in the compression ratio from 9.5:1 to 8.5:1 and a slightly larger bore (93.8 mm to 98.5 mm), resulting in an engine capacity of 4935 cc against 4477.9 cc for the 450S. These changes reduced power output from 400 bhp @ 7200 rpm to a more civilised 325 bhp @ 5500 rpm.
Susequent 5000s were powered by a 'new' engine in an effort to make the car more user friendly. The engine's bore was decreased by 4.5 mm to 94 mm and its stroke increased by 8 mm to 89 mm giving the engine a cpacity of 4941.1 cc. The four twin-choke 45 IDM Weber carburettors were replaced by a Lucas indirect fuel injection system and the engine's rather complex overhead camshaft gear system was replaced by the quieter and simpler chain system. These changes actually increased power to 340 bhp @ 5800 rpm.
Whilst being given a test drive on the 'Autostrada del Sole' by Maserati test driver, Guerino Bertocchi, Hans Tanner, the noted motoring author, timed one kilometre at 168 mph and another at 172.4 mph - And where were the Polizia Stradale? It was probably lunchtime!

Maserati, with its glorious competition past, had always persued the theme of the traditional granturismo: powerful but manageable engines, a comfortable driving environment, cars as much at home in town as on the open road. The 'Bora', designed by chief engineer Giulio Alfieri to the new rear engined guidelines, represented a major change in technology for Maserati. However Alfieri had already designed a similar system for the Types 63, 64 and 65 'Birdcage' competition sportscars.
The timing of its launch at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971 automatically placed it in competition with Ferrari's 365/GTBB 'Boxer' and Lamborghini's 'Countach'.
The 'Bora' had all the typical qualities of the true Italian Granturismo.
• Elegance - thanks to the design work of Giorgetto Giugiaro, now at Italdesign.
• A powerful engine - the now well proven four overhead camshaft all alloy 4.7-litre V8 producing some 310 bhp @ 6000 rpm. This was fed by four twin choke Weber 42 DCNF carburettors and mounted longitudinally behind the two occupants and bolted to a five-speed ZF Type transaxle gearbox.
• Superb handling - thanks to its new tubular chassis with subframes mounted front and rear. The front subframe carrying the front suspension and the rear subframe carrying the engine, transmission and rear suspension.
The suspension layout was also new for a Maserati with a fully independent all round system used for the first time. The steering was assisted by the hydraulic system used by Citroen, now the new owners, which also powered the brakes, the seats, and the retractable headlamps. An interesting feature of the Citroen system were the adjustable pedals which combined with a fully adjustable steering wheel meant the perfect driving position was never far away.
Although compact in its appearance the Bora had a spacious and well fitted interior with excellent visibility but as with all cars of this type very restricted rear vision.
Maserati's first production rear engined car distinguished itself from its two rivals by maintaining in part the true character of a Maserati: luxury, comfort, a well equipped interior, ample luggage space and effortless speed - AN OVERALL PACKAGE ITS RIVALS COULD NOT MATCH!
In 1975 a 4.9-litre engine with emission control was fitted to cars for the US market and in 1977 it became available, without emission controls, for the European stage.
Alas difficult financial times followed for Maserati which made further development impossible and production ended in 1979 by which time a total of only 571 examples were built.