2002 Maserati 4200 Spyder

A pre-facelift, 2002 registered Spyder in the classic Italian sports car colour combination of Red over Cream, this 4200 Spyder was purchased by the current owner in late 2014, and has been used and enjoyed as Maserati intended, including both local trips on sunny days and trips over to France, utilising the 4200’s GT credentials to their fullest, and reportedly drawing plenty of attention and admiring looks throughout the various French towns and villages that they passed through on the way to Genista.

Reportedly in factory condition throughout with no upgrades or modifications to the owner’s knowledge, only routine maintenance has been required in recent years, though the seller does state that the fuel supply pump was replaced in 2015 by Dick Lovett specialist cars, along with some adjustments to the roof system switches and a new set of spark plugs.

In later years, the car has benefitted from a replacement steering rack by Western Steering in Bristol (due to the old rack leaking) whilst a new clutch was fitted by a specialist in Bromsgrove in 2019 at 43,017 miles.

Red is a hue that will forever suit an Italian sports or super car, and this 4200 Spyder is no exception, especially when paired with a cream leather interior.

From a distance, this 4200 presents well and cuts a fine figure, but up close there are a number of age-related marks and blemishes visible, commensurate for a vehicle of this age.

Examples of this age-related wear include - but are not limited to - minor stone chips to the front end, light scratches and imperfections around the door handles, and a few (very small) patches of bubbling visible below the paintwork on the mirror mounting brackets.

The vendor is not aware of the car having ever suffered any bodywork damage, nor any paint or bodywork having been carried out on the car.

Up above, the roof is in full working order with no signs of any hesitation, juddering or other mechanism issues when in operation, and no known water ingress issues. The rear screen (plastic, being a pre-2003 Spyder) is free from any cracks or damage, but does display some fading along the top edge, likely from being folded.

All four wheels would benefit from refurbishment, due to a plethora of marks and patches of kerb damage.

Moving on to the cream leather interior, again this presents well from afar, but up-close the cabin on this 4200 Spyder is beginning to show its age, though this is to be expected for a car that is now over 20 years old.

The seats are free from any rips, tears or damage as far as we could tell, though the outer bolster on the driver’s seat is typically worn and scuffed, whilst the passenger seat has escaped largely unscathed, as is often the case.

Up ahead, the dashboard is in good order with no cracks or damage visible, though this 4200 Spyder - like many of its Maserati/Ferrari stablemates of the era - suffers from the infamous ‘sticky switch’ issue, though there are now numerous specialists that will rectify this, along with a number of ‘home remedies' that can counter the problem.

Being lighter in colour, the cream centre console, door cards and lower dash area display some prominent marks that may otherwise be hidden in a car with black or grey leather, but a thorough detailing would likely go a long way towards eradicating if not minimising their appearance.

In the rear, the luggage compartment presents in fair condition, and a partial tool kit is present.

The vendor is not aware of any electrical faults with the vehicle, and there are no warning lights illuminated on the dashboard.

Firing into life with a dry howl and idling smoothly even from cold, the F136 V8 engine at the heart of this Maserati provides a glorious soundtrack for this drop-top sports car, which can be enjoyed even more with the roof down.

Whilst there does not seem to be any initial issues with the engine, nor the transmission, we did note that the car has a tendency to get hot when idling. The fans cut in/out as they should when the gauge goes over 90 degrees, but they do not appear to be having the desired effect, with the car reaching 3/4 on the gauge before we shut it off. Equally, driving on open roads and does not appear to bring the temperature back down to the 90 mark, suggesting that there is an issue within the cooling system that requires attention.

Out on the road, other than the aforementioned temperature issue, the engine feels healthy and the CambioCorsa gearbox shifts well and without complaint, though there does appear to be a slight knock/wobble from the offside front corner when accelerating which can also be felt through the steering wheel.

The current MoT on the vehicle has expired, and a new certificate will be required before the car is used on the open road again. The most recent test was carried out on 15 June 2021 at 45,026 miles, showing a pass with an advisory for pitted brake discs, after initially failing on a faulty parking brake ratchet.

Included with the car is the V5 registered keepers document showing 9 former keepers, a number of high-value invoices including the aforementioned clutch replacement, attention to the roof mechanism by Dick Lovett Ferrari/Maserati, replacement of the alternator and drive belt in 2018, routine servicing and a plethora of Mot certificates, along with two keys.

As ever, all of the documentation with the vehicle has been photographed and is included in the gallery below.

With its sonorous Ferrari-derived V8 engine and the ability to drop the roof at the push of a button to enjoy it in all its aural glory, it’s not hard to understand the appeal of these Maserati (4200) Spyders, offering GT comfort and stylish Italian design mixed with near-supercar levels of performance and enjoyment.

This particular pre-facelift, 2002-registered example is in need of a little mechanical TLC and a fresh MoT certificate, but would make for a fun and engaging year-round GT car following completion of these works.

Offered for sale with an estimate of £13,000 to £18,000, be sure to get your bids in to avoid missing out.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.