2002 Maserati 4200

First registered in October 2002, this Maserati 4200 is the Coupe GT, which has a conventional 6-speed manual transmission rather than the often troublesome Cambiocorsa. Far fewer right-hand drive manual coupes were made - only 214 according to Maserati - so it’s the preferred choice for both rarity and performance.

It’s had a few registration plate changes across its 5 previous owners, and currently wears a personalised plate that comes with the car.

Although it has very little in the way of history, it had a major service last year and the current mileage of just over 49,000 is verified by the online MOT record.

The black paintwork - or Nero if you prefer Italiano - is generally in good condition. There are the usual light age related marks and blemishes, as you’d expect.

For example, there is slight bubbling on the offside rear wheel arch and a small section of lacquer peel on the front bumper but otherwise the exterior of the car looks amazing.

The car sits on its original 18-inch 15-spoke alloy wheels. All have lacquer peel and scuffs on the rims, so would benefit from refurbishment. All four tyres have good tread but are a mid-range brand - a car like this will always drive better on an appropriate premium tyre.

The interior is fully clad in leather, with cream/light tan across most surfaces and black leather on the dash top, steering wheel, lower doors and pillars.

The upholstery appears in good order with no evident damage and no unexpected wear - just the patina and creasing on the driver’s seat side bolsters from getting in and out. Likewise the gearstick gaiter carries a patina from repeated use.

As is common in Maseratis of this era, the internal switches and buttons tend to develop a stickiness that is hard to remedy without replacing them all. The bezels around the vents tend to chip and peel too.

That said, all interior equipment reportedly works as it should.

Under the bonnet, the Ferrari-derived V8 looks great with its red crackle-finish cam covers and the gold crackle plenum on top with just a little of the paint peeling in places. Although it is 99% Ferrari, someone at Maserati clearly felt that the cam covers should wear a Maserati script and have an embossed Trident on the top.

It is usual with manual 4200s (and many Italian sports cars of this era we believe) that the gearbox should be up to temperature before doing any aggressive shifting. Changes where the stick comes back to you - i.e. 2nd, 4th and 6th - can be quite hard if the oil is still cold.

The vendor reports that the engine, gearbox, and Skyhook suspension all function otherwise correctly - as do the traction control and the different sport modes.

The Maserati has a long current MOT valid until February 2024, which it passed with no advisories. The previous year’s failure was down to the hand brake, which was repaired but still isn’t perfect. It just about holds but we recommend that this is looked at before parking on a slope!

The car received a major service and a gearbox service in February 2023 - using genuine Maserati/Ferrari parts - at Hobbs Automotive of Leominster. The bill was just shy of £1k.

Sadly, there is no other history with the car and no service book - it also comes with only one key.

Italian exotica is usually a pricey hobby to get into - especially given that Ferrari is most people’s target marque. Getting a prancing horse on your bonnet starts at around £40k and keeps going up and up until you’re into multiples of millions.

Maserati meanwhile is far more affordable, with some models available for just four figures. The company also has another quarter century of history over Enzo’s outfit and just as much racing pedigree - albeit not so much in recent years.

So this Maserati Coupe - built under Ferrari ownership and using their engine - must surely bring the best of both worlds. Add in the low mileage and the rarity of the conventional manual gearbox and we think this desirable car will sell for between £11,000 and £16,000.

There’s only a small amount of work to do to get this Maserati Coupe GT up to the next level, but right now it’s surely a Ferrari for Fiat money?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Abergavenny; 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’.