1983 Maserati Quattroporte

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to the lower rate 5% import tax if the car is to remain in the UK & purchased by a private individual. The 5% is calculated on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £3,000, then £150 is added, making the total amount payable of £3,150.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, and proof that HMRC fees are paid. If the car is subsequently exported abroad within 30 days then these fees are refundable.

Lastly, there will be a nominal administration fee of £250 for processing the NOVA application, and payable direct to the shipping company. A completed and processed NOVA will provide you formal proof that all duties & taxes are paid in UK and thus allow you to register the vehicle with the DVLA

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

Built in 1983, this Quattroporte was bought for the vendor’s collection of static display cars in 2012/13.

Anyone with the language skills to decipher the script on what appears to be a tax disc on the windscreen will have a better idea than us of where the car was living in 1990.

Today, the odometer shows 23,462 miles.

The general cosmetic state of the car is really quite good. Yes, it looks a little dusty and tired, inside and out, but we’re inclined to attribute that to a decade of inactivity rather than any underlying malaise.

The colour of this car is, well, different.

We’ve argued among ourselves over how to describe it.

Some are adamant that it’s pink. Others insist that it is peach. One or two misguided fools have tried to argue the case for orange.

The prevailing opinion at present, however, is that this vehicle is an interesting shade of salmon.

The paintwork is good in the main but is a little flat in places, has a few swirls and chips in others and generally looks as if it could do with a decent machine polish.

There is a section of scuffing on the o/s/r wheel arch where the door closes upon it.

Clearly, it was painted this colour some time after it left Modena – overspray is visible in a few places underneath the car.

The panels and shut lines are consistent and even. Everything has the weight and solidity to it that you’d expect to find in a top-end hand-built car.

There are very few dinks, ripples, dimples or dents to speak of.

The wheels are in very good condition.

The chrome work and badging, too, are mostly good, and although some of the rubber and chrome trim is starting to look its age, it’s not falling to bits or otherwise failing.

The o/s wing mirror is missing, but not lost: you’ll find it in the boot.

Although there are no signs of bubbling or corrosion that we can see on the bodywork.

The interior aesthetics are every bit as bold and different as their exterior counterparts.

The dominant colour is red, and you’ll find it everywhere from the leather upholstery and the carpets to the steering wheel, dashboard, door cards and sun visors.

The seats, front and rear, are in good condition and their condition supports the odometer’s low mileage claim. They are supportive and comfortable all round.

The carpets and mats are in reasonable condition, although they would certainly benefit from the attentions of a professional cleaning firm.

The headlining is good, as are the door cards save for the fact that the storage compartment on the passenger front door is loose.

The instrument panel, centre console and gear selector are in decent condition and the unusual briar veneers have held up well.

The rear-view mirror has broken free from its moorings and is currently dangling in mi-air.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t been able to start the vehicle.

The boot is in reasonable fettle, too, and lifting up the carpets here or elsewhere on this car reveals a superficial bloom of rust dust here and there, but nothing to raise alarms or eyebrows as far as we can see.

In general, the undersides seem to be strong, well preserved and possessed of a good deal of structural and mechanical integrity. There is some rust dust in places, but we’re of the opinion that it’s primarily of the superficial variety.

The engine bay is clean and dry and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

The car doesn’t come with a service history or any record of work done.

Currently, this car has neither an MoT certificate nor a V5.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

We think this is a good, honest, strong example and one that shouldn’t spring any nasty surprises on its new owner.

We say that with the proviso that haven’t been able to start or drive the car so our understanding of it is somewhat limited.

We think the condition of what we’ve been able to see and assess is generally good, both outside and inside, and we’re quietly confident that this car has the potential to more than repay the time and effort its next owner might want to spend on it.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £3,000 - £6,000, plus Bonhams bond payment and £250 NOVA fee.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.