2003 Maserati 4200 Spyder Cambiocorsa

This Maserati (4200) Spyder Cambiocorsa was first registered on 2 January 2003 as a demonstrator for the Graypaul Loughborough Maserati/Ferrari dealership before it sold to its first private owner in April of the following year with a sat nav upgrade.

It passed through four further discerning keepers including a QC, until the current owner bought the car in April 2019. He was after a convertible with a Ferrari V8 and the Maserati Spyder fit the bill perfectly. He has owned many cars of different marques and periods and always tries to buy the best that’s out there.

That said, because he owns a few other cars, the Spyder often ended up staying behind in the garage and only went out on a few trips since he bought it. Whilst his wife loved the green colour of the Maserati, he preferred the drive of his blue Porsche 993. Rather than continue to disagree over which car to take out, he has now bought a green 993 which resolves the problem - simples! He’s already sold the blue Porsche and is therefore now moving on the Maserati.

In its history file, a previous owner has jotted down a few tips to help new owners get the best out of the car. Letting the car warm up before use, how to use the Cambiocorsa paddles and making sure the hood is fully retracted/deployed before setting off. It’s things like these that show someone who cares about a car has owned it, and still cares, even after it’s no longer theirs.

Finished in Verde Goodwood metallic paint which shows the shape beautifully, with a chromed grille surround, this Maserati Spyder cuts a fine figure, especially with the roof down. The condition of the bodywork is very good, remarkably free of obvious chips and scratches, with nothing of any significance to detract from the look. Even the headlamp and other light lenses all look clear of any fogging or yellowing which such cars can suffer from.

The fabric folding roof looks to be in reasonable order, maybe a little creased in places possibly from being stored folded and has a little area of wear above the driver’s door which has been professionally patch-repaired. The mechanism has been recently serviced and will fold and deploy correctly, but it is probably due a replacement of the elastic which will ease its operation further.

The Spyder sits on its original 18-inch, 15-spoke alloy wheels which are in a reasonably good condition with just a little scuffing on one or two rims. The centre caps look good and all wheels are fitted with Pirelli PZERO tyres from 2006 on the rears and 2012 on the fronts.

Of course you don’t have to take our word for the superb condition of this Maserati Spyder, why not arrange a personal inspection? We’re looking after the car at The Market HQ near Abingdon in Oxfordshire so why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ feature to get in touch. If you’d rather not travel, we can set up a video call and you can direct us to show you any areas in closer detail.

As was typical of Maserati of the time, the interior is cloaked almost entirely in leather. In this case, mostly a cream/beige leather with tan piping around the dash, centre console and upper door cards. Whereas in some cars you then see the beige extend to the dash top, creating an awkward reflection in the windscreen, this car sensibly sports a black top to the dash.

It also has a steering wheel in black rather than beige which wouldn’t cause an awkward reflection - it would just look a bit awkward. As is common with both 4200 and the earlier 3200, the airbag boss in the steering wheel can become a bit baggy over time and whilst this is just beginning to show here, it certainly isn’t overly troubling.

The heated seats show in good condition, with just the creasing you’d expect to the driver seat bolsters where you gain access. Behind the seats, there are also small signs of wear at the base of the roll-over hoops where the roof comes out from under its cover panel.

The sand-coloured carpets and fitted floor mats present well and whilst the sill kick plates have doubtless been kicked from time to time, they are also in good order. The driver side door rubber along the sill has had a little damage but it looks to have been repaired adequately. There’s also a little scratching and wear to some of the more commonly used controls, but this is common to cars of this era and replacements can be found if desired.

Worth noting the location of the fuel filler cap and boot release buttons inside the glove compartment - the cause of many a scratched head during an inspection or at a petrol station until finally giving in to ‘read the manual’.

Lifting the bonnet, the first thing to hit you is the silvered trident on the V8’s gold crackle-finish inlet manifold and then the Ferrari red cam covers. All around the engine bay, things are very clean and tidy and all cables, hoses and ducting appear to have been renewed where necessary. The bonnet lid itself seems in very good order too, with the insulative lining clean and intact.

The undersides of the car are pretty clean and appear undamaged, with just a little surface rust on some of the structural components and fixings. All heat shields and plastic undertrays appear to be present and intact.

In the boot, which is surprisingly spacious considering the roof stowage, the carpets and linings appear fairly clean and tidy and conceal the tyre inflation canister and a small tool kit. The boot lid presents well too with no apparent rust.

This Maserati comes with a long MOT valid until August 2021, having passed with no advisories for seven years in a row. The car’s online history is pretty good too, validating the 55k mileage and showing an almost full house of annual tests with just two historical failures in 2011 and 2012 - one for the handbrake and the other for a split steering rack gaiter.

The service booklet lists services at manufacturer recommended service intervals until 2009.

June 2003 - 6,020 miles - Graypaul

January 2004 - 9,799 miles - Graypaul (additional pre-sale service)

January 2005 - 18,163 miles - Talacrest

November 2005 - 28,907 miles - Talacrest

September 2007 - 36,660 miles - SG Motorsport

October 2009 - 41,711 miles - SG Motorsport

From then on, as the car’s annual usage dropped, the paperwork in the history file indicates removal from winter storage and annual springtime servicing, repairs and MOT by Corley Motors/Mike Jones; Maserati specialist.

April 2011 - 43,134 miles

May 2012 - 44,629 miles

April 2013 - 47,160 miles

April 2014 - 48,142 miles

May 2015 - 49,800 miles

April 2016 - 51,789 miles

There’s then a gap until the current owner bought the car in April 2019, since when his local garage proprietor has maintained and serviced the car; taking care to do things properly like checking the oil levels when the engine is warm, as per Maserati’s protocols. The seller has also had the hood mechanism serviced and has fitted a new battery.

Although not complete, there’s enough history with the car to show that it has been well looked after, making repairs or replacements as required, using main dealers or specialists - vital with a car such as this - and this shows in how the car now looks and runs.

As well as the history file, the Spyder comes with a document pouch including the original owner’s manuals and service booklet, two keys and a 2006/7 sat nav disk. Whilst it won’t have the cherished plate shown in the photos, it will have its earlier personalised registration of T24 SUN.

These turn-of-the-century Maseratis are honest and straightforward cars to own as long as they have a good history, have been maintained properly by people who know what they’re doing and have been driven regularly. This car’s history clearly demonstrates all those qualities. It looks fantastic and runs and drives very well with the performance you’d expect from a 385bhp Ferrari V8 in a small two-seat roadster.

Following the adage that when the top comes down, the price goes up, the Spyder commands a slight premium over the Coupé, so we think this one will fetch between £20,000 and £25,000. That’s easily the most cost-effective way of driving a Ferrari V8-powered convertible GT with the reliability to take you on a Grand Tour when continental travel opens up.

Although dark blue over beige is considered a more classic colour combination for Maseratis, there has recently been a huge upsurge in popularity for dark green over beige/tan, so this stunning Spyder should tick a lot of people’s boxes.

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’.