2005 Maserati GRANSPORT

Believed to be one of only 41 ‘Limited Edition’ cars, it is fitted with the glorious Ferrari F136 RB naturally aspirated V8 engine with the factory-fitted switchable sports exhaust system and the secondary catalytic convertor delete option.

Recently serviced by The Ferrari Centre only 250 miles ago, it is showing just two previous keepers, the first of whom kept it for four years, while the second had it in his care from 2009 until 2017. Now with the vendor for the past three years, he is very proud of the fact that it has never had an MOT advisory since he’s owned it.

As the Limited Edition, the interior is much more upmarket than even the (already luxurious) standard car featuring a leather-covered dashboard in lieu of the standard ‘space tweed’ one that almost no-one likes, a sculpted leather headlining, blue dials, a premium ‘Auditorium 200’ audio system, and plenty of carbon fibre trim.

The exterior is similarly impressive, boasting the Limited Edition bodykit and 19-inch Trofeo alloy wheels, and red brake calipers. And matching Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, obviously.

The Grigio Touring Silver bodywork is in a stunning condition; the metallic silver finish giving the Maserati a hewn-from-solid appearance that we love. It’s all in great shape too, with straight, dent-free panels, good shutlines and an almost complete absence of anything problematic.

The subtle Limited Edition bodykit – especially the complex sill covers – add another dimension to what was already a beautiful car and the carbonfibre-effect boot spoiler is a wonderfully understated touch.

Other great details include the Xenon lights and Maserati badges on the C-pillars. Plus, of course, that iconic trident on the front grille.

The 19-inch Limited Edition Trofeo alloy wheels are in a cracking condition, and they’re shod with matching Michelin Pilot Sport 4S that were fitted new less than 4,000 miles ago.

As we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance. 

Problems are limited to a few minor stonechips and a small scuff on the offside front corner. The latter is almost invisible at a few feet.

The front ‘tombstone’ seats are finished in an attractive two-tone leather, and have the Maserati trident embossed on their headrests. In gently patinated condition, they’re wonderfully supportive yet much more comfortable than the sort of seats you normally find in cars as sporting as this.

The two individual rear seats are small but perfectly formed and in a staggeringly good condition, and remember this is a genuine four-seater coupe, giving more rear passenger room than many if its contemporaries.

The rear of the paddle-shifters is covered in Alcantara, giving a discreet tactile thrill every single time you change gear – and given how wonderful it sounds when you do so, you’ll be doing that a lot …

Drilled alloy pedals add another element to the driving experience, while the tiny gearlever adds a uniquely Italianate interpretation to a control we’ve previously taken for granted.

Because style and practicality merge seamlessly here; the steering wheel has a discreet mark at top-dead-centre to allow for fast orientation at high speed, the push-to-start button adds an element of theatre to even the shortest journey, and the trademark Maserati clock and pleated leather headlining add an elegance that is more usually the preserve of more overtly luxurious cars.

The original ‘Auditorium 200’ audio system has been replaced by a modern, Bluetooth-compatible headunit but the original is supplied should the new owner want to reinstate it.

The boot is very clean, and a hard-wired lead has been fitted to the battery to allow for easy trickle charging when the car isn’t being used. A high-quality Optimate 6 trickle charger is supplied with the vehicle.

A car like this needs careful maintenance by folk that understand it; trying to run one on a budget is a sure-fire way of ruining a great car and destroying its residuals.

So, potential bidders will be pleased to learn that this example has led a pampered life. The clutch, is a potential concern on the model, was checked by The Ferrari Centre under 500 miles ago and was found to be only 15.85% worn, so has minimal wear.

The owner reports that it has had ‘tens of thousands of pounds spent on it, including sorting all the typical GranSport issues such as the heater matrix. I have always had it serviced by The Ferrari Centre in Maidstone, always run it on Shell V-Power (I’m a geek, so there’s literally a folder of every old fuel receipt in the glove box to prove it!), and I’m proud to say it’s never even had an MOT advisory at least as long as I’ve had it.’

The Ferrari Centre, which later changed its name to Kent High Performance Cars, was a three-hour round-trip from the vendor’s home but he was happy to make the trek there and back as he was so pleased with the service he has received over the years. He is, in other words, just the sort of chap you want to buy a car like this from.

And the paperwork supports his fastidiousness, showing that The Ferrari Centre ran up a nigh-on four-figure bill in March 2016 for replacing the bonnet release cable and fettling the driver’s seat bolster. It also sorted out a power steering and gearbox leak in May 2018 at a cost of just under £1,500.

December 2018 saw a bill for £775 for the car’s annual service, followed by another for £475 on Christmas Eve 2019 for its annual service.

The car’s previous owner was just as lavish in his curation of the car, treating it to new lower wishbones and track rod bearings, plus a full four-wheel alignment and a change of brake fluid, in November 2016 at a cost of almost £2,500.

It also received a replacement heater matrix and a new clutch assembly just two months earlier. The bill this time was a whopping £5,748.91, while May 2016 saw an invoice for £1,870 for some general fettling that included a new set of handbrake shoes, a timing gasket, crankshaft seal, and rocker cover gasket, plus fresh oil and coolant.

The exhaust is the switchable sports system, and it has been further enhanced with the removal of the secondary catalytic convertor, so sounds fantastic. However, the original parts will come with the car just in case the new owner would like to return the car to its standard specification.

Oh, and like so many Italian exotics, the Maserati doesn’t like being left unused for too long, so the new owner should factor in the need to keep it on a trickle charger. The owner uses an Optimate trickle charger, which will come with the car.

The Maserati’s MOT certificate expires in December 2020 and was gained without a single advisory point, something it’s been racking up for the past three years.

This means that the online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s mileage. The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the recent work that has been done to it. It also comes with two keys, its red card, the original owner’s handbook, stamped service history booklet, storage wallet and the usual bumf.

The cherished number plate does not come with the car and it will revert to ‘RX55 FTP’, an age-related number issued by the DVLA.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

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.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

Any Maserati is fundamentally a flawed proposition; it’s not as good to drive as a dedicated, two-seater, mid-engined supercar – and nor is it as capacious and easy to live with as a high-performance BMW or Audi saloon.

And yet, they have a habit of sneaking up on you and capturing your heart in a way that no Ferrari or Porsche – and certainly no executive German car – ever could.

The owner is slowly working his way through his automotive Bucket List (a VW Golf GTi MK1,1978 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II and Ferrari 360 Spider have been the last three…) and while he normally keeps them for a year before moving them on, the Maserati has been with him for three.

This affection is something we understand because we’ve driven a few and have always come away utterly captivated - and invariably end up scouring the classifieds to double check that they really are as cheap as we remember.

And these are very cheap cars indeed. This one, for example, despite its fulsome service history and low owner count, we estimate will only sell for between £14,000 and £18,000, which is a staggeringly small sum to pay for what is one of the greatest driver’s cars of its generation. But remember, the seller is offering this car with "No Reserve", so it will sell from the very first bid..............

Of course, you’re thinking you’d rather pay a little more for an ultra-low mileage, collector’s quality example but you really shouldn’t; nothing kills a car faster than sitting in a dehumidified garage and never being taken through a heat cycle, and we’d always rather buy something like this that has been regularly exercised and properly fettled if we’re buying to drive rather than hoard.

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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.