1971 Maserati Indy 4.7 America

Keep it on the QT - between 2013-2018 a deity in the world of fashion and design owned this Indy. Perhaps only as a muse, because it was only used twice by themselves in that whole time  – of course, you’ll have to buy it to find out who it was… or take a peek at the history file.

The vendor of this fine 4.7-litre steed is selling it on behalf of one of its clients and has just run it through a thorough 120-point check over. The only issue it found was small oil leak, which it has had rectified ready for sale.

Maserati constructed just 1102 examples of the Indy with 367 of those being 4.7-litre in flavour and just 29 in RHD automatic form, as here. That makes this one rare baby – a statement that bears scrutiny after a quick visit to howmanyleft.co.uk, which shows precisely none currently licensed or SORN in the UK.

In the car’s history file (see photographic gallery, below) you’ll find a copy of the original factory order certificate and also of the delivery note to Citroen Cars Ltd of Slough, which makes sense given the French marque’s then ownership of Maserati.

There’s also a Certificate of Origin from Maserati Classiche that details the model (Autovetture Indy 4700), chassis number (AM116/47*1136*), engine type (AM107/1) cylinders (90 – V8 Cylinders (85mm x 94mm), displacement (4.719cm3 – Carburettors), engine number (AM107/1*1136*), and body (VIGNALE – Closed - no 200177).

Bodily the big Maserati looks to be in very good condition; paintwork remains nice and the underlying panels all line up well. The Nautilus Blue tone has a really deep hue that lightens significantly when the light hits it, which lends it an extra level of visual depth.

It’s not perfect by any means. There are a few surface imperfections here and there (most notably on the passenger door), as well as some small parking dings (on the rear offside lower rear wheel arch) but it’s a car you could happily use on a regular basis, park in a car park or two and not worry too much about.

The alloy sill covers remain smart, as does the bright work. Each alloy wheel is relatively unmarked, although there’s a touch of light surface pitting on one or two of the chrome centres. Radial Michelin 215/70 V14 tyres are fitted and all look to have plenty of tread remaining.

The Indy was a high spec car back in the day and as such you got a plethora of period goodies including a two-way adjustable steering column, anti-theft steering lock, leather upholstery, reclining front seats, fog lamps, a heated rear windscreen and electric windows. The original radio (an optional extra), electric aerial, electric windows, dials and perhaps most importantly, the pop-up headlights all function just as they should.

As mentioned the steering wheel adjusts for both rake and reach, but a number of scratches on the leather dash top would suggest that a previous owner wasn’t aware of this. The dashboard with its multitudinous line up of dials has an attractive set-up and by jingo, there’s a lot of leather in here; the good news is that it’s in decent nick. It was cleaned a few years back, but it’s probably due another treatment in order to remove a few marks and scuffs.

The three-spoke wooden steering wheel and large wooden gear lever make for an attractive combo, but the Maser badge in the centre of the former has come loose and slipped down inside its casing so requires re-fixing. We think a little bit of TLC in here would do wonders in sharpening it up.  

The big V8 sparks up first time and a throttle blip has it sounding as if it means business; it’s a meaty sounding unit and the exhaust note is suitable impressive. That of course, is at a standstill – at full chat, it’s even better. The automatic ‘box works well in tandem with the V8 and it feels like a lovely combo with which to devour big mileages.

Both engine and gearbox work very well; there’s plenty of torque and the three-speed Borg Warner unit shifts nicely. Brakes are pre-Citroen units (they came in, in 1973) i.e. without all the complex hydraulic underpinnings and appear to be in rude health, as there’s plenty of stopping power. It feels nice and tight on the move with no rattles or anything else untoward of a suspension nature.

The under bonnet heat padding remains in place, but the central section is coming a little loose towards the top – it will be a quick fix, though. The bay itself is generally smart and tidy, but the surface paint on the inner front wing (directly below the offside edge of the bonnet) is a bit cracked.

Underneath, it looks solid. There’s a lot of underseal offering protection to the metal above but it is a touch split and cracked in places, so the next owner may wish to have it cleaned and re-treated. The very lower edge of the front wing also has a bit of surface rust that is probably best dealt with in the near future.

As well as the aforementioned Certificate of Origin, and Factory Order and Delivery Notes, you’ll also find a number of invoices in the history file. These show that the starter motor was rebuilt in 2015 (£180) and a number of ignition components were replaced at the same time (£528.76). The car had a touch of cosmetic work carried out to its rear the following year (£290) – although previous body works were carried out in 2013 and these are also detailed.

The interior was cleaned and re-connollised in 2015 (£950) and the air conditioning system also had an overhaul (£1080). Our famous fashion designer had the full exhaust system replaced in 2014, alongside some other works (£4275.29).

In more recent times (February, 2019) the bonnet struts were repaired, the steering idler refurbished and various ball joint boot covers replaced (£823.61). This year the alternator was reconditioned and the auto sump gasket replaced with new transmission fluid (£642.84); a new battery was also fitted (£496.80).

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

Maseratis of this era exude a certain racing-derived machismo that is only accentuated by their striking looks. Top of the tree is without doubt the two-seater Ghibli but the identically engined Indy has a four-person trick up its sleeve, and can be had for a fraction of the cost. As a dynamic family classic we can think of no more striking choice. Have you heard it? If not, watch our video below.

Rarity, a funky colour scheme, lashings of tan leather and a stupendous V8 heart mean that this is one seriously alluring bit of kit. Period contemporaries such as the Ferrari 365 GTC, Lamborghini Espada and Aston Martin DBS cost considerably more, which means that the £47,000 to £57,000 range that we think it’ll sell between, is a bit of a blooming high-performance bargain.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located at The Market’s Abingdon headquarters; 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’.