Maserati boasts a century of history, with some of the most iconic Italian luxury performance models to its name. To preserve and celebrate that history, the brand inaugurated Maserati Classiche, a division of BOTTEGAFUORISERIE that is dedicated to preserving archives, restoring classics, and certifying historic masterpieces. The latest Maserati to receive a Maserati Classiche Certificate of Authenticity marks an important milestone for Maserati Classiche, as it isn’t only the first Maserati 5000 GT to receive the certification, but it’s the very first Maserati 500 GT Frua ever made.
Only 34 examples of the Maserati 5000 GT Frua were produced between 1959 and 1964, and the ultra-exclusive vehicle features a gorgeous silhouette and Maserati’s signature combination of style, luxury, performance, and grand touring driving pleasure. The story of the 5000 GT begins after the Shah of Persia, who drove a Maserati 3500 GT, expressed a desire for an even more refined and prestigious car.
The 5000 GT featured a 5.0-liter V8 engine, derived from Maserati’s 450S race car, with carburetors and over 350 horsepower of maximum output. The first design of the model was done by Carrozzeria Touring, with only three examples produced in that style. After that, Allemano, Pininfarina, Monterosa, Ghia, and Frua also created interpretations of the 5000 GT, and the exclusivity and price of the car resulted in the scant production number of 34 total examples.
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The three Frua examples of the Maserati 5000 GT were made in 1962, and the first, chassis *103*064*, stands 64 years later as a gorgeous example of Maserati history, receiving the Maserati Classiche Certification of Authenticity. It features the iconic “Luci di Mezzanotte” livery, alongside a “Camoscio” interior. Frua’s body for the 5000 GT featured large glass surfaces, a sleek, athletic silhouette, and a muscular shoulder line.
The example that just received a Maserati Classiche certification was sold in Rome, after which it was returned to the company in 1966 and repainted in “Rosso Rubino Chiaro.” Saudi Prince Magid Ben Saoud purchased the car for King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the car disappeared in 1967, remaining in storage in Cairo after the Six-Day War. It was rediscovered in 2000 and purchased by a collector in Texas, after which it was restored in Italy in time for the 2004 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Crossing continents and carrying a captivating story of its own, the first-ever Maserati 5000 GT Frua is not only an ultra-exclusive classic, but a vehicle with decades of provenance and the latest to earn a Maserati Classiche Certification of Authenticity.
Image Source: Maserati