The 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS is one of the most charismatic Italian Grand Tourers of the early 1970s. Designed by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro while at Ghia, it combined dramatic proportions with a powerful dry-sump V8 and genuine long-distance capability.
This specific Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS has been sold and is now part of the Giro Classico handled-car archive. Giro Classico’s original page confirms the 1972 model year, the SS 4.9-litre specification and the car’s SOLD status.
The Ghibli at its most desirable
Maserati introduced the Ghibli publicly at the 1966 Turin Motor Show, with customer deliveries beginning the following year. The design immediately stood apart from the softer curves of earlier GT cars: an extremely low nose, long bonnet, fastback roofline and broad rear haunches created one of Giugiaro’s most recognisable shapes.
Although conceived initially as a two-seater, production cars adopted a 2+2 layout, preserving the visual drama while adding enough practicality to make the Ghibli a genuine continental Grand Tourer.
The body was built by Vignale, using steel construction with aluminium bonnet panels.
4.9 SS: more torque, more presence
From 1969 Maserati offered the Ghibli with the larger 4.9-litre V8, creating the version known as the Ghibli SS.
The engine descended from Maserati’s larger V8 family and used dry-sump lubrication, an important engineering detail that allowed the powerplant to sit low beneath the exceptionally flat bonnet.
That architecture gives the Ghibli much of its character. Rather than chasing the high-revving delicacy of a small Ferrari V12, the Maserati delivers strong torque, effortless high-speed performance and a distinctly muscular driving experience.
The SS therefore represents the most desirable road-going evolution for many collectors: visually unchanged in all the right ways, but with the larger engine that best suits the scale and personality of the car.
Giugiaro design without compromise
Few classic GT cars communicate speed while standing still as effectively as the Ghibli.
Its most recognisable features are:
- very low frontal area
- long bonnet
- concealed headlights
- sharply defined waistline
- fastback rear profile
- wide, planted stance
The proportions are dramatic, but the design remains clean rather than decorative. That is a major reason the Ghibli has aged so well.
For collectors interested in important Giugiaro designs, the Ghibli belongs in the same conversation as some of the most significant Italian sports cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
A Grand Tourer rather than a pure supercar
The Ghibli was engineered for high-speed road use.
Its appeal comes from the combination of:
- large naturally aspirated V8
- rear-wheel drive
- manual-era mechanical character
- relatively spacious cabin
- substantial luggage capacity
- long-distance cruising ability
This is important when comparing it with contemporary Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
The Ghibli is not simply a dramatic sports car. It is a high-speed Italian GT, designed to cross countries quickly while still offering comfort and luggage space.
That blend of performance and usability remains one of its strongest attractions today.
Ghibli SS versus Ferrari Daytona and Lamborghini Espada
The Ghibli sits in an especially interesting position among its contemporaries.
Compared with a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, the Maserati offers a more torque-rich V8 character and a slightly more relaxed GT personality.
Compared with a Lamborghini Espada, it is visually more compact and sporting, despite sharing the front-engine, high-performance Italian GT philosophy.
This makes the Ghibli particularly appealing to collectors who want something rarer and less obvious than the better-known Ferrari alternatives, while still retaining first-rank design and mechanical pedigree.
Giro Classico has previously handled both relevant models:
Discover the sold Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona previously handled by Giro Classico
Discover the sold Lamborghini Espada SII previously handled by Giro Classico
These links create a strong internal cluster around the great Italian GT cars of the period rather than isolating the Ghibli as a single archived listing.
Why the Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS is collectible
The Ghibli combines several qualities that remain extremely attractive in the international collector market:
- Giugiaro styling
- Vignale construction
- naturally aspirated V8
- dry-sump lubrication
- 4.9 SS specification
- manual-era engineering
- limited production
- strong visual identity
- genuine Grand Touring usability
The value proposition is also interesting.
For many years, the Ghibli remained in the shadow of comparable classic Ferraris and Lamborghinis. That gap has narrowed as collectors increasingly recognise the importance of early Maserati road cars and the quality of Giugiaro’s design.
A high-quality SS should therefore be judged not only as a cheaper alternative to another marque, but as an important collector car in its own right.
What matters when buying a Maserati Ghibli
Condition varies considerably, and restoration can be expensive.
Before purchase, a specialist inspection should focus on:
- chassis identity
- engine number and specification
- gearbox and differential
- dry-sump lubrication system
- cooling system
- carburettor tuning
- oil pressure
- compression and leak-down
- body corrosion
- previous accident repairs
- aluminium bonnet condition
- suspension and steering
- braking system
- electrical equipment
- interior originality
- instruments
- restoration documentation
- ownership history
On a high-value Ghibli SS, historical correctness and mechanical quality matter more than superficial presentation.
A freshly painted car with uncertain mechanical history can require far more investment than a well-documented example showing honest age.
Originality and restoration quality
Because these cars are now more than fifty years old, restoration history is almost inevitable.
The most desirable examples usually combine:
- correct chassis identity
- documented engine specification
- period-correct colours
- original or accurately restored interior
- correct wheels and trim
- strong ownership history
- transparent restoration records
Matching numbers are desirable where supported by reliable documentation, but claims should always be verified rather than repeated from older sales descriptions.
For a Ghibli, restoration quality also needs to be assessed in the context of the complex body shape. Incorrect panel gaps, altered bonnet fit or poorly repaired corrosion can quickly undermine both value and driving quality.
This 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS has been sold
This specific 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS is no longer available. Giro Classico retains the page as part of its handled-car archive and invites collectors looking for a similar car to enquire directly.
The page remains strategically valuable for searches such as:
- Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS for sale
- classic Maserati Ghibli
- Maserati Ghibli SS value
- Maserati Ghibli buying guide
- Giugiaro Maserati
- classic Maserati V8
- Maserati Ghibli sourcing
Looking for a classic Maserati currently available?
For visitors attracted primarily to the Maserati marque, Italian coachbuilding and classic Grand Touring philosophy, the strongest current internal link is the 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Touring Superleggera.
Discover the 1961 Maserati 3500 GT currently available at Giro Classico
It represents an earlier chapter of the same story: the period when Maserati evolved from a racing manufacturer into a producer of sophisticated road-going GT cars.
The available 3500 GT is one of the final carburettor-equipped examples and retains matching numbers and matching colours. It is finished in Blu Sera Metallizzato over red Connolly leather and was factory equipped with a ZF five-speed gearbox, limited-slip differential, four-wheel disc brakes and Borrani wire wheels. Its restoration is documented by more than 500 photographs, and it is currently offered on a Price on Request basis.
The two cars are very different in character, but the connection is excellent from both a collector and SEO perspective:
3500 GT = elegant early Maserati Grand Tourer
Ghibli SS = dramatic late-1960s/early-1970s Maserati performance GT
For anyone wanting to own an important classic Maserati today, the 3500 GT is therefore the most relevant current alternative.
Looking specifically for another Ghibli 4.9 SS?
A good Ghibli SS should be bought on quality rather than availability alone.
Giro Classico can assist with searches for:
- Maserati Ghibli 4.7
- Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS
- Ghibli Spyder
- Maserati Mexico
- Maserati Indy
- Maserati Khamsin
- other important classic Maserati GT cars
The process can include private and off-market sourcing, provenance research, chassis and drivetrain verification, restoration assessment, valuation, negotiation and specialist pre-purchase inspection.
Discover Giro Classico’s Collector Car Advisory service
For important cars changing hands privately, Giro Classico can also manage discreet brokerage, market positioning and international acquisition or sale. Its current brokerage service specifically covers sourcing, due diligence, negotiation and worldwide logistics.
Discover Giro Classico’s Private Brokerage service
For further information regarding sourcing a Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS, evaluating a privately offered example, verifying restoration quality or provenance, or regarding the 1961 Maserati 3500 GT currently available, please contact us directly.
Because in the end, we never truly own these cars, we simply preserve them for the next generation.
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