1966 Maserati Mistral

The 1966 Maserati Mistral is not exactly what many will consider as a sports car-breakthrough, but it is indeed a breakthrough for Maserati, one of the lesser known but nonetheless-more competent car manufacturers out there. 

Needless to say, Maserati may not be as popular or well known in the international-market as Porsche or Ferrari or the Mercedes Benz, but the company did create some very iconic and-popular models during the 1950s to 1960s. 

One of the more well known models they have created is the Maserati 3500, the-company’s first foray in the Gran Turismo market. It was also among their first large-volume productions, something that the industry expected after their Maserati A6. After the 3500 and-Sebring, both successful attempts at penetrating both the sporting and competition car market, they-felt like they were ready to present to the world the Maserati Mistral, easily one of their best-creations and the first model to start their iconic lines of sports car named after a type of-wind.

The Maserati Mistral, also called the 4000 GT is other markets, was named after the-cold southern France wind. It was seen by many of the start of Maserati’s evolution, and it-was. After all, the Mistral succeeded the 3500 GT, which is one of the company’s more-successful models. People were expecting that goes beyond the 3500 GT’s achievements. In every-aspect, the Mistral certainly did that and more.

First, the design of the Mistral was perhaps one of Maserati’s most-recognizable. It was created by renowned coachbuilder Pietro Frua. It was a hatchback-style car, both graceful and purposeful to cover all bases of a great car. Needless to say, the-Mistral was both luxurious enough for the most enthusiastic automobile connoisseurs and powerful-enough for the most critical drivers. It was a six-cylinder GT, ultimately the last six-cylinder Maserati, making it a prized collector’s item. It was also the last Maserati from the-Orsi ownership, before the company changed ownership and became property of Citroen—yet-another reason why the car really is one of the most renowned for the company.