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www.QV500.com - Maserati Tipo 101 Part 3: 3500 GT Speciale |
 3500 GT Frua Convertible |
Maserati's 3500 was produced during arguably the greatest period for automotoive haute couture. If you had deep enough pockets, there was no shortage of reputable coachbuilders to clothe your Ferrari, Maserati or Aston Martin with a bespoke body. As a result, more than a dozen 3500's received unique coachwork, most of Italy's best-known carrozzeria' trying their hand with Maserati's highly regarded production GT. Most prolific was the firm of Allemano, once Maserati's first choice for bodywork. Allemano clothed four 3500's with Coupe shells, the first of which was |
displayed alongside the prototype Touring-bodied car at the Geneva Salon in March 1957. Along broadly similar lines to the standard version (albeit with subtle alterations to the cockpit profile and front grille opening), Allemano's proposal featured a number of interesting details, most notably a pair of wipers for the rear windscreen as well as the front. Frua were responsible for five special 3500's (although some reports state just three), four of which were Coupe's and the other a Convertible. The Coupe's resembled Vignale's later Maserati Sebring, particularly around the cabin, one getting rectangular Quattroporte-style headlights, the others a par of twin roundels either side. Frua's one-off Convertible was built on a long wheelbase chassis, probably in an attempt to secure the contract for bodying production Spyder's. Displayed at the Paris Salon in 1959, Maserati eventually opted for Vignale's sportier proposal and the Frua Convertible remained a one-off. A pair of 3500 GTI's were bodied along broadly similar lines by Boneschi, the first being displayed at the 1962 Turin Salon, the second a few months later at Geneva in '63. Both incorporated Boneschi's trademark four-headlight front-end styling and sharply creased lines that were several years ahead of their time. Legendary design house Bertone also tried their hand with a solitary 3500, but despite having recently created some truly exceptional custom bodywork on Ferrari's, this unique Maserati wasn't in the same league. |
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 3500 GT Touring Coupe |
Despite being handed the contract to clothe production 3500's, Touring also built a number of special examples, however, none were a match for the original. The last bespoke 3500 didn't arrive until 1966 when Moretti displayed an elegant Coupe at the Geneva Salon. Mixing existing cues with Moretti's trademark features, it was one of the firms few projects that wasn't based on a small displacement production car. Other coachbuilders put forward proposals for custom 3500's that never actually got built, probably the most famous of which was Zagato's creation depicted below. |
 3500 GT Zagato Coupe |
 3500 GT Bertone Coupe |
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