Anyone know anything about this Ghibli GT?

[Jnismith]

Apologies if the owner is on here but I saw this on eBay a couple of weeks ago and it's back.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-Ghibli-GT-/252796562427?hash=item3adbd96bfb:g:uBgAAOSwTuJYpJqi

 

[safrane]

Sorry no...but it does look nice.

 

[Ewan]

Does look good. But 97 wasn't the last year of production. The later cars had a high level (roof mounted) rear brake light in place of the parcel-shelf level one of this car. (Not that it matters!)

 

[Jnismith]

YeH, I did wonder about the roof light, good spot. This makes it a "Maserati" car rather than one of those made after they stopped production and made them with the Ferrari diff. If I remember correctly.

 

[Ewan]

It may well still have the Ferrari rear diff. But it isn't one of the last few, i.e. the "Ferrari" ones that were built after the factory re-opened following its closure and refit by Ferrari.

Here is a picture of a very late RHD car, in green, with the high rear brake light. This is a 1999 T reg car, the second to last sold in the UK. This is a "Ferrari" Ghibli.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Apologies if the owner is on here but I saw this on eBay a couple of weeks ago and it's back.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-Ghibli-GT-/252796562427?hash=item3adbd96bfb:g:uBgAAOSwTuJYpJqi

This wasn't the one at Silverstone Auctions a while back was it? Went for about 9-10k if memory serves me correctly.

 

[dickyb]

I think that was a blue one with a red interior Mark.

"Ferrari" diff was introduced when the Ghibli GT was launched in the first half of 1995 (in Europe), its one of the features that differentiates a GT from the previous MY94. It is thought that a further 200 Ghiblis were built following the shutdown when Ferrari took over and as Ewan says, the roof mounted stop light is a feature of those cars.

The year of registration is not necessarily a clue to how old the car is, some sat around unregistered for a while, the earliest UK GT i've seen was an N-plate but there are also some P-plate MY94s out there. I don't know the car on eBay personally but it looks quite nice, as its been looked after by McGrath's Andy Heywood will know it and should be able to give you some more information.

 

[Corranga]

Was the higher brake light due to a change in legislation? Seems like a really odd change to make for so few cars right at the end of production..
Is the part sourced from another car (Alfa / Ferrari?) and perhaps Ferrari using up the last Ghibli GT parts to make full cars where possible?

 

[GeoffCapes]

Ahh yes, I think you are right Dicky. I was getting that one confused with the other blue one which was living in Spain (Majorca?) for the last 5-10 years which was up for sale on eBay.

How many manual RHD Ghibli II's are in the UK?

 

[dickyb]

I think they sold around 175 Ghiblis in the UK in total, the number of manual cars still on the road is around 40 (all versions), approximately 20 of those are Cups, approximately 10 are Series 1a/MY94 and approximately 10 are GTs.

 

[Ewan]

How many manual RHD Ghibli II's are in the UK?

There are (I think) 21 manual RHD Ghibli Cups still on the roads in the UK. On top of this they sold another couple of dozen or so of the normal 2.8 lt. manual Ghibli GT version here in the UK between about 1994/5 and 1999. Of these I'd imagine a dozen or so survive (but this is only my educated guess).

 

[Ewan]

Happy to go with Dicky's figures of about 40 in total (20 Cup, 20 normal).

But I hadn't realised they sold maybe 175 Ghiblis in the UK in total. That seems too high to me. I'd be surprised if it was as many as a hundred in total - but am happy to be wrong. The more the better.

 

[GeoffCapes]

So when I'm in position to buy one, I'm probably going to have to look at importing one from Europe and having LHD to get a manual.

I had 'the conversation' with Mrs Capes the other day, and we (she) decided that it would be better if we bought a bigger house (with double garage) rather than me buying a GTS MC Shift.
I compromised and 'agreed' (once she'd taken her foot off my throat).
However, I did manage to negotiate that I could get a Ghibli II once said house was purchased.

 

[dickyb]

Happy to go with Dicky's figures of about 40 in total (20 Cup, 20 normal).

But I hadn't realised they sold maybe 175 Ghiblis in the UK in total. That seems too high to me. I'd be surprised if it was as many as a hundred in total - but am happy to be wrong. The more the better.

Not 100% certain on the total sold in the UK Ewan, you could be right, perhaps its closer to 100. The figure of around 175 may well be the total number of RHD cars produced which would include cars for Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Thailand etc.

Mark, yes you would be better off finding a car in Europe as you'll have more a lot more choice and there are a lot more manual cars there, just be aware that prices are really starting to creep up now and you'll be unlikely to find a nice manual GT for much less than 20000 euros so you'd better be quick. Also bear in mind that Brexit may lead to increased import costs, at the moment there is no VAT to pay on an older car but that may well change.

 

[GeoffCapes]

Mark, yes you would be better off finding a car in Europe as you'll have more a lot more choice and there are a lot more manual cars there, just be aware that prices are really starting to creep up now and you'll be unlikely to find a nice manual GT for much less than 20000 euros so you'd better be quick. Also bear in mind that Brexit may lead to increased import costs, at the moment there is no VAT to pay on an older car but that may well change.

Thanks for the advice. My wife has relatives in Holland, so I may put them on the hunt.
Although I don't think I will be in a position to buy until later in the year.

 

[Ewan]

Here in the U.K. I'd say that maybe 1 Cup comes up for sale per year, currently at a value of maybe £40k approx (depending on mileage/condition). Also, maybe 1 manual Ghibli GT will come up, at a value of around £15k approx.

You could easily have to pay over £20k for a top quality, late, low mileage RHD manual Ghbili GT. But at the same time, an earlier example in lesser condition could be had for less than £10k.

The problem you will have is that so little comes up. Hence looking in Europe for an LHD car is a far more simple option. Indeed, my first Ghibli was a 2.0 lt (306 bhp) LHD car from Italy that I sourced from David Askew.

 

[Rwc13]

Looks very nice, and if it's as good as it looks, I'd say very well priced. Prices appear to be on the up due to rarity and increasing interest. Don't be put off by the automatic, they are very nice to drive and still pretty rapid. And they wear the miles very well. Mine's done 82k and feels, looks and drives like a car that has done 1/4 of those miles. If I didn't have one already, I'd be all over this one...........

 

[Jnismith]

Thanks for the responses, talked to Paul at McGrath today who used to look after my 94 Ghibli and the owner. Need to think about it over the weekend. Very happy with auto as when I test drove a manual years ago, felt it was very uncomfortable with the clutch. McGrath has really changed since I last went there. Loads of classic Maser's being worked on and much bigger.