1972 MASERATI Mexico 4200

Background

THIS CAR IS UNDER TEMPORARY IMPORT BOND, AND DUTY WILL HAVE TO BE PAID TO IMPORT THE CAR.

The Maserati Mexico is a four-seater tourer offering space for four adults and their luggage. The Mexico, named in honour of Cooper-Maserati’s victory in the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix, when Surtees triumphed in the final round of that year's Formula 1 World Championship, was first unveiled to the public at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. The car featured a newly developed V8 engine and was dressed in elegant coachwork by Maserati’s favourite carrozziere; Vignale. The new car was designed for customers who were looking for a luxurious four-seater but preferred something sportier than the Quattroporte, an elegant saloon car, but not very agile with its four-door layout and long wheelbase.

Designed for competition, the robust V8 engine had first been seen in the 450S sports-racer back in 1957 and made its road-car debut in that most celebrated of Maseratis: the 5000 GT. Progressively developed for road use, the V8 arrived in 'production' form in the first Quattroporte of 1963 and would be the backbone power plant of the Maserati range throughout the 1960s and '70s. As installed in the Mexico, the 4.7-litre version produced 290bhp, which was good enough for a top speed of around 225km/h (140mph) though several sources quote speeds of around 240km/h (150mph). A more economical 4.2-litre (4200) version was available also, which despite having 'only' 260bhp on tap, was only a few kilometres per hour slower. Apart from its live rear axle, the Mexico's underpinnings were similar to the contemporary Quattroporte saloon's, featuring double wishbone independent front suspension, disc brakes all round, a ZF five-speed gearbox as standard and optional automatic transmission.

The Mexico is a subtle piece of styling that combines understatement and effortless elegance like few other cars from the era. With room enough for four adults, ample amounts of power and one of the most beautiful dashboards you will ever encounter (with enough instruments to make any airline pilot feel at home), the Mexico ticks many boxes and really is a very desirable and underrated car. When production ended in 1973 after seven years, a mere 480 cars had been built, of which 305 featured the 4.2-litre engine. These are numbers that make the contemporary Ghibli (1,274 built) seem mass produced by comparison.

The Vehicle

Our Mexico 4200 on offer is presented in a most elegant colour combination of burgundy red over black leather interior. The vehicle has seen very little use since the 1990s and is presented in decent overall condition. Potential bidders shall be aware that mechanical re-commissioning is required before the Maserati can be returned to the road.

On the Outside

The car is presented in overall decent condition from outside but has some visible rust spots that will need sorting sooner or later. The chrome parts all around are in good condition with no major defects or tarnish. The same can be said of the lights and glass surfaces of the vehicle.

The desirable Borrani wheels appear to be in good condition but given that the car has not been driven in a while, we would recommend having the wheels inspected for loose spokes and the tyres replaced by period correct new units.

The bodywork is straight but shows considerable amounts of rust in spots like the lower part of the doors, the window surrounds and the trunk. In order to get it properly done, a complete respray will be necessary. Alternatively, one could also consider some local repairs.

The bodywork all around appears to be a good basis for restoration. It is unknown whether the burgundy red colour, which suits the bodylines very well, is original to this car.

On the Inside

One of the highlights of any Maserati Mexico is without a doubt the beautiful dashboard with its many instruments to keep the driver informed about everything that is going on in the car and the engine. The dashboard on our vehicle is in nice original condition; all the instruments are present and intact, and the wooden surfaces are not cracked. It can be assumed that the wood has been treated to restoration or preservation works in the past, because it really looks good. The same can be said about the wooden steering wheel.

A non-original feature is the modern Pioneer radio in the centre console, complemented by two speakers mounted behind the front seats. The seats are in beautiful original condition with nicely patinated black leather.

The front seats have seen better days, but we think a professional upholsterer can repair the damaged surfaces and keep the original leather. The white roof liner is in very good condition and is not detached or damaged.

Underneath

The engine bay is in good original condition, but would require some work to look perfect. The different rubber hoses appear to be in good condition and the insulation material lining the bonnet is still present. Some of the black paint from the cylinder heads has started to fall off. This would however in no way negatively impact the mechanical performance of the engine and is merely an aesthetic issue. The various very important chassis plates in the engine bay are still present and confirm the chassis and body number of the vehicle. Given that the vehicle has not been driven in a while, we invite any potential bidder to inspect the car in person to get a complete picture of the mechanical health of this vehicle.

The boot appears to be in solid overall condition. The spare wheel is missing, and the battery tray shows signs of corrosion and rust.

Photos of the underneath are available in the photo gallery and as mentioned before, an inspection is recommended to get an idea of the overall condition of this example.

History Highlights

Little is known about the early history of this Maserati Mexico, but if we had to take a guess, we would say this example was delivered to Italy when new. A giveaway for this assumption are the four holes for the numberplate fixation in the trunk: they correspond to the size of period Italian number plates. On top of that, the vast majority of the 480 Mexicos built were delivered new in their home country. Later in its life, this example was sold to Mr Jon Avnet from California in the USA and it appears that this happened around 1994.

The odometer read 75,523 kms at this time. Subsequently, the car was purchased by Mr Isidor Elsig from Grimisuat in the Swiss Canton of Valais. In 2007, the Maserati was registered in the name of Mr Menuhin in the Canton of Vaud. The Swiss Carte Grise was cancelled in 2010 and accompanies the car. Since the mid-1990, the car has only been driven an additional 3,400 kms, the odometer reading 78,925 kms at time of photographing.

The paperwork displayed in the photo gallery is all photocopies, apart from (crucially!) the State of California title document and the Swiss Confederation vehicle certificate with are the originals.

What We Think

The Maserati Mexico combines Italian elegance and V8 power while offering comfort and superior road handling. Being a very rare car, the Mexico is a connoisseur’s choice and is underappreciated by the market if you consider the performance and rarity it offers. Our example is presented in an attractive colour combination and features a beautifully preserved original interior. The car will require mechanical re-commissioning and substantial bodywork repairs but will offer a lot of pleasure to a new owner willing to invest the time and money to get the car back into shape. We think this iconic Italian grand tourer will achieve CHF50,000 - CHF80,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in Münsingen, Switzerland. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.