VIN: Ferdinando Innocenti's Maserati 5000 GT chassis 018
History of chassis 018
Routinely described as the most expensive road car of its time, Maserati’s 5000 GT was one of the last production models that gave buyers an open choice of coachbuilder. Nine different firms created bodies for the 5000 GT, despite production totalling just 34 units.
Chassis 018 received a unique body and interior by Ghia. The commission came from Ferdinando Innocenti, founder of Lambretta and one of Italy’s richest men.
The car was designed at Ghia by Sergio Sartorelli who had worked on a number of Lambretta projects for Innocenti.
Sartorelli created a handsome five window Coupe with slim pillars and a slender overall profile. Chassis 018 incorporated several space age features like the oval full width nose aperture and unusual rhombic dashboard. Painted silver with a dark blue interior, the car also came with a set of fitted luggage.
Prior to handover, 018 was displayed at the 1961 Turin Motor Show. It was also driven by Bernard Cahier for the January 1962 edition of Sports Car Graphic magazine.
Ferdinando Innocenti kept 018 for less than a year. The car was subsequently owned by a petroleum company in Milan before heading to Turin with a private owner.
By the 1970s, 018 had found its way to the Middle East. It was purchased by a Saudi sheikh who later gifted the by now non-running machine to a favoured employee.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Photo copyright: Maserati - https://maserati.com & Ghia / Ford = https://www.ford.com
