Page 1 of 1 At the 1962 Geneva Motor Show, Maserati unveiled a new 2+2 Coupe prototype. Aimed primarily at the North American market, it was dubbed the Sebring to mark Maserati's victory in the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours. The final version was finalised shortly thereafter and officially revealed at the Turin Motor show in 1963, after production had already begun.
The Sebring shared its underpinnings with the very successful 3500 GT. This was built around a steel tubular frame with double-wishbone front suspension, a live rear axle and all-round disc brakes. Like the latest 3500 GTs, the Sebring was equipped with a fuel injected version of the 3.5-litre straight six engine. Good for around 230 bhp, it was mated to a ZF five-speed manual gearbox. Especially for the American customers, a Borg Warner three-speed automatic was available as an option.
Penned by Giovanni Michelotti for coach-builder Vignale, the design for the Sebring was more angular and and upright than that of the 3500 GT. It featured striking twin headlights and a small scoop on the nose to feed fresh air into the engine compartment. On the inside, the Sebring sported an additional rear bench seat. In true 2+2 fashion, this second seating row could really only accommodate children.
During the Sebring production run, the 2+2 Coupe received two engine upgrades. The first was a displacement increase to just under 3.7 litres by increasing the stroke to 106 mm. Both the bore and stroke were then further increased to create a swept volume of 4,014 cc. This four-litre unit was good for 251 bhp. In 1965, the exterior design was also slightly revised. Known as the Series II Sebring, this model featured revised headlights, straightened bumpers and horizontal instead of vertical tail lights.
Production of the Sebring ceased in 1967 when 593 examples were built. Among the many great Maserati road cars of the 1960s, the Sebring was often overlooked. In recent years, the Michelotti design has finally received the appreciation it deserves. Page 1 of 1
Ultimatecarpage.com
> Cars by brand
> Italy
> Maserati
Sebring Series II
At the 1962 Geneva Motor Show, Maserati unveiled a new 2+2 Coupe prototype. Aimed primarily at the North American market, it was dubbed the Sebring to mark Maserati's victory in the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours. The final version was finalised shortly thereafter and officially revealed at the Turin Motor show in 1963, after production had already begun.