Trident Trio – Classic Maseratis in California
Great Cars, great company, great wines
– The Maserati Club’s Pismo Beach Rally

Normally, in each edition we aim to bring you a Cars article which combines a great place to drive with a great car – a model from the current Maserati range. Not this time; in April we took part in The Maserati Club’s annual Pismo Beach Rally, in California – and we were fortunate enough to drive not one, but three great Maseratis. Through the generosity of California Maserati Club Chapter President and Maserati enthusiast extraordinaire Doug Magnon, we experienced three very different Gran Turismos, classics that help trace the long and illustrious history of the Trident – a 3500 GT, a Ghibli and a Bora.

It is worth describing each car briefly, to set the scene for our experiences with them, and so the reader can understand the evolution of design expertise that leads eventually to the forthcoming GranTurismo. The 3500 GT, introduced in 1957, broke new ground for Maserati; it marked their venture into volume production, with over 2,000 of the four-seat GT cars being built over the eight-year lifespan of the design. Its straight-six engine was, of course, derived from a racing unit, and put out 220bhp – enough to propel the coupe to around 140mph. The engine was mounted well back in the engine bay, to aid weight distribution – the same is true of the current Quattroporte and GranTurismo models.

Fast-forward ten years to the Ghibli, a low-slung coupe which coupled unexpected practicality with supercar performance. The 340bhp coming from the muscular 4.7-liter V8 – which could trace its ancestry back to the legendary 450S sports racer – ensured the two-seater could reach 160mph. The pop-up headlights were a first for Maserati, and the Giugiaro design was an instant success, with over 1,000 cars eventually being made.

While the Ghibli had marvelous performance, the Bora was a true supercar. The same 4.7-liter V8 engine was used – but positioned behind the driver, to give a mid-engine, rear-drive configuration. The weight over the rear tires gives excellent traction, and the combination of ample power and low weight meant the Bora could top 170 mph.

Our first encounter was with the Ghibli, for the long drive from Riverside for a late lunch at the Los Olivos Café, which was featured in the film Sideways. Before we set out, Doug briefed us on how to start the car – ignition on, pump the gas three times, start with a little throttle – and also on one of the car’s idiosyncrasies. It has two separate fuel tanks for improved weight distribution and capacity, with a filler on each side. The fuel gauge shows the contents of one tank at a time, the one being used to feed the V8 engine, with a toggle switch being used to select the ‘active’ tank.

Just getting into the car reminded us of the past forty years of developments in safety engineering. We sank into the low bucket seats, and got ourselves comfortable – then realized that there were none of the basic safety accoutrements of current cars - no seat belts, no collapsible steering column – and certainly none of the advanced developments found in modern Maseratis, such as anti-lock brakes, traction control, Maserati Stability Program and Xenon headlights. The front two or three feet of the long hood were invisible from the cabin, and it was tough to tell where the right-hand side of the car was. What had we let ourselves in for?

Following Doug’s directions, the motor started readily enough, and sounded promisingly muscular. Out onto the roads, and around town changing gear was largely optional, since the ample torque at low revs was more than able to keep up with traffic. With no power steering, low-speed maneuvering was a test of strength, but it relaxed to give a pleasantly weighty feel once on the highway.

Compared to the subdued hush of a modern Quattroporte, the Ghibli’s cockpit seemed to be a cacophony – but what an enjoyable noise! The bass notes of the engine dominated initially, but as speeds rose the reassuring whine from the gearbox provided a higher-pitched counterpoint. Wind noise was also significant – but the overall experience was wonderful. Modern cars are supremely efficient – a Quattroporte could easily surpass the performance of the Ghibli, while carrying four people in luxurious refinement – but the Ghibli made us appreciate motoring in the raw.

There may have been plenty of low-end grunt, but get the V8 engine past 3,500rpm and the car just surged forward, able to reach and probably exceed the posted limit with ease. The gearshift was accurate and direct, each change snicking into place easily as if gated, but without need of that crutch – we couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to driving historic Maseratis.

After a very pleasant lunch stop we swapped cars, and got our first experience of the Bora. The cabin felt more ‘cozy’, yet still had ample room for a six-foot driver. It was clearly designed with an occupant focus often lacking in other supercars of that era.  The feeling came from the bulkhead directly behind the seats, separating cabin from engine compartment. With the motor sitting just inches behind your head, things sounded busy once started, but no louder than the Ghibli. The whole car is extremely low, with the low-slung seat emphasizing this feeling. The seating position and exceptional steering crispness are ideally suited to provide maximum feedback to the driver on how the car is handling, the same philosophy embodied in current Maseratis .With the engine behind the driver, the Bora’s steering was noticeably lighter – and with less weight, the car felt more responsive. Where the Ghibli felt like a true grand tourer intended to cover long distances in fast but relaxed style, the Bora was plainly more sporting, built to tackle twisting roads with remarkable pace. The gearshift was different, too – with the gearbox mounted behind the engine, changing gears was a little less precise and well-defined and yet still very accurate once the driver was acclimated.

One of the local members hosted a pre-dinner get-together at his spacious home in exclusive Arroyo Grande. This was our first chance to meet our fellow Rally participants, and to admire their cars. The whole spectrum was represented – there was an immaculate red 3500 GT, and another Bora, right up to a selection of modern Coupes and a GranSport, looking menacing in black. Our companions were all more than happy to talk about cars, and their Maseratis – some owned more than one, and had a choice for the Rally.

After a pleasant group meal we headed for our hotel, and some sleep before the first full day of the rally. After a brunch stop, we were headed for San Simeon, and one of the finest and most famous buildings in America – Hearst Castle. The towering achievement of the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, the huge building is filled with antiques and curios from across Europe. The residence, including two guest houses and ornate gardens, are so large that there are no fewer than four different tour itineraries. Our guide was both informative and amusing, keeping us entertained throughout our walk amongst the splendid rooms, ending with the indoor swimming pool. The Maserati Club members admired the fruits of Hearst’s remarkable passion for all things European – a passion which their own enthusiasm for Maserati reflects.

Saturday morning saw us taking part in the Rally – a predetermined route through the fields and vineyards of the central California area, culminating in a catered picnic lunch in the Lake Lopez state park. The rally had target average speeds, with two checkpoints during the route and a final one at the park; given the combination of glorious weather, beautiful scenery and the Bora, we opted not to worry about average speeds and simply enjoyed one of those spectacular drives which come along all too infrequently in life.  As with the other vintage Maseratis, a really spirited drive in the Bora demonstrates the timelessness of Maserati design and engineering, and the longevity of their innate excitement, as true of current Maseratis as it is of these older classics.

On Sunday morning we left our hotel for the final time, saying farewell to our new-found friends in The Maserati Club. We headed for the tiny Gelfand Winery, where quality of both life and of wine is valued far more than quantity; we tasted several of their marvelous red wines before finally heading south. For this leg we drove the 3500 GT, the oldest car of our trio – and while it had the least power, it also had the least weight, as signified by the ‘Superleggera’ badge on the hood, meaning ‘lightweight’. There was something about the 3500 GT which was instantly charming; within a couple of miles we could scarcely prevent ourselves from breaking out into broad grins, for no reason we could actually pin down.

The 3500 GT was giving away about a hundred horsepower to the other two; even when revved hard, the straight-six engine never felt overpowered, and the steering was heavy enough to make the Ghibli’s seem almost light – yet driving it was a genuine pleasure. We suspect that, while Doug refuses to name a favorite amongst his collection of Maseratis, this 3500 GT - once owned by the actor Dan Blocker, who played ‘Hoss’ Cartwright in Bonanza -  would be a likely candidate.

We stopped for a bite to eat at an out-of-the-way Basque café, and to catch our breath. When we restarted, this time in the Ghibli, it made us realize how far Maserati progressed in as little as ten years – our forearms ached a little from the combination of the 3500 GT’s steering and its upright seating position. The Ghibli’s cabin actually seemed quiet.

Back in Riverside at the end of a long day, we were truly sorry to have to return the keys. All three cars were wonderful to drive – yet the whole trip was a reminder that progress is not all bad. For example, on a wet road in the Bora a late lane-change took us by surprise, and left us with no room to maneuver. The front brakes locked almost as soon as the pedal was touched, leaving us with no steering – we had to go the manual route of brake-release-brake-release to avoid the car in front. During the event the oil pressure sensor connection became intermittent on the unrestored Ghibli, which led to a few anxious miles with the gauge showing zero. The fuel gauge in the 3500 GT was similarly finicky.  For all that, these unrestored cars, each over thirty years old, were surprisingly reliable.

Well, that was how it used to be – go back thirty years or more, and anyone running a car which wasn’t fresh out of the showroom would carry a few tools and some spares. We probably had more than our fair share of little gremlins simply because the cars aren’t used as often as Doug would like, and because his philosophy of ‘no garage queens’ means they are maintained but not restored. The long weekend was incredible and we wouldn’t hesitate to do it again – we would jump at the chance. The cars are old, and each had its own foibles, but that was part of what made them so charming. Most importantly, the whole weekend proved that the opportunity to drive just about any car with the famous Trident badge should be seized. For fifty years and more, Maserati has been making cars for true red-blooded enthusiasts – and with the introduction of the new GranTurismo later this year, the future is even greater than the past.

Our grateful thanks go to the staff of the various hotels, restaurants and wineries which played host to us over the weekend; to the participants of The Maserati Club 13th Annual Pismo Beach Rally, who were such great company; and to Tom , who made a fine rally-master, organizing the route of the rally itself. The final word of thanks must go to Doug Magnon, Maseratista extraordinaire, both for being the prime mover behind the Western chapter of The Maserati Club, and for his unstinting generosity in allowing us to drive his cars.