Welcome back to your history lecture. Put your vape away, no, I don’t care if you need it to concentrate. This week we will be covering one of the most prominent, timeless, and beautiful classics from Italy’s automakers, as you have likely guessed, the Maserati 5000GT. Let’s get the basics out of the way: this sports coupe was manufactured between 1959 and 1966, with few changes other than adding one gear to the transmission and three (yes 3)cc to the engine size. The 4.9L V8 in question is nothing short of a masterpiece, built more than half a century ago with dual overhead cams and 16 spark plugs. Fueling is handled either by mechanical ITB injection or a quartet of DCOE carburetors depending on the variant. This combination makes roughly 330 HP, but that’s not the point here.

Notice I mention variants. 5000GTs were manufactured in separate groups by separate coachbuilders throughout their production run. Per this condition, searching the car’s name will result in a fascinating variety of body styles. Today we will take a closer look into these unique pick-a-flavor sports cars.

The Ghia

Ain’t you heard about the new fashion, honey? All ya need are looks and a whole lotta money. Okay, this particular car needs some explaining.

One-offs make up a majority of the 5000GT’s variants, and this Ghia bodied example was the first among them. Custom ordered by the Shah of Persia, this fuel-injected example is the closest in spirit to Maserati’s racing machines. sitting exposed in the desert sun for nearly half a century. Now, such an exotic ride needs proper supercar repairs. But due to a lack of Maserati service centers in Saudi Arabia, the car’s owner did what any sensible man of wealth would, and parked it outside to rot for fifty years.

See: the thumbnail image of this article.

The Ghia has perhaps the most beautiful headlight arrangement of the bunch, and a nice sloping trunk line to match the front-end streamlining.

Rating: 8/10

The Allemano

Allemano coachworks was Maserati’s main partner producing the 5000GTs, and 22 overall were produced with their bodywork. The Allemano coupe ditched the fastback roof for an extended hood and trunk surface, which makes for a very sleek and agile-looking profile. This car has harder lines, but squared features and a smaller greenhouse (with vent windows) to compensate. A strangely stately thing. Very nice.

Rating: 9/10

The Frua

We need to have a word about the Frua here. Three examples were built, but personally I would not say this model deserved a larger production run. The shape of the car fits with general ’60s sleekness, but the strangely shaped, tall windows make it appear more top-heavy. This is contrasted a bit too strongly by the protruding, squarish headlights. Though the beaked grille is a nice piece.

Rating: 6/10

The Pininfarina

Here we have another one-off chassis. Commissioned by Giovanni Agnelli, a higher-up in Fiat at the time, the 5000GT took on a more executive look for his Pininfarina coupe. A more conventional rear fender kink was added to the body shape, and the front end features were raised and enlarged. Does it look a bit like some 17 year old did a DIY debadge job on it? Yes, but as a whole it is pretty enough for this to be overlooked.

Rating: 7/10

The Bertone

Bertone appears to have mashed together a Plymouth Fury and an Aston Martin to create their fastback version, and I mean no ill will by it. As an American I may be biased, but this 5000GT took on features noticeably similar to my country’s cars from the time. The side vents’ streamlined indent matches nicely with the wide front grille, and the body is ornamented just enough to scream “pure class” while staying true to its inner sports car. THIS is the best one.

Rating: 10/10 (I will not be accepting questions)

The Touring

Now we arrive at the strangest of the bunch. First off, the name is not a trim level. Carrozzeria Touring built one initial car in this style, and two extra later on. Yes it does look like a Toyota Stout pickup with a botched nose job, and I’m still working through that myself. The other 90% of this car is a masterpiece, and I fail to think of any others with a nicer shape. Straying away from the recurring wire wheels is also a strong positive for the streamlined look. As a whole, the sum of its parts make up for the nose.

Rating: 8/10

Class dismissed.