Maserati 3500 GT – ex Prinz Alfred von Auersperg
Maserati 3500 GT for sale – ex Prince Alfred von Auersperg | German delivery | Matching Numbers
The Maserati 3500 GT is one of the most important and desirable classic Maserati models and represents the beginning of the brand’s grand touring era. With this model, Maserati successfully transitioned from a pure racing manufacturer to a producer of luxurious high-performance road cars.
First presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1957, the Maserati 3500 GT combines elegant Italian design by Touring with advanced engineering derived from Maserati’s racing experience. Only 1.972 examples of the Touring coupé were built between 1957 and 1964, making it a rare and highly collectible classic car today.
The Maserati 3500 GT offered here is a particularly outstanding example with matching numbers, German first delivery and exceptional provenance.
Delivered in September 1961 via Auto Koenig in Munich, this car was originally owned by Prince Alfred von Auersperg, an Austrian aristocrat closely connected to the international jet set of the 1960s and beyond.
His life and reputation were strongly influenced by his high-profile marriages. He was married to the American millionaire heiress Sunny Crawford (Sunny von Bülow), later to the German actress Hannelore Auer (Hannelore Kramm), and finally to Beatrice Kyd von Rebenburg, a designer based in Marbella. This unique background adds a rare and highly desirable historical dimension to the car.
The vehicle was also presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961, further underlining its importance and early prominence.
From a technical perspective, this Maserati 3500 GT offers a highly desirable specification. It is equipped with a ZF 5-speed manual gearbox and Girling disc brakes on all four wheels, providing a significantly improved driving experience compared to earlier versions.
A particularly rare feature are the additional ventilation flaps in front of the windscreen, a factory option fitted to only approximately 20–30 cars in 1961 – a detail highly valued among collectors of classic Maserati cars.
The car is finished in its original and elegant color Rosso Capannelle combined with a black Connolly leather interior, one of the most desirable color combinations for this model.
This Maserati spent more than 25 years in the renowned Rosso Bianco collection, one of the most important classic car collections in Germany, further confirming its authenticity and significance.
The vehicle remains in a highly original and largely unrestored condition, preserving its authentic character and patina.
At the same time, the car has recently undergone a complete technical inspection and service by Scuderia Azzurra. The braking system has been extensively serviced, including renewed front brake calipers, new brake lines and an overhauled brake booster. In addition, the car received a full service, 4 new tires and a fresh TÜV.
As a result, this Maserati 3500 GT is ready to drive and can be enjoyed immediately, combining originality, history and mechanical reliability.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire a Maserati 3500 GT with matching numbers, German first delivery and exceptional provenance, making it a highly attractive investment-grade classic car.
Facts
• Maserati 3500 GT (Touring)
• Chassis No. AM1011786
• Built September 1961
• German first delivery (Auto Koenig, Munich)
• First owner: Prince Alfred von Auersperg
• Matching numbers (engine & chassis)
• Matching colors
• Original color “Rosso Capannelle”
• Interior Connolly leather “Nero”
• ZF 5-speed manual gearbox
• Girling disc brakes (front & rear)
• 3 Weber carburetors
• Rare ventilation flaps (approx. 20–30 cars in 1961)
• Original Borrani wire wheels
• Approx. 59,000 km (believed original)
• Highly original condition
• Former Rosso Bianco collection
• Recently serviced and technically inspected
• New tires and TÜV
Maserati 3500 GT
The 3500 model series plays an elementary role in the history of the great Maserati brand. Without this timeless classic, the traditional Italian company would probably no longer exist, because after the end of the Second World War, it was on the brink of economic ruin. It was Giulio Alfieri who, with skill and know-how, set the company’s success story on the right track and brought Maserati from the race track to the road.
The 3500 GT is the first series model of the Italian car manufacturer Maserati and a car for real connoisseurs. Manufactured from 1957 to 1964, only 1,972 of the touring coupes were produced, making the 3500 GT/GTI a rarity and a sought-after collector’s item. The spacious 2+2 seater has a 6-cylinder dual ignition, Weber carburettors and a ZF 5 -speed gearbox.
In 1957, the Maserati 3500 GT was presented for the first time in Geneva. Two renowned Italian coachbuilders, Alemanno and Touring, were allowed to try their hand at a prototype. The car eventually went into series production as a Touring, because the public at the Geneva Salon was enthusiastic about the elegant and straight-lined design and the aerodynamic aluminium body in the well-known Superleggera construction.
Over the years, the design of the model has changed slightly. Headlights, tail lights and number plate illumination have been replaced and the number and position of the triangular vent windows also varies.
The Maserati 3500 GT also enjoyed great popularity among celebrities. Proud owners included racing driver Luigi Taramazzo, Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Tony Curtis, Stewart Granger, Rock Hudson, Dean Martin and Anthony Quinn.
From 1962, the 3500 was also available as a GTI with Lucas fuel injection. From 1959, Maserati also produced the two-seater 3500 GT Spyder Vignale, officially GT Convertible, the convertible of the series.