SOMETIMES CARS THAT weren’t an instant hit when they were launched, or even those that slightly missed the mark, can make for particularly interesting classics a few decades down the road. Take the fourthgeneration Maserati Quattroporte, for example. This compact high-performance saloon was priced to compete against the top executive cars from Germany and, with the company still struggling to shake off a reputation for poor build quality, unreliability and low residual values, it was a model that really struggled to find its audience. Almost 30 years on from its launch, however, this rare Maserati could make a highly stimulating classic purchase.
The Tipo AM337’s unmistakable wedgy profile came from the drawing board of Marcello Gandini, as a big brother to his similarly styled AM336 Ghibli. Despite being the first new car to be launched in the post-de Tomaso, Fiat-owned era of the company, it was based on a lengthened version of the Ghibli’s Biturbo-based platform. This made it very compact, especially compared with both its predecessor and its BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-Class luxury rivals.