Maserati Indy

Production period:	1969 to 1975
Class :	sports car
Body versions :	Coupé
Engines:	Gasoline : 4.2-4.9 liters (191-235 kW)
Length:	4740 mm
Width:	1758 mm
Height:	1295 mm
Wheelbase :	2600 mm
Curb weight :	1582-1665 kg

The Maserati Indy was a four-seater sports car produced by the Italian automaker Maserati from 1969 to 1975. It was the last Maserati to be developed and presented before Citroën took over the factory .

The Indy, so named in honor of the two Maserati victories in the 500-mile race of Indianapolis , which dates back to the years 1939 and 1940, showed Maserati for the first time at the Turin Motor Show in 1968 as a prototype with a body by Alfredo Vignale .

The production version debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1969. The Indy was based on the platform of the Maserati Ghibli with a by 5 inches to 2600 mm extended wheelbase. In the body structure Maserati entered new territory: The structure was designed for the first time self-supporting. Conventionally - and in the eyes of many testers outdated - was the rear rigid axle, which was taken over unchanged by the Ghibli. The hatchback body was spacious; she offered four adult passengers more or less comfortable space. The aerodynamic qualities of the car were pleasing - and significantly better than the top model Maserati Ghibli, which initially remains in parallel to the Indy in the program. The following versions were offered:

• Maserati Indy 4200: 4.2 liter eight-cylinder, 260 hp; available from 1968 to 1971
• Maserati Indy 4700: 4.7 liter eight-cylinder, 290 hp; available from 1971 to 1973
• Maserati Indy 4900: 4.9 liter eight-cylinder, 320 hp; available from 1972 to 1975.

As standard, the Indy was equipped with a five-speed gearbox from ZF Friedrichshafen ; alternatively, a three-speed automatic transmission from Borg-Warner was available.

The good aerodynamics was a major reason that the Indy was initially equipped only with the "small" 4.2-liter version of the eight-cylinder: with a larger and more powerful engine, the Indy would have achieved better performance than the more expensive Maserati Ghibli . Only when the production of the Ghibli expired, Maserati equipped the Indy also with stronger versions of the in-house eight-cylinder.

The market positioning of the Indy was unclear. His production overlapped with both the Maserati Mexico and the Maserati Ghibli and the Maserati Mistral ; All three models were offered in parallel over several years. However, the Indy should survive the three other models, so that he took over at least indirectly their successor.

The Indy was built for seven years - from 1968 to 1975 - with largely unchanged body. During this time, all versions produced a total of 1104 copies. The Indy was one of the most successful Maserati models.