Maserati followed up its stunning, Ghia-styled Ghibli two-seater with the equally elegant Indy 2+2, though the latter, announced in 1968 and noteworthy as the first unitary construction Maserati, was the work of Carrozzeria Vignale.

The Indy first appeared publicly on Vignale’s stand at the 1968 Turin Motor Show and was officially launched by Maserati at the Geneva Salon in 1969.

Running gear was conventional, with independent front suspension, live rear axle and four-wheel disc brakes, while power was – initially – the Modena firm’s well-tired, 4.1-litre, four-cam V8, with 4.7 and 4.9-litre versions following.

A ZF five-speed manual gearbox was standard, with a three-speed Borg Warner automatic available as a special order.

With 260bhp on tap, the top speed of Maserati’s luxury four-seater was in the region of 150mph, a figure the subsequent larger engined versions improved upon.

The sleek Vignale coachwork was so effective that the Indy was able to carry four people in relative ...