In 1963, Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA, which had formerly designated its car models with numbers, introduced the Mistral, named for a northwesterly French Mediterranean wind. The theme would stick. Five other wind-inspired models were introduced between 1966 and 1989: Ghibli, Bora, Khamsin, Karif and Shamul, all of them named for hot Middle Eastern or eastern Mediterranean blasts. Mistral, the fresh, dry and often cold wind blowing south through the Rhone Valley is the exception, as its namesake is the exception to all the Maserati “wind cars” that followed.

Among the few large automobile families were the Brothers Maserati, six in number: Carlo, Bindo, Alfiero, Ettore, Mario and Ernesto. Mario became an artist, but the others devoted their lives to automobiles and motor racing. Alfieri took over the struggling Grand Prix efforts of Diatto, the upscale Turinese automaker. In 1926, he formed Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA Bolgna, and renamed the Diatto racer “Maserati 26,” winning its class in the Targa Florio. Both Alfieri and Ernesto raced, but Alfieri died in 1932, a consequence of surgery for earlier racing injuries. Ernesto succeeded him as chief designer. Ettore joined the family firm as business manager in 1930, and Bindo became sales manager two years later. Carlo, who had worked for Fiat and Bianchi, had died in 1910.

In 1938, the brothers sold the company to Adolfo Orsi. They were retained on a ten-year contract, though the firm was now run by Orsi’s son Omer. After World War II, Ernesto designed a road-going sports car, the Tipo A6, unveiled at the 1947 Salon Internationale de l’Auto at Geneva. Their contract fulfilled, the Maserati brothers departed at the end of the year to found OSCA, while Omer Orsi concentrated on Maserati road cars.

From 1952 through 1957, Maserati cleaned up on the race track, winning seven World Championships and dominating Formula One, in large part due to lead driver Juan-Manuel Fangio. Emphasis changed to road cars of the Gran Turismo class when the 3500GT was introduced at the 1957 Geneva show. Powered by a 220 bhp, hemi-head 3,485cc inline dohc six, it was available either as a 2+2 coupe or a convertible.

For a successor to the 3500GT, Maserati commissioned Pietro Frua to design a sleek two-seat hatchback coupe. The first of the “wind Maseratis” and last of the straight sixes, the Mistral was first seen at Salone dell'automobile di Torino in November 1963. The engine was the 3,485 cc unit from the 3500GT, with Lucas fuel injection and a ZF five-speed transmission. Suspension was similar to that of the 3500GT, on an eight inch shorter wheelbase. A two-seat spyder was introduced some months later. Displacement was later increased to 3,694 and finally 4,014cc.

This 4-liter Mistral, the last Spyder built in 1970, is a right-hand drive model with English-unit instrumentation by Lucas and Smiths. A largely original car, it has covered fewer than 62,000 miles.. The black leather seats and carpets are in a very nice and original condition. The instrument panel is clean and unmarked. The exterior white paint is in very good condition, and gives the car a stunning appearance. The engine compartment is clean and the car runs and drives well.

The four-liter is the most sought-after Mistral, the Spyder the jewel in the crown. Total Mistral production through 1970 comprised 950 cars, just 120 of them Spyders. A handful( believed 2 ) of those spyders were RHD.