Maserati, long known for its powerful and prestigious sports cars, decided to up the ante with the making of its now-iconic 2+2 coupe: the 1959 Maserati 5000 GT. With just 34 built at Modena’s Viale Ciro Menotti plant, the inspiration for the car came from Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Persia who was unsatisfied with the power of the 3500 GT.

A complete redesign was undertaken and included the addition of a V8 engine with an increased bore to boost its displacement to nearly five liters. This configuration allowed the engine to push out 325 horsepower at 5,500 rpm. A four-speed gearbox was married to the 4.9-liter V8 engine.

Carrozzeria Touring built the first bodywork for the 1959 Maserati 5000 GT. Most of Italy’s well-known coachbuilders at the time — including Ghia, Allemano and Monterosa, to name just a few — also contributed to the project which was unveiled 60 years ago.