On the Vignale stand at the Salone di Torino in 1965, an original 2-door 4-seater prototype was designed by Giovanni Michelotti and mounted on a Maserati tubular chassis with a 4.9-liter V8 engine. An important person had commissioned this car. It is thought that as the 5000 GT was now out of production, this important client desiring such a car commissioned Vignale to build one.
Its appearance at the Salone di Torino was very well received, so much so that Maserati immediately made plans to put a version into limited production. The production Mexico, designated Tipo AM112 by the factory, was a derivation of that original prototype, which was first displayed at the Paris Motor Show a year later. The Mexico was powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine (slightly lower in capacity than that of the prototype), producing 290 bhp at 5000 rpm, this gave the car a top speed of between 240 and 250 kph (150-156 mph).
In 1969, contrary to Maserati tradition, the Mexico was also made available with a 'smaller' engine. This time the 4.2-liter V8 engine powered the original Quattroporte 1a series. A magazine article at the time described the 2-door 4-seater Mexico thus:
"Maserati has added an elegant and prestigious creation to their range that is luxurious yet functional at the same time. It is fast, spacious, easy to handle, and equipped with the same air conditioning system as the Quattroporte."
Apart from the smaller engine option, the Mexico underwent few changes during its lifetime. Its luxurious interior included a rich leather seating for four adults, electric windows, wooden dashboard, and air conditioning as standard. Automatic transmission, power steering, and a radio were available as optional extras. The 4.7-liter version was fitted with 650 x 15" Boranni chrome wire wheels and the 4.2-liter version with 'disc' wheels. The Mexico was the first production Maserati to be fitted with servo-assisted ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels. Production of the Mexico between 1966 and 1973 totaled 482, not 250, one with the 4.9-liter engine, 305 4.2-liter versions, and 175 4.7-liter versions.
Source: www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk
Images: www.automobilrevue.cz; ruoteclassiche.quattroruote.it; www.maserati-indy.co.uk
Pictured Above: 1965 Maserati Mexico Prototype by Vignale
Pictured Above: 1966-1973 Maserati Mexico by Vignale
