The Maserati Ghibli Spider occupies a narrow but intensely desirable corner of early-1970s European GT culture. Unveiled at the 1969 Turin Motor Show, it was built in such small numbers — roughly 125 units across the entire 1969–1973 production run — that most collectors will never encounter a real example. KK Scale's 1:18 die-cast brings the AM115 Spider within reach, rendered in classic factory red with the open-spoked rims that identify this specific release.
The AM115: Modena's Low-Volume Grand Tourer
The Ghibli Spider shares its AM115 chassis designation with the coupé introduced in 1967, but the open car demanded a reinforced sill structure to compensate for the absent roof. Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the body at Ghia, producing a long-bonnet silhouette with a wheelbase of 2,550 mm. Power came from a 4,719 cc twin-cam V8 producing around 330 hp (DIN), with a quoted top speed of approximately 250 km/h. The Spider sat directly against the Ferrari 365 GTS and Lamborghini Islero in the prestige GT segment.
125 Spiders, One Classic Colour
Hand-assembled at the Maserati factory in Modena, the Ghibli Spider was never a volume product. Across four model years, 1969 to 1973, production reached only approximately 125 cars — a figure that places surviving examples firmly in rare-collector-car territory. Red was among the catalogued factory colours throughout that period, and on the open-top AM115 it amplifies the drama of Giugiaro's sculpted bonnet and tapered tail. A higher-output 4.9-litre SS variant was also offered, underlining the engineering ambition behind such a small production run.
KK Scale's 1:18 Scale Model: Die-Cast with Detail Intent
KK Scale produces this Ghibli Spider in die-cast metal at 1:18, a scale that suits the AM115's long GT proportions. The defining specification of this release is the open-spoked, wire-style rim set — the period-correct wheel option that distinguishes it from alternative renditions of the same subject. The red livery is applied to the full open-top body, ensuring the dramatic proportion of the Spider's flanks reads clearly at this scale. No resin filler obscures the metallic construction.
Placing the Spider in Context
In a display focused on Italian GT culture of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Ghibli Spider pairs logically with the closed Ghibli coupé AM115 and the contemporary Maserati Indy AM116. Collectors drawn to the Giugiaro–Ghia design lineage will recognise the AM115 as a natural neighbour to other Ghia-bodied subjects of the period. Those building a competitor comparison shelf will want the Ferrari 365 GTS/4 alongside it. The open body and red finish together make the 1:18 Spider visually dominant in any group display of era-correct GT machinery.
