Maserati’s Ghibli Spyder was launched in 1969, the same year the 4.9 engine was introduced on the coupé. The new power unit was immediately available on the Spyder and the cars that were fitted with it were identified as the Ghibli Spyder SS. With 335 hp and a 270 kph top speed (169 mph) to match its stunning looks it was one of the most desirable production cars in the world at that time. It was also one of the most expensive. Of just 125 total Ghibli Spyders sold in the five years that the model was available, only a fifth were to SS spec – which today makes it a universally recognized and much sought after classic, to such an extent that more than a few coupés have been transformed into Spyders through the years.

As on the coupé, an automatic gearbox could be fitted upon request and a significant number of Ghiblis were sold with it, as the United States was always the model’s main market. At the Turin motor show in late 1970 minor changes were introduced to the Ghibli model lineup, mainly involving the headlights, dashboard and headrests.