Forget the movie magic where Sammy Davis Jr. donned a cassock and tore up the asphalt in a bright red Ferrari 308 GTS alongside Dean Martin in the 1981 hit The Cannonball Run. Hollywood loves a good illusion, but real taste happens entirely off-camera. In 1968, when the legendary entertainment icon wanted to spend his actual Rat Pack money on a machine that screamed sophisticated wealth rather than cinematic cliché, he didn’t head to Maranello. Instead, he took delivery of a striking yellow 1968 Maserati Ghibli Coupé featuring a pitch-black interior.
His personal garage housed a chaotic mix of elite toys, including a Stutz Blackhawk and a highly questionable Rolls-Royce Camargue, but chassis AM 115578 was the true crown jewel. Officially verified by an authentic Maserati Club letter, this Italian masterpiece was delivered straight to the superstar by none other than George Barris, the legendary King of Hollywood Customizers. Decades later, this exact car would prove its timelessness by securing the “Best Italian Sports Car” trophy at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance under a new owner, casually mocking modern, over-styled supercars.
First debuting in 1967 under the strict engineering direction of Giulio Alfieri, this first-series Ghibli remains a masterclass in automotive mathematics. Measuring 4,690 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, and a sleek, low-slung 1,160 mm high, it tipped the scales at a lean 1,350 kilograms, completely avoiding the bloated weight of modern grand tourers. Under that endless hood sat a glorious 4.7-liter V8 engine fed by four carburetors, putting out a fierce 310 HP. It cleared the 0-100 km/h sprint in a brisk 6.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 270 km/h. Named after an eastern wind, its sinuous lines were penned by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro for the Ghia coachbuilder, creating a magnetic visual impact.
Step inside, and the cabin reveals an era where luxury meant genuine craftsmanship. The Ghibli seamlessly blended a raw racing soul with high-roller amenities like air conditioning, power windows, and that classic analog clock nestled in the dashboard, a design quirk Maserati still proudly clings to today like a security blanket.
It was a grand tourer built for effortless, high-speed comfort, equally suited for an emotional cruise down the Cannes waterfront or a long-distance highway blast. Sammy Davis Jr. might have played a fake priest on the big screen, but his automotive faith was absolutely real.
