The Maserati Mistral was originally launched as a 2-seater coupé in November 1963 at the Turin Motor Show, alongside the very first Quattroporte. Simply christened “2 Posti” (or even “Berlina 2 Posti” as Road & Track still called it in 1964), it took the name Mistral at the suggestion of Maserati’s French importer, Colonel John Simone. Mistral is the name of a French wind blowing along the Mediterranean coast, and from then on Maserati 2-seater sports cars took on wind names. The 2+2 coupés kept circuit names, as had begun a year earlier with the Sebring.