Giubo. Gweeebo. Stradaaale. Gran Turisomo. Cambiocorsa. Some words, for the english speakers at least, are fun to pronounce. Sometimes they are so fun that they get used even where they don't apply. With the Maserati Coupe and Spyder, much of the public was confused by what was essentially a lack of any sort of name, outside of Coupe or Spyder. And complicating matters were the Cambiocorsa and GT designations, separating the manual GT cars from the automated-manual Cambiocorsa cars. So, it's nice to see one properly labeled, as searching for Coupe or Spyder GT usually leads to a disappointing handful of Cambiocorsas.

The traditional manual cars seem to be the more reliable of the two options, and do tend to command higher prices. That said, we don't see the problem with the automated-manual. It doesn't quite fit the grand touring theme, but that's what makes it more appealing to us - like Recaro sport seats and a throaty exhaust in an unassuming sedan, often it's the unexpected features of a car that give it the most personality. But enough about paddle shifters, because today we're featuring a 3-pedal manual.

Year: 2003
Model:  Maserati Spyder GT
Engine: 4.2L V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage:  36,464
Price: Auction, est. $30,000-40,000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2003 Maserati Spyder GT

-390 horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 engine
-Desirable six-speed manual transmission 
-Finished in Mondia Red over black leather interior 
-Originally sold through Maserati of Washington in Sterling, Virginia 
-Optional extras included red piping, heated front seats, wind-stop deflector, xenon front lights, skyhook suspension, as well as custom dashboard and lower door panels
-Accompanied by original window sticker, factory books, tools, and air compressor
-One of 574 Spyder GTs produced from 2001 to 2007

This example is optioned nicely, with the Skyhook suspension and some tasteful contrast stitching on the inside. When these were on the new-car market, the option book rivaled Porsche, when it came to interior options. Upper and lower door panels and dashboard as well as seats and carpet were all available in a wide array of colors - for a price, of course.

Last week we featured an Alfa romeo 8C Spider at 10 times the price of this Maserati Spyder. With around 500 built of each, if you separate the manual Spyder from the automated-manual Spyder, they are equally rare. The 8C is more of a car of occasion, but we see a tremendous value in the Maserati, which is mechanically similar at one tenth of the cost.

-Graham