Once an ordinary Maserati Merak, an interesting car in its own right, this unique Maserati Merak by Saurer is now up for auction, to be sold to the highest bidder at the Silverstone Auctions in the UK on May 17.

This particular Merak was sold in 1975 but around the year 1984 it was handed over by its current owner to Swiss coachbuilder Saurer, which gave the car its unique look.

The redesigned bodywork was formed to create what Paul Saurer considered to be his ideal Merak.

Of course, power from the car’s V-6 engine needed to be dialed up and other modifications, such as the necessary cooling for the more potent engine, was required.

As this was a one-off, it will forever remain a rarity. This means it’s a well-known and well-documented, ensuring that whoever has the pleasure of owning it next will know its complete history.

Interestingly, pricing for the car is expected to reach between 35,000 and 40,000 British pounds (approximately $53,000 to $61,000), which is what some regular Meraks have sold for recently at auction.