Model featured:

Maserati Merak

The Maserati Merak was essentially a junior version of the Maserati Bora. Designed during the Citroen era (1968-1975), the Merak featured a 3 litre Maserati V6 (190 hp), also used in the Citroen SM.

Other Citroen parts used for the Merak included the SM's dramatic dashboard and the hydraulic brake system. In 1977 these parts were supplanted by more conventional units.

In 1976 Maserati introduced the slightly more powerful Merak SS. Its engine produced 220 hp (164 kW) and weight was reduced by 336 lbs to 3,086 lb (by 152 kg to 1,400 kg), resulting in a top speed of 152 mph (245 km/h).

In 1977 Maserati introduced another version of the Merak called Merak 2000, which featured a 2-litre V6 with 170 hp (127 kW). This version was built for the Italian market where a newly introduced tax law penalised cars with an engine capacity of more than 2000 cc.

Aesthetically, the Merak differed from the otherwise identical Bora mainly in sporting glassless flying buttresses instead of the Bora´s fully glassed rear.

Performance

1. power: 220bhp
2. top speed: 229kmh | 143mph
3. 0-100 kmh: 7.9 seconds

Engine

1. capacity: 2965cc
2. cylinders: 6
3. configuration: V6

Other

1. production dates: 1972-1983
2. total produced: 1832
3. variants: tipo 122; SS