Maserati Khamsin
Encyclopedia
The Maserati Khamsin was a sports car introduced as a Bertone prototype in 1972 at the Turin Auto Show
. In 1973 it was put on display at the Paris Motor Show, where it was badged as a Maserati
. Production of the vehicle started in 1974.
The car had a front mounted 4.9 litre V-8
delivering 320 hp.The engine however was pushed back as far as possible so it an fit a spare tire for more room in the trunk. The Khamsin now had housed in bodywork that resembled a lower, flatter Ghibli
, designed by Bertone. Production of the Khamsin ended in 1982, with only 430 vehicles produced. 155 were brought to the United States.
power steering, with higher than usual assistance for parking, decreasing with speed, and a glass rear panel (between the taillights) below the rear window, giving reverse visibility surpassing most cars, especially similar sports cars. Also, the Khamsin had features like hydraulic seats and an adjustable steering column, which were innovative features at the time. Air-conditioning was standard on the Khamsin.
Turin Auto Show
The Turin Auto Show is an auto show held annually in Turin, Italy. The first official show took place between 21 and 24 April 1900, at the Castle of Valentino, moving to Turin in later years....
. In 1973 it was put on display at the Paris Motor Show, where it was badged as a Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
. Production of the vehicle started in 1974.
The car had a front mounted 4.9 litre V-8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
delivering 320 hp.The engine however was pushed back as far as possible so it an fit a spare tire for more room in the trunk. The Khamsin now had housed in bodywork that resembled a lower, flatter Ghibli
Maserati Ghibli
The Maserati Ghibli is a Gran Turismo car produced by Italian manufacturer Maserati in two generations: first from 1966–73, and again as the Maserati Ghibli II from 1992–97.- Ghibli I :...
, designed by Bertone. Production of the Khamsin ended in 1982, with only 430 vehicles produced. 155 were brought to the United States.
Features
The Khamsin had several unusual features, such as DIRAVIDIRAVI
DIRAVI is the name given by Citroën to its proprietary power steering system, first seen in 1970.DIRAVI is an acronym for "Direction à rappel asservi" literally meaning "steering with controlled return" more accurately described in English as "power steering with power assisted return". In the UK,...
power steering, with higher than usual assistance for parking, decreasing with speed, and a glass rear panel (between the taillights) below the rear window, giving reverse visibility surpassing most cars, especially similar sports cars. Also, the Khamsin had features like hydraulic seats and an adjustable steering column, which were innovative features at the time. Air-conditioning was standard on the Khamsin.