Maserati Kyalami
Encyclopedia
The Maserati Kyalami is an automobile
which was produced by Maserati
in Italy
from 1976 to 1983.
Named after the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa
, it was a new model rushed into production after Alessandro de Tomaso took helm of the company. De Tomaso, took Tom Tjaarda
's design of the De Tomaso Longchamp
(itself inspired by the Mercedes 450SLC) modified the front and rear end to create a distinctive Maserati feel for the new car. The interior was also upgraded to incorporate classic Maserati elements such the steering wheel
and instrumentation
.
The Kyalami, a four-seater notchback
coupe, was launched at the 1976 Geneva Motor Show and was initially available with Maserati's 4.2 litre V-8 engine (255 hp) and, starting in 1978, with a 4.9 litre-V8 delivering 290 hp, both engines coupled with a ZF
5-speed manual transmission
or on request a 3-speed automatic
. Mechanically the Kyalami was closely related to its contemporary Quattroporte
, also offered with the same engines and gearboxes.
All told, 155 Kyalamis were built between 1976 and 1983, although some sources quote 184, 188, and even 210. Due to its rarity very little was written in magazines about the Kyalami. However, direct owner experiences confirmed the fundamental validity of its design, with a well-balanced, stiff chassis
offering excellent body control and an agile, very easy to control handling
. The performance offered by the big bore 4.9 V8 was also excellent thanks to the abundant power
and torque
delivered by the engine. Its performance was a notch above all its contemporary competitors; that the Kyalami did not achieve the success it deserved is a sad story of missed opportunities.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
which was produced by 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...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from 1976 to 1983.
Named after the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, it was a new model rushed into production after Alessandro de Tomaso took helm of the company. De Tomaso, took Tom Tjaarda
Tom Tjaarda
Tom Tjaarda , born July 23, 1934, is an American automobile designer of Dutch origin. He is the son of the Dutch-American auto designer Joop Tjaarda van Starkenberg , who renamed himself John Tjaarda on coming to the U.S. in 1923...
's design of the De Tomaso Longchamp
De Tomaso Longchamp
The De Tomaso Longchamp is an automobile which was produced by the Italian automaker De Tomaso from 1972 to 1989.The Longchamp was developed from the De Tomaso Deauville four-door sedan, using a shorter wheelbase chassis with the same suspension, engine and transmission. The two models were the...
(itself inspired by the Mercedes 450SLC) modified the front and rear end to create a distinctive Maserati feel for the new car. The interior was also upgraded to incorporate classic Maserati elements such the steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
and instrumentation
Instrumentation
Instrumentation is defined as the art and science of measurement and control of process variables within a production, or manufacturing area....
.
The Kyalami, a four-seater notchback
Notchback
Notchback is a styling term describing a car body style, a variation of three-box styling where the third distinct volume or "box" is less pronounced — especially where the rear deck is short or where the rear window is upright...
coupe, was launched at the 1976 Geneva Motor Show and was initially available with Maserati's 4.2 litre V-8 engine (255 hp) and, starting in 1978, with a 4.9 litre-V8 delivering 290 hp, both engines coupled with a ZF
ZF Friedrichshafen
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg....
5-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
or on request a 3-speed automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. Mechanically the Kyalami was closely related to its contemporary Quattroporte
Maserati Quattroporte
The Maserati Quattroporte is a luxury four-door saloon made by Maserati in Italy. The name translated from Italian literally means "four doors". There have been five generations of the car, each separated by a period of roughly five years....
, also offered with the same engines and gearboxes.
All told, 155 Kyalamis were built between 1976 and 1983, although some sources quote 184, 188, and even 210. Due to its rarity very little was written in magazines about the Kyalami. However, direct owner experiences confirmed the fundamental validity of its design, with a well-balanced, stiff chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
offering excellent body control and an agile, very easy to control handling
Car handling
Automobile handling and vehicle handling are descriptions of the way wheeled vehicles perform transverse to their direction of motion, particularly during cornering and swerving. It also includes their stability when moving at rest. Handling and braking are the major components of a vehicle's...
. The performance offered by the big bore 4.9 V8 was also excellent thanks to the abundant power
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
and torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
delivered by the engine. Its performance was a notch above all its contemporary competitors; that the Kyalami did not achieve the success it deserved is a sad story of missed opportunities.