Maserati Merak
Encyclopedia
The Maserati Merak was an Italian sports car introduced in 1972, essentially a junior version of the Maserati Bora
. It substituted an all new Maserati designed quad-cam V-6 motor (also shared with the Citroen SM) for the Bora's larger V-8, resulting not only in a lower cost, but room for a small backseat and better handling due to lower weight and a better front/rear weight distribution.
Aesthetically, the Merak differed from the otherwise very similar Bora
mainly in sporting open flying buttresses instead of the Bora's fully glassed rear, and the use of the Citroen SM dashboard on models produced before 1976.
The Merak went out of production in 1982.
.
The mid-engine
Merak used the Bora bodyshell, but with the extra space offered by the smaller engine used to carve out a second row of seats, suitable for children or very small adults.
As for the Bora, certain Citroën
hydraulic systems were used in the Merak; brakes, clutch, headlight pods. The Citroën SM's dramatic dashboard was also used in early Meraks (1972 to 1975).
. In the end, all three cars turned out to be unreliable and did not complete the challenges.
Maserati Bora
The Maserati Bora is a Maserati two-seater coupe powered by a V8 engine mounted amidships. Produced from 1971 to 1978, it had a top speed of .-History:...
. It substituted an all new Maserati designed quad-cam V-6 motor (also shared with the Citroen SM) for the Bora's larger V-8, resulting not only in a lower cost, but room for a small backseat and better handling due to lower weight and a better front/rear weight distribution.
Aesthetically, the Merak differed from the otherwise very similar Bora
Maserati Bora
The Maserati Bora is a Maserati two-seater coupe powered by a V8 engine mounted amidships. Produced from 1971 to 1978, it had a top speed of .-History:...
mainly in sporting open flying buttresses instead of the Bora's fully glassed rear, and the use of the Citroen SM dashboard on models produced before 1976.
The Merak went out of production in 1982.
Citroën era Merak
The first Merak was designed during the Citroën ownership of Maserati (1968–1975). It featured a 3 l (182.9 cu in) Maserati V6 engine with 190 PS, also used in the Citroën SMCitroën SM
The Citroën SM is a high-performance coupé produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1970 to 1975. The SM placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, trailing its stablemate Citroën GS, and won the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year award in the U.S. in 1972.-History:In 1961,...
.
The mid-engine
Mid-engine design
A mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine between the rear and front axles. Another term for this is mid-ship.-Benefits:The mid-engine layout is typically chosen for its relatively favorable weight distribution...
Merak used the Bora bodyshell, but with the extra space offered by the smaller engine used to carve out a second row of seats, suitable for children or very small adults.
As for the Bora, certain Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
hydraulic systems were used in the Merak; brakes, clutch, headlight pods. The Citroën SM's dramatic dashboard was also used in early Meraks (1972 to 1975).
GEPI era Merak
In 1976 Maserati introduced the Merak SS, power was increased to 220 PS and weight was reduced by 20 kg to a dry weight of 1400 kilogram. Late Merak SS were bestowed with the interior and dash of the Maserati Bora. The US-spec version of the Merak SS also saw a return to traditional hydraulics, eliminating the last of the Citroen high pressure system. Production of the SS stopped in 1982DeTomaso era Merak
In 1977 DeTomaso purchased Maserati, and the Bora was discontinued after a production run of less than 600 cars. In 1977 DeTomaso introduced the Merak 2000 GT, with a smaller powerplant. It was built mainly for the Italian market, where a newly introduced tax law penalized cars with an engine capacity of more than 2000 cc. The Merak 2000 GT featured a 2 l (122 cu in) V6 with 170 PS. No Merak 2000 GT were imported to the United States.Todays market
On today's market the Maserati Merak does not enjoy the same value as the V-8 Bora. Pricing on average is half the value of a Bora in similar condition. This is partly due to the cars' smaller V-6 powerplant. The Merak is also more common than the Bora, with about 1,900 manufactured over the 1972 to 1982 period.Featured on television
On April 12, 2005, the Merak was featured in a Top Gear segment against its main competitors, namely the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 and Lamborghini UrracoLamborghini Urraco
The Lamborghini Urraco was a sports car manufactured by Italian automaker Lamborghini in the 1970s. It was introduced at the Turin auto show in 1970 but wasn't available to buyers until 1973....
. In the end, all three cars turned out to be unreliable and did not complete the challenges.