Maserati Merak

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Maserati Merak
Manufacturer	Maserati
Production	1974-1982
Successor	Maserati MC12
Class	Sports car
Body style(s)	2-door coupe
Layout	MR layout
Engine(s)	2.0 L V6 3.0 L V6
Wheelbase	2600 mm (102.4 in.)
Length	4330 mm (170.5 in.)
Width	1770 mm (69.7 in.)
Height	1130 mm (44.5 in.)
Curb weight	1160-1400 kg (2557-3086 lb)
Related	Maserati Bora Citroën SM
Designer	Giorgetto Giugiaro

The Maserati Merak, introduced in 1974, was essentially a junior version of the Maserati Bora

[edit] Citroën era Merak

The first Merak was designed during the Citroën era (1968-1975), the Merak featured a 3.0 L Maserati V6 (190 hp), also used in the Citroën SM.

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.

Other Citroën 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.

[edit] GEPI era Merak

In 1976 Maserati introduced the slightly more powerful Merak SS. Only 652 were made. Its engine produced 220 hp (164 kW) and weight was reduced by 336 lb to 3,086 lb (by 152 kg to 1,400 kg), resulting in a top speed of 152 mph (245 km/h).

[edit] A. DE Tomaso era Merak

In 1977 Maserati introduced another version of the Merak called Merak 2000, which featured a 2.0 L V6 with 170 hp (127 kW). This version was built mainly for the Italian market where a newly introduced tax law penalized 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.

The Merak went out of production in 1982.

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