The Maserati Kyalami is an automobile produced by Italian manufacturer Maserati from 1976 to 1983.
Named after the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa, it was a new model rushed into production after Alejandro de Tomaso took helm of the company. De Tomaso had Pietro Frua take Tom Tjaarda's design of the De Tomaso Longchamp (itself inspired by the Mercedes 450SLC) and modify 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.
Rear view.
The Kyalami, a four-seater notchback coupe, was launched at the 1976 Geneva Motor Show and was initially available with Maserati's 265 PS (195 kW) 4.2 litre V-8 engine.[1] Starting in 1978, the larger 4.9 litre-V8 delivering 290 PS (213 kW) was also available. Both engines were coupled with a ZF five-speed manual transmission or upon request a three-speed automatic. Mechanically the Kyalami was closely related to its contemporary Quattroporte, which was also offered with the same engines and gearboxes.
210 Kyalamis[2] were built between 1976 and 1983. 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 bore 4.9 V8 was characterized by the abundant power and torque delivered by the engine.
References
Sources
- Cancellieri, Gianni; al. (2003). Maserati. Catalogue Raisonné 1926-2003. Milan: Automobilia. ISBN 88-7960-151-2.
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