Maserati Merak (1972 to 1974)

The Maserati Merak was introduced at the 1972 Paris motor show, a year and a half after the Bora was unveiled. It shared the Bora's mid-engine layout and some of its styling cues, but the big difference was under the rear hood: the Merak was powered by a 3 liter V6 which could trace its roots back to the Citroën SM-Maserati project. Maserati's excellent reputation as a manufacturer had excited interest from Citroën, which had commissioned the design of the type C.114 2.7 liter V6 back in 1967 and the following year it took control of the company.

The engine was remarkable for its compactness, allowing a five-speed gearbox to be mounted ahead of it in the front-engined SM. It lent itself perfectly to being mounted amidships in the Merak, providing a more accessible alternative to the Bora. With cylinders bored out to 91.6 mm, the total displacement was 2,965 cc for this model and the output reached a more than respectable 190 hp at 6,000 rpm. Being 250 Kg lighter than the Bora, the Merak could achieve a top speed of 240 kph and handled superbly. Hydraulic brakes provided prodigious stopping power and were praised for their progressive response.

The name Merak did not refer to a wind, as was customary in this period, but rather to a star from the Great Bear constellation. The styling was derived from the general shape and proportions of the Bora, but the fastback shape was cut vertically right behind the seats and only 'flying buttresses' above the rear trunklid maintained a continuous silhouette. This innovative visual trick was once again the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro.


Maserati Merak SS (1975 to 1983)

In 1975 Maserati launched the Merak SS, an upgraded version of its V6 mid-engine sports car boasting a 30 hp increase over the earlier version. Tweaks included larger carburetors and a higher compression ratio, working together with a 50 Kg reduction in weight. A front grille between the pop-up headlights identified the car, while inside the cabin the Citroën-derived dashboard was replaced by a design drawn from the V8 Bora following production efficiencies.

Some minor chassis revisions further improved the car, which could now reach speeds in excess of 240 km/h. The SS remained the most powerful version of the Merak, although a development prototype (designed with the American market in mind) was tested with a turbo-charged 3 liter engine. The project never reached production.

Maserati Merak 2000 GT (1977 to 1983)

In the years following the first oil crisis demand for large engined sports cars fell drastically. While Maserati already had a more economical alternative to the Bora, in the V6 Merak, new company chairman Alejandro De Tomaso felt a version equipped with a smaller engine was called for to reinvigorate sales. Italian legislation imposed a 39% rate of VAT tax on cars with engines larger than 2 liters, and so the Merak 2000 GT was born. The same strategy would later give rise to the Biturbo range.
Revving up to 7,000 rpm, the V6 developed a healthy 170 hp and the level of performance remained convincing with a top speed of 220 km/h, and fuel consumption of 9.2 liters per 100 km. The expensive hydraulic braking system was discontinued on all Meraks from 1980. Externally the 2000 GT maintained the black grille seen on the SS between the headlights and added a thick black fascia below the waistline. Only two colors were available: light metallic blue and gold. Overall, the Merak range spanned three model variations and lasted 12 years. 1830 cars were sold of which 200 were 2 liter cars, exclusive to the Italian market.

Merak Technical Specifications

Merak SS Technical Specifications

Merak 2000 GT Technical Specifications

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