1977 Maserati Kyalami

History

In 1975, Alejandro de Tomaso took over the Italian manufacturer Maserati. The first new model developed under deTomaso's ownership was the Kyalami.

The Maserati Kyalami was designed by Pietro Frua and produced from 1977 through 1983. It was a 2+2 GT Coupe that was an evolution of DeTomaso's Longchamp notchback coupe from the early 1970s. The mechanical aspects of the Kyalami were virtually identical to the Longchamp. The Longchamp, itself, had been an evolution of the DeTomaso Deauville sedan and wore styling by Tom Tjaarda.

To give the Kyalami a Maserati feel and appearance, Frua updated the interior and added some classic Maserati components and elements such as the instrumentation and steering wheel. It had a steel unibody construction and a 102.4-inch wheelbase. In the front was a rectangular grille with center Maserati trident insignia, flanked by quad round headlights. A Maserati four-overhead camshaft 90-degree V8 was installed in-place of the American-sourced Ford V8 found in the Longchamp. The Kyalami was initially powered by a 4.2-liter engine offering 265 PS, which was later enlarged to 4.9-liters and 290 PS. Both engines were given either a ZF five-speed manual transmission or an optional three-speed Borg-Warner automatic.

The 1976 Geneva Motor Show served as the unveiling for the Kyalami. Total production reached as many as 210 examples.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2017