1978 Maserati Khamsin

The Maserati Khamsin was introduced in 1972 at the Turin Show and was named after an Egyptian desert wind. It was the company's first major introduction while under Citroen's control. Power was from a 4.9-liter four cam alloy dry sump V8 engine with 320 horsepower and 352 ft/lbs of torque. It had a front mid-engine placement with perfect weight distribution. It had unitary construction and fitted with an all-steel 2+2 hatchback body. It was given state-of-the-art, all-independent, double-wishbone suspension similar to that of the mid-engined Bora and Merak. The Khamsin was the first production model designed by Bertone with the hand of Marcello Gandini. It used design inspiration from the Lamborghini Urraco along with the vertical glass back end penned on the Lamborghini Espada. Performance was impressive and its driving characteristics were enjoyable, thanks in part to Citroen's hydraulically assisted steering, brakes and clutch.

By virtue of the front-engined layout, the Khamsin allowed greater practicality than the mid-engined Bora. The result was a roomier and more comfortable interior, and superior luggage carrying capacity.

In 1977, the Khamsin received a minor facelift that included the addition of three small vents to the bonnet which helped improved cooling. Just 430 Khamsins were produced, 140 of them received the three-speed Borg Warner automatic transmission.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2017