1991 Maserati Shamal

The Italian automaker Maserati introduced a two-door coupe named the Maserati Shamal on December 16th of 1989. The car was named after a wind' Shamal, which is a hot summer wind that blows in large areas of Mesopotamia. The car wore styling by Marcello Gandini, had 2+2 seating, and remained in production through 1996. Total production reached 369 units. Power was from a twin-turbocharged V8 that had two IHI turbines and intercoolers and produced 320 horsepower. The AM 479 engine had a 3,217cc displacement, two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank, and four valves per cylinder. They had a Getrag 6-speed manual gearbox (the same transmission used in the 850CSi), a Maserati Ranger limited-slip differential, and Maserati's Electronic Active Suspension Control system, which was developed in conjunction with Koni.

Maserati's styling department collaborated with Marcello Gandini on the design, and since financial resources were limited, were not able to develop an entirely new car. To cut costs, styling cues were borrowed from the Maserati BiTurbo, with similar doors, interior, and basic bodyshell. The name 'Shamal' appears on both sides of the central pillar in chrome lettering. It rides on 16-inch alloy wheels, has a small rear spoiler, and a blacked-out grille with chrome accents. In the front are six headlamps in individual housings. The spoiler in front of the windshield was the work of Gandin and introduced on the Shamal, also applied to his redesigned DeTomaso Pantera, and later integrated onto the Maserati Biturbo.

Exterior colors were initially limited to just red or black. Later in the production run, other colors became available from the factory.

The Maserati Shamal was built as a luxurious, two-door coupe that served as Maserati's flagship grand tourer.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2014