Descrizione
Maserati surprised the motor racing fraternity when it launched a topless mid-engined sports racer on 14 December 1991 - over 35 years after its Tipo 65.
The Barchetta was earmarked for the single-make Grantrofeo Barchetta championship.
Six races took place on Italian tracks in 1992 and 10 during 1993, two of which on foreign circuits.
A very few cars were later equipped with headlights.
The Barchetta featured a central backbone chassis with integral fuel tank inspired by the Chubasco supercar concept announced in December 1990. But the reality is that the concerpt was imagined by De Tomaso in 1965 with the Sport Barchetta 2000 powered by a flat 8 2000cc engine.
Additional sub-frames carried the front suspension and the drivetrain and rear suspension. The suspension itself was race-inspired, with pushrods and pullrods operating inboard-mounted dampers and springs.
Just 19 Maserati Barchettas were assembled at De Tomaso Automobili on the outskirts of Modena.
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