1973 Maserati Merak – Auction Car of the Week
July 9, 2023
The Merak was Maserati’s last true mid-engined sports car. Hard to believe isn’t it, but it’s the truth. That’s not to say the Giugiaro-designed ’70s junior GT car is a pure Italian thoroughbred, though because within its make up is more than a little Gallic charm. You see, back in ’68 Citroën had taken over control of Maserati with the intention of using its high performance know-how and engine technology to produce a Grand Tourer of its own, coupling its trick suspension with a zesty Maserati V6. The result of this amalgamation was the Citroën SM but the French didn’t stop there. They wanted a bona fide mid-engined, two-seater sports car, too and as with any discussion concerning the Maserati Merak, one must also make mention of the car that came before it. A car that provided not only the influence, but also a lot of the bodyshell and components as well– the Bora.
Released in 1971, the Maserati Bora was a bit of a beast. With either a 4.7 or 4.9-litre V8 power varied from just over 300 to a whopping 320-ish brake horsepower. Enough to propel the later, larger-engined cars to 60mph in around six seconds. Again, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign, a shape he would fettle for the Merak two years later, the Bora’s pointy, wedge-shaped aesthetic was very much en vogue at the time. But that’s enough about the Bora in an article focussing on the Maserati Merak.
Introduced to bolster Maserati’s sports car line-up and compete against rival cars like the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 and Lamborghini’s Urraco in the junior sports car market, the Merak (named after a star don’t you know) borrowed a lot of what made the Bora such a good car. Retaining its big brother’s practicality – and even expanding upon it due to its use of the smaller V6 from the SM mentioned above (albeit a tuned version) – it was a popular choice for those who craved a little more room from their sporty numbers. The car’s mid-engine layout and lightweight body made for an incredibly well-handling package and the Merak was praised for its roadholding, practicality and affordable price tag. It was almost half the price of the Bora, not to mention cheaper to run.
Despite having two less cylinders than its predecessor, the Merak was still capable of 150mph flat out a 0-60 dash of around 7.5 seconds. Combine that with the ability to chuck your two kids in the back (or an extra few bits of luggage), as well as the comfort offered by Citroën’s hydropneumatic suspension and the Merak made a lot of sense to a lot of people. Production of the Merak lasted until 1983 with a little over 1,800 cars being produced, which makes it a bit of rarity these days.
With only 630 left-hand drive models hitting the streets, this early Maserati Merak is in wonderful overall condition. And those French touches are mentioned earlier are clearly evident. From the hydraulically assisted and operated brakes and pop-up headlights, to the SM’s dashboad with its oval instrument gauges, these early cars are more charming than later models whereby these characterful touches were replaced with more conventional items following Citroën’s departure. The original interior (aside from the steering wheel) has been incredibly well-preserved and although the blue velour upholstery may divide opinion, we love it and it remains in great shape.
The car’s bodywork, with its impressive dark grey metallic paintwork, has also stood the test of time admirably and Giugiaro’s adapted Bora design – complete with that flat rear deck, distinctive flying buttresses and factory Campagnolo wheels– remains an alluring sight, very much evocative of the beautifully sleek sports car aesthetic that was so popular in the ’70s.
A highly original, low mileage example, this rare Maserati Merak survivor is reported to be mechanically sound and drives exactly as it should, having seen relatively light use whilst being regularly maintained. It’s a fantastic, practical Italian sports car that still has the uncanny ability to turn heads, whether it be the beautifully designed body or the sonorous V6 engine. We’d get bidding if we were you.
