Maserati Coupé and Spyder

Maserati Coupé and Spyder at a glance

The Coupé and Spyder preceded the GranTurismo and the GranCabrio. All models are listed in the Maserati catalogue.

History: from 3200 GT to 4200 GT

The new cars were a development of the 3200 GT, which had not been sold in the United States. The Spyder was unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in 2001, and the Coupé followed at the Detroit motor show in 2002. US sales began in March 2002 for the Spyder and in May for the Coupé, ending Maserati's eleven-year absence from North America. Forbes named the Spyder its Best GT of 2001.

The unofficial name "4200 GT" refers to the engine: displacement grew from 3.2 litres (3,217 cc) in the 3200 GT to 4.2 litres (4,244 cc). More importantly, the new V8 was naturally aspirated. For about twenty years, Maserati's engines had relied on twin turbochargers.

All cars were built at Maserati's historic Viale Ciro Menotti plant in Modena. A small facelift in late 2004 brought a larger grille, a new rear bumper and air outlet and the Saetta logo on the rear pillars.

Design by Giugiaro and Fumia

The body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, who had already shaped the Ghibli, Bora, Quattroporte III and 3200 GT. Enrico Fumia designed the interior, based largely on the 3200 GT's cabin as facelifted in 1999.

Customers could choose from 16 exterior colours, ten shades of leather and, for the Spyder, five colours for the soft top. The standard wheels were 18-inch; most buyers chose seven-spoke sport wheels after 2003, and these became standard by 2005. Options included xenon headlights, satellite navigation, a hands-free phone, cruise control, parking sensors and heated seats.

Two body styles, two wheelbases

The two body styles differ more than usual. The Coupé is a genuine four-seater, with room for two adults in the back, on a 2,660 mm wheelbase. The Spyder is a two-seater with a wheelbase 220 mm shorter, at 2,440 mm. Its soft top opens or closes in about 30 seconds, and from 2003 it had a glass rear window instead of a plastic one.

Engine and Cambiocorsa gearbox

The engine is the Ferrari-Maserati F136 R. It is a 90° V8 of 4,244 cc (bore 92 mm, stroke 80 mm) with four camshafts, four valves per cylinder, a compression ratio of 11.1:1 and dry-sump lubrication. It weighs 184 kg and produces 287 kW (390 PS) at 7,000 rpm and 450 Nm at 4,500 rpm.

Power goes to a gearbox mounted at the rear axle (transaxle), which gives a weight distribution of 48% front and 52% rear. Two transmissions were offered: a six-speed manual with a normal clutch pedal, sold as the GT, and the six-speed Cambiocorsa, an automated manual by Graziano with paddles behind the steering wheel. Cambiocorsa offers Normal, Sport, Auto and Low Grip modes; in Sport it changes gear in about a quarter of a second. Most buyers chose it: of the 13,423 cars, 11,409 had Cambiocorsa.

Chassis and safety

The suspension uses aluminium double wishbones front and rear with anti-roll bars. The Skyhook adaptive damping system uses six accelerometers and adjusts the dampers at least 40 times per second. Brembo four-piston calipers act on cross-drilled discs. From the 2004 model year the Maserati Stability Program (MSP) became standard. Front and side airbags and seat-belt pre-tensioners were fitted.

GranSport, Trofeo and special editions

GranSport (2004). Shown at the Geneva motor show in March 2004, the GranSport had a body and interior reworked by Frank Stephenson, 294 kW (400 PS) at 7,000 rpm and 452 Nm, a 10 mm lower ride height and a drag coefficient lowered by 0.02 to 0.33. It was sold only with Cambiocorsa and 19-inch "Trofeo" wheels. It reached 100 km/h in 4.85 seconds and 290 km/h.

GranSport Spyder (2005). Introduced at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2005, with 0–100 km/h in 4.95 seconds and 290 km/h.

Trofeo. A racing version for Maserati's one-make series from 2003, with 309 kW (420 PS) and 249 kg less weight.

Special editions. The Spyder 90th Anniversary of 2004 was built in 90 cars for North America and 90 for other markets. The GranSport MC Victory of 2006 (181 cars) was shown at Geneva, and Zagato built nine GS Zagato coupés, shown at Villa d'Este in 2007.

Legacy

The Coupé and Spyder brought Maserati back to the United States and ended its long reliance on turbocharged engines. For the brand's background, see our history of Maserati.

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