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The Maserati Merak ( Tipo AM122) is a mid-engined 2+2 sports car produced by Maserati between 1972 and 1983. The Merak was closely related to the Maserati Bora, sharing part of its structure and body panels, but was powered by a 3.0 L V6 in place of the latter's 4.7 L V8. The extra cabin space gained by fitting a smaller and more compact powertrain was used to carve out a second row of seats—suitable for children or very small adults—making the Merak not just a less expensive alternative to the Bora but also a 2+2.
Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign was commissioned to transform the Bora into the Merak. Unlike its bigger sister the Merak doesn't have a full glass fastback, but rather a cabin ending abruptly with a vertical rear window and a flat, horizontal engine cover pierced by four series of ventilation slats. Giugiaro completed the vehicle's silhouette by adding open flying buttresses, visually extending the roofline to the tail.
The main competitors of the Merak were the similarly Italian, mid-engine, 3-litre and 2+2 Dino 308 GT4 and Lamborghini Urraco. However unlike its transverse V8-engined rivals the Merak used a more compact V6, that could therefore be mounted longitudinally.
Having been designed during the Citroën ownership of Maserati (1968–1975) certain Citroën hydropneumatic systems were used in the Merak and the early Merak SS. In these cars the braking system was hydraulically assisted and operated, and the pop-up headlights hydraulically actuated. The clutches on these cars used the same hydropneumatic system as the brakes, but only some cars included servo assistance on the clutch. After 1976, when the French manufacturer gave up control of Maserati, the Citroën-derived parts were gradually replaced by more conventional systems.
When Alejandro de Tomaso purchased Maserati in 1977, the Bora was discontinued after a production run of less than 600 cars, while the Merak remained on sale for six more years.
Wheels were cast light alloy Campagnolo 7½J x 15", fitted with Michelin XWX tyres measuring 185/70 at the front and 205/70 at the rear. The compact spare tyre was stored in the engine compartment, above the transmission. On most US delivered models, the spare tyre was full size, requiring a modification to the engine cover (the humpback) and lowering the muffler.
The Merak's V6 engine descended from the 2.7 L Tipo C.114 originally designed by Giulio Alfieri in 1967 for use in the Citroën SM, that was bored out to 91.6 mm (piston stroke remained 75 mm) to displace . It was a chain-driven double overhead camshaft, 12-valve unit featuring an unusual 90-degree angle between the as it was a version of Maserati's V8 engine with one pair of cylinders removed. The lubrication system used a wet sump and an oil cooler.
The powerplant was mounted longitudinally behind the passenger compartment, and joined through a single-plate dry clutch to a 5-speed, all synchromesh Citroën transaxle gearbox and a standard open differential.
Early left hand drive Meraks (1972 to 1975) were fitted with the same dashboard as the Citroën SM, characterized by oval instrument gauges inset in a brushed metal fascia and a single-spoke steering wheel. 630 cars were made in this configuration up to 1974. Right hand drive Meraks from this period were fitted with the same dashboard as the Bora with a three-spoke steering wheel.
The Merak 2000 GT featured a engine rated at at 7,000 rpm and at 4,000 rpm, obtained by de-stroking and de-boring the V6 to .
Colour choice was limited to two shades: metallic light blue or gold. The two-litre cars were also distinguished by a black tape stripe running just below the mid-body character line, matte black bumpers in place of the usual chrome and the absence of the front spoiler, available as an option. The SS's front bonnet with the grille between the headlights was used on 2000 GTs. When production ended in 1983 just 200 of the 2-litre engined cars had been made.
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