Maserati to unveil new Coupe at LA and Detroit Auto Shows

Dec 20, 2001 - Right on time, Maserati is introducing its Maserati Coupé. Forget the early supercharged 3200 GT, developed when Fiat was the absent owner and poor godfather of Maserati. Here comes the first Maserati Coupé.

One immediately notices the differences. They are subtle, but substantial. Starting from the front engine hood, showing more shape, with the surface wrapping around the new engine, through the rear lamps, now back to normality. As with the Maserati Spyder, they are simple and somewhat plain but at least they do not look as if imported from a Japanese or Korean car. Cantarella wanted the 3200 GT style but the Americans who are going to buy a Maserati as soon as it lands in the United States next month (January) simply hated them and, this time at least, they have got it right.

The new Maserati Coupé will be presented alongside the Spyder at the Los Angeles and Detroit Motor Show early in January and will go on sale in the US towards the end of that month.

Another distinguishing touch will be a new range of exterior colours, as the red of the unit being presented here, it may not be precisely the red Ferrari, but it is very close and by all means very sexy indeed.

More changes are to be found inside the cockpit, now offering 25 mm more headroom and height and 15 mm in length. Maserati claim its new coupe is capable of accommodating four adults in its cabin and take them in good comfort to a speed that could reach the 285 km/h mark. You will need unique road and traffic conditions for that performance but it should be a lot easier to test the engine and the Coupé in the zero to 100 km/h acceleration test. If you get that damn right you should be able to stop the watch in 4.9 seconds. This is not bad at all for a coupe that on the scale shows a kerb weight of some 1670 kg.

Here comes on stage the most substantial innovation of the Coupé, with respect to the 3200 GT. The new, naturally aspirated 4,244 cc V 8 engine. The 90-degree V8 delivers 481 Nm of torque and 287 kW of power at 7000 rpm. The powertrain includes a manual 6-speed gearbox, which is located at the rear forming a single unit with the self-limited differential.

In the 'Cambiocorsa' version of the Coupé the gearbox can be set to work in 'Full Automatic' mode or in 'Semi-Automatic' mode, that is with the F 1 transmission type paddle letting the driver switch gear, when he wants and faster than an average driver, with no need to operate the clutch. Cambiocorsa takes care of that. As with other Italian sports car, the paddles are located behind the steering wheel but, unlike some Italian sports car, the Maserati Coupé Cambiocorsa lets the driver set the electronic logic governing the gear shifting according to the selected setting. There are four options: standard, sporting, fully automatic and low traction. All the driver has to do is to touch a switch to make his selection.

The price of the new Maserati Coupé has not been announced. Delivery in Europe are also due to start early next year.

	Maserati to unveil new Coupe at LA and Detroit Auto Shows By Giancarlo Perini
	Click for larger images	Dec 20, 2001 - Right on time, Maserati is introducing its Maserati Coupé. Forget the early supercharged 3200 GT, developed when Fiat was the absent owner and poor godfather of Maserati. Here comes the first Maserati Coupé. One immediately notices the differences. They are subtle, but substantial. Starting from the front engine hood, showing more shape, with the surface wrapping around the new engine, through the rear lamps, now back to normality. As with the Maserati Spyder, they are simple and somewhat plain but at least they do not look as if imported from a Japanese or Korean car. Cantarella wanted the 3200 GT style but the Americans who are going to buy a Maserati as soon as it lands in the United States next month (January) simply hated them and, this time at least, they have got it right. The new Maserati Coupé will be presented alongside the Spyder at the Los Angeles and Detroit Motor Show early in January and will go on sale in the US towards the end of that month. Another distinguishing touch will be a new range of exterior colours, as the red of the unit being presented here, it may not be precisely the red Ferrari, but it is very close and by all means very sexy indeed. More changes are to be found inside the cockpit, now offering 25 mm more headroom and height and 15 mm in length. Maserati claim its new coupe is capable of accommodating four adults in its cabin and take them in good comfort to a speed that could reach the 285 km/h mark. You will need unique road and traffic conditions for that performance but it should be a lot easier to test the engine and the Coupé in the zero to 100 km/h acceleration test. If you get that damn right you should be able to stop the watch in 4.9 seconds. This is not bad at all for a coupe that on the scale shows a kerb weight of some 1670 kg. Here comes on stage the most substantial innovation of the Coupé, with respect to the 3200 GT. The new, naturally aspirated 4,244 cc V 8 engine. The 90-degree V8 delivers 481 Nm of torque and 287 kW of power at 7000 rpm. The powertrain includes a manual 6-speed gearbox, which is located at the rear forming a single unit with the self-limited differential. In the 'Cambiocorsa' version of the Coupé the gearbox can be set to work in 'Full Automatic' mode or in 'Semi-Automatic' mode, that is with the F 1 transmission type paddle letting the driver switch gear, when he wants and faster than an average driver, with no need to operate the clutch. Cambiocorsa takes care of that. As with other Italian sports car, the paddles are located behind the steering wheel but, unlike some Italian sports car, the Maserati Coupé Cambiocorsa lets the driver set the electronic logic governing the gear shifting according to the selected setting. There are four options: standard, sporting, fully automatic and low traction. All the driver has to do is to touch a switch to make his selection. The price of the new Maserati Coupé has not been announced. Delivery in Europe are also due to start early next year.