The Maserati Merak, introduced in 1974, was essentially a junior version of the Maserati Bora. Designed during the Citroën era (1968-1975), the Merak featured a 3.0 L Maserati V6 (190 hp), also used in the Citroën SM.
The mid-engine Merak used the Bora bodyshell, but with the extra space offered by the smaller engine used to carve out a second row of seats, suitable for children or very small adults.
Other Citroën parts used for the Merak included the SM's dramatic dashboard and the hydraulic brake system. In 1977 these parts were supplanted by more conventional units.
In 1976 Maserati introduced the slightly more powerful Merak SS. Its engine produced 220 hp (164 kW) and weight was reduced by 336 lb to 3,086 lb (by 152 kg to 1,400 kg), resulting in a top speed of 152 mph (245 km/h).
In 1977 Maserati introduced another version of the Merak called Merak 2000, which featured a 2.0 L V6 with 170 hp (127 kW). This version was built for the Italian market where a newly introduced tax law penalized cars with an engine capacity of more than 2000 cc.
Aesthetically, the Merak differed from the otherwise identical Bora mainly in sporting glassless flying buttresses instead of the Bora's fully glassed rear.
The Maserati Merak went out of production in 1982.
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