The car to relaunch the brand, the 3200GT
was designed as a high-performance sports-tourer, with a combination of
luxury and comfort on the one hand and performance on the other. The former
is provided by the four-seat, richly trimmed and lavishly equipped cockpit
as well as the adaptive suspension, whilst the latter is provided by the
twin turbocharged 3.2-litre V8 engine with 370bhp. Double wishbone suspension
and ventilated discs with four-piston callipers all round serve both purposes.
The 3200GT is fitted with either a 6-speed manual transmission of a 4-speed
automatic (with switchable 'Sport' and 'Normal' modes)
As with most such cars of that generation,
the 3200GT bristles with electronic equipment, including traction control,
ABS, EBD, electronically controlled suspension, fly-by-wire throttle, etc.
The body is a steel monocoque whilst tubular subframes front and rear carry
the engine and suspension and differential and suspension respectively.
The front frame is fixed rigidly to the body, whilst the rear one is attached
via flexible mountings.
Despite the visual similarities, the Spyder was really a new car, and 2002 saw the coupé version, simply known as the Maserati Coupé, being released.
Significantly, this was done at the Detroit Motorshow, signalling the return of Maserati to the US market after a 12 year absence.
With the same mechanical components as the Spyder, including the rear mounted transaxle and 4.2-litre V8 engine, it is most easily recogniseable due to its
Spyder-like rear lights - a more conventional design after the 3200GT's rather radical solution - and the deletion of the bonnet vents which adorned the earlier 3200GT.
At the Geneva Motorshow 2001 Maserati showed
the 320S Barchetta race car based on the 3200GT - see our Maserati
page for pictures. Designed for a single-make race series it uses the
standard coupe engine in a much lightened single-seat body with various
improvements such as the brakes.
CarsfromItaly was at the Frankfurt Motorshow, see
our Maserati page for pictures of the launch of the Spyder.
This
was the first Fiat/Ferrari car after their takeover of Maserati, a two-door
coupe launched at the Paris Motorshow in 1998. Using an all new chassis
and body (the latter designed by Giugiaro) it was powered by a 'new' engine,
really an evolution (albeit with many significant changes) of existing designs.
At the 2001 Frankfurt Motorshow Maserati revealed the new Spyder. Despite a design based heavily on the 3200GT Coupé, the car is
really a new vehicle.
The chassis features a 220mm shorter wheelbase with strengthening to compensate for
the loss of the roof whilst the engine is a completely new unit, developed and built by Ferrari at Maranello. It is a naturally aspirated
4244cc V8 engine with four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing on the
inlet valves and produces 390bhp @ 7,000rpm. The transmission has migrated to the rear, forming a single unit with the
differential. A conventional six-speed manual box and a F1-style unit with steering wheel paddles and hydraulic actuators
are offered. See also the news page.
This version then disappeared from view and in 2002 Maserati revealed a new racing-version of the new Coupé for a one-make series, see our news page.
There are also numerous images of the Coupé, Spyder and Trofeo on our 2003 Geneva Motorshow Maserati page.
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Technical Details (data for 3200GT except where specified)
| Engine | 3217cc turbocharged V8 quad cam 32V with 370bhp @ 6,250rpm
Spyder & Coupé : 4244cc V8 quad cam 32V with 390bhp |
| Suspension | front
: independent with double wishbones and coil springs
rear : independent with double wishbones and coil springs wheelbase : 2660mm track (front/rear) : 1525mm/1538mm wheels (front/rear) : 8x18/9.5x18 tyres (front/rear) : 235/40 ZR18 / 265/35 ZR18 |
| Brakes | front : ventilated discs (diameter 330mm) with Brembo 4-pot callipers
rear : ventilated discs (diameter 320mm) with Brembo 4-pot callipers ABS and EBD |
| Steering | Rack and pinion with power assistance |
| Transmission | 6 speed manual (4 speed automatic available as option) |
| Kerb weight | 1590kg (automatic : 1615kg) |
Click here for a cutaway drawing of the 3200GT
There is also a list of all our picture galleries (including museums,
motorshows and various events).
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