>>Maserati 3200 GT

Maserati 3200 GT

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Maserati 3200 GT
Overview
Manufacturer	Maserati
Production	1998–2002
Assembly	Modena, Italy
Designer	Giorgetto Giugiaro ItalDesign Enrico Fumia (interior)
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer (S)
Body style	2-door, 4 seat coupé
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	3.2 L AM 585 V8 (twin-turbocharged petrol)
Transmission	6-speed manual 4-speed M72LE automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,660 mm (104.7 in)
Length	4,510 mm (177.6 in)
Width	1,822 mm (71.7 in)
Height	1,305 mm (51.4 in) 1,290 mm (50.8 in) (Assetto Corsa)
Kerb weight	1,590–1,620 kg (3,505–3,571 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Maserati Shamal Maserati Ghibli
Successor	Maserati Coupé

The Maserati 3200 GT (Tipo 338) is a four-seater grand tourer produced by Maserati from 1998 to 2002. The luxury coupé was styled by Italdesign, whose founder and head Giorgetto Giugiaro previously designed, among others, the Ghibli, Bora and Merak. Interiors design was commissioned to Enrico Fumia and completed by 1995. 4,795 cars were produced.

History

Introduction

The 3200 GT was announced in July 1998, presented to the press in September by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, with the participation of veteran Maserati racing driver Sir Stirling Moss and Giorgetto Giugiaro, and finally made its public debut at the October 1998 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris.

Its name honoured the Maserati 3500 GT, the Trident's first series production grand tourer. Sold mainly in Europe, the 3200 GT was powered by the twin-turbo, 32-valve, dual overhead cam 3.2-litre V8 engine featured in the Quattroporte Evoluzione, set up to develop 370 PS (272 kW; 365 hp) against the Quattroporte's 335 PS and achieved 116 PS (85 kW; 114 hp) per litre. This manual transmission version was produced until 2001. The tail-lights consisted of LEDs arranged in the shape of boomerang. The outer layer of the 'boomerang' provided the brake light, with the inner layer providing the directional indicator. This was the world's first car with LED taillights. Deliveries started in March 1999.In total 2,689 GT cars were produced.

3200 GT Automatica

In 1999 an automatic version of the 3200 GT became available, either referred to as 3200 GT Automatica or 3200 GTA. Introduced at the March 1999 Geneva Motor Show, it was equipped with a 4-speed conventional torque converter automatic transmission supplied by Australian firm BTR. Engine output remained unchanged, though the engine was set up specifically for the automatic; according to Maserati, the weight increase over the manual gearbox was limited to 30 kg (66.1 lb), for a 1,620 kg (3,571.5 lb) kerb weight. In Italy the Automatica commanded a 7 million Lire premium over the 3200 GT's 149.5 million Lire list price.This version was produced until 2002. In June 1999 the 1,000th 3200 GT left the factory.In total 2,106 GTA cars were produced.

3200 GT Assetto Corsa

Presented to the public at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, the 3200 GT Assetto Corsa was a limited edition, run-out version of the 3200 with a special handling package. Limited to 259 units, 3 of which were special orders, it was available in three standard colours: Grigio Touring, Nero Carbonio and Rosso Mondiale; and available with manual or automatic transmission. The Assetto Corsa was lowered by 15 mm, had larger front anti-roll bar, stiffer springs, soft compound Pirelli PZero Corsa tyres on dark grey or silver painted BBS alloy wheels, and specific brake ventilation ducts.The interior featured black perforated Connolly leather seats with red stitching and 'Assetto Corsa' script on the sill kick panels. Both kerb weight and performance were unchanged from their regular counterparts. Production was divided between 163 manual and 96 automatic cars.

The car was replaced in early 2002 by the similarly styled, but mechanically wholly new Maserati Coupé, when Maserati returned to the US market.

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• Specifications

The 3200 GT coupé body seated four and had a drag coefficient of Cd=0.34.^[The steel unibody structure was complemented by a front tubular subframe supporting the drivetrain and a rear subframe supporting the suspension links and the differential. Suspension was of the double wishbone type all around, with forged aluminium control arms and uprights, coaxial aluminium-bodied dampers and coil springs, and two anti-roll bars. The gearbox was in line with the front-mounted engine, and transmitted power to the rear limited slip differential via a two-piece aluminium driveshaft. Brembo supplied the braking system, consisting of vented and cross-drilled disks with four-pot callipers on all four wheels. Active safety systems included four channel anti-lock braking system and Bosch ASR traction control system.

Engines and performance

The all-aluminium V8 engine was square (bore and stroke 80 mm or 3.1 in), had two overhead camshafts per bank operating four valves per cylinder, two crossflow turbochargers, and a crossplane crankshaft; it featured "drive by wire" electronic throttle control. Engine itself weight is 221 kg (487 lb).

Model	Years	Displacement	Peak power	Peak torque	Top speed	Accel. 0–100 km/h
3200 GT[10]	1998–2001	3,217 cc (196.3 cu in)	370 PS (272 kW; 365 hp)* at 6250 rpm	491 N⋅m (362 lb⋅ft) at 4500 rpm	280 km/h (174 mph)	5.12 s
3200 GTA[5]	1999–2002				270 km/h (168 mph)	5.7 s

*some sources state 271 kW (368 PS)

Maserati 320S

Maserati 320S

The Maserati 320S is a concept racing barchetta designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and based on the 3200 GT. It was first shown at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show. A true barchetta, the 320S was a single-seater fully outfitted for competition with six-point belts, an exposed roll bar behind the driver, fire extinguishing system and racing seat supplied by Sparco; weather protection was limited to a small aeroscreen in front of the driver. Compared to the 3200 GT, the 320S's wheelbase was shortened by 22 cm (8.7 in), while the engine remained the 370 PS twin-turbo V8 with 6-speed gearbox. 320s

Bodywork of the 320S features modifications to the aerodynamic shaping of the spoiler on the rear bumper, which features a supplementary nolder to increase the vertical load to the rear.

>>Maserati 3500 GT

Maserati 3500 GT

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Maserati 3500 GT
Overview
Manufacturer	Maserati
Production	1957–1964
Designer	Carrozzeria Touring (coupé) Giovanni Michelotti at Vignale(spyder)
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer
Body style	2+2 coupé 2-seat spyder
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related	Maserati Sebring
Powertrain
Engine	3.5 L Tipo 101 I6
Transmission	4-speed ZF S4-17 manual 5-speed ZF S5-17 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,600 mm (102.4 in) (coupé) 2,500 mm (98.4 in) (spyder)
Length	4,780 mm (188.2 in) (coupé) 4,450 mm (175.2 in) (spyder)
Width	1,760 mm (69.3 in) (coupé) 1,635 mm (64.4 in) (spyder)
Kerb weight	1,440 kg (3,175 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Maserati A6
Successor	Maserati Sebring

The Maserati 3500 GT (Tipo 101) and the Maserati 3500 GT Convertibile (Tipo 101/C) are 2-door coupé and convertible grand tourers made by Italian car manufacturer Maserati between 1957 and 1964. It was a seminal vehicle for Maserati as the company's first successful attempt at the Gran Turismo market and series production.

History

Background

In the early 1950s Maserati had achieved racing success and international visibility, thanks to cars such as the A6GCM; its 2-litre, twin cam inline-six engine had already been enlarged to three litre capacity on the Maserati 300S. Chief engineer Giulio Alfieri felt the next step was to design an all-new 3.5-litre engine; the resulting long-stroke six, designed foremost for endurance racing on the Maserati 350S, was ready in 1955. In the meantime Maserati's first forays into the grand tourer market, the 1947 A6 1500, 1951 A6G 2000 and 1954 A6G/54, had proven that the business was feasible; but the A6 road cars were still built in just a dozen examples a year—hardly series production. A different approach was needed to build fully accomplished grand tourers.

Development

The main development efforts that led to the 3500 GT were carried out in 1956–57, despite the frantic activity required by Maserati's participation in the Formula 1 world championship.Alfieri modified the 350S's engine to suit a touring car, e.g. by switching to a wet sump oil system and changing the engine accessories. He also made several business trips to the United Kingdom in order to contact components suppliers. None were found in Italy, as Italian taxation system and the industry structure forced manufacturers to design every part in-house; a daunting task for small companies like Maserati.Thus the 3500 GT alongside Italian Weber carburettors and Marelli ignition, used many British-made components such as a Salisbury rear axle, Girling brakes and Alford & Alder suspension parts.

Next came the bodywork. According to Carrozzeria Touring's Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni it was Commendatore Franco Cornacchia, a prominent Ferrari dealer, that put in contact Maserati owner Omar Orsi with the Milanese Carrozzeria. The first 3500 GT Touring prototype had a 2+2 body, with superleggera construction and was white in colour; it was nicknamed Dama Bianca (White Lady). Two 3500 GT prototypes were shown at the March 1957 Salon International de l'Auto in Geneva. Both had a 2,600 mm (102.4 in) wheelbase and aluminium bodywork; they were Touring's Dama Bianca, and another one by Carrozzeria Allemano. Touring's proposal was chosen for series production; few changes were made to it, chiefly a more imposing grille.

Into production

Production of the 3500 GT started in late 1957; eighteen cars were built that year, the first handful leaving the factory before Christmas.All 3500 GTs had leather interior and Jaeger instruments. A first Touring convertible prototype was shown at the 1958 Turin Motor Show. But it was a proposal by Carrozzeria Vignale (designed by Michelotti) shown at the 1959 Salon de l'Auto in Paris that went into production as 3500 GT Convertibile. The Convertibile did not feature Touring's Superleggera construction, but rather a steel body with aluminium bonnet, boot lid and optional hard top; it was also built on an 10 cm (3.9 in) shorter wheelbase, and weighed 1,380 kg (3,042 lb). Front disc brakes and limited slip differential became optional in 1959, and were standardized in 1960; rear discs became standard in 1962.

The 3500 GT Spyder by Carrozzeria Vignale

The 3500 GTi was introduced at the 1960 Salon International de l'Auto,and by the following year became the first fuel-injected Italian production car. It had a Lucas mechanical fuel injection, and developed 235 PS (173 kW; 232 bhp). The 5-speed gearbox which had been an available option since 1960 was made standard. The body had a lowered roofline and became somewhat longer; minor outward changes appeared as well (new grille, rear lights, vent windows). From 1961 convertible 3500s for export markets were named 3500 GT Spyder and GTi Spyder.

In 1959, the V8-engined Maserati 5000 GT was introduced using the chassis of the 3500 GT. Also based on the 3500 GT's mechanicals was the Maserati Sebring 2+2 coupé, which entered production in 1962.

In total 2,226 3500 GT coupés and convertibles were built between 1957 and 1964.The first year (1958) 119 cars were sold, while 1961 was the best-selling year, totalling 500. All together, 245 Vignale convertibles and nearly 2000 coupés were manufactured, of these, 1981 being Touring coupés, the rest were bodied by other coachbuilders: Carrozzeria Allemano (four coupés, including the 1957 prototype), Zagato (one coupe, 1957), Carrozzeria Boneschi (1962 Turin Motor Show and 1963 Geneva Motor Show ), Pietro Frua (two or three coupés, one spider) and Bertone (one coupé, 1959 Turin Motor Show). The last was a coupé by Moretti (1966 Geneva Motor Show).