The design of the new Coupé reflected the same 'soft aggressiveness' already established by the 3200 GT.
The two cars were broadly similar in appearance, sharing many design cues, but the changes introduced by Italdesign-Giugiaro were clearly evident in certain features of the new model, particularly the more muscular design of the bonnet and the rear end, where new clear lens light clusters replaced the previous 'boomerang-styled' lights.
The Maserati identity was conveyed by numerous detail design features, first and foremost the new front nose, which sported the historic oval shield as well as the famous trident on the grille. The Coupé sat on 18" wheels with a 15-spoke design.
The body was a two-door, four-seater configuration. The engine mounted longitudinally at the front, with rear-wheel drive and a Transaxle transmission. The steel monocoque chassis incorporating a tubular sub-chassis in the front.
The engine of the Coupé was completely new and the same as that fitted to the Maserati Spyder launched in 2001.
The 4244 cc, 90° V8 engine was compact and lightweight, weighing just 184 kg which was 20 kg lighter than the 3200 GT Coupé unit. It shared the same architecture as modern competition engines, and heralded a new generation of Maserati engines which were designed to combine superb performance with noteworthy improvements in torque, efficiency and emissions.
Performance figures were outstanding. Maximum power output is 390 bhp (287 kW) at 7,000 rpm, with a peak torque of 451 Nm at 4,500 rpm, giving a top speed of 177 mph (285 km/h), complemented by superb acceleration figures; 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) acceleration time of just 4.9 seconds. The new Coupé accelerated from 0-400 metres in 13 seconds and 0-1000 metres in 23.5 seconds.
The integrated Bosch ME7.3.2 ignition and injection systems incorporatd OBD II (On-Board Detection and Diagnostic System), which allowed operating malfunctions in the engine control system to be detected, to guarantee compliance with emissions limits. The accelerator was an electronic 'drive-by-wire', while the ECUs communicated with the other systems by CAN line (Controlled Area Network) to optimise engine management.
The Maserati Coupé was equipped with a newly designed longitudinal mechanical Maserati gearbox, with six forward speeds plus reverse, triple cone synchronisers on 1st and 2nd, and double cone on 3rd and 4th.
Another important innovation of the new transmission design was the electronically-operated gearbox control with computerised gear selection on the Cambiocorsa version. This new gearbox management system brought racing technology to the Coupé driving experience, improving performance and offering the comfort and safety of an advanced automatic transmission. With the Cambiocorsa, gear selection and clutch engagement-disengagement were managed automatically by the electronic control unit incorporated in the engine management system. |
