Maserati Shamal 1991

"... Hot, strong north-westerly summer wind from Mesopotamia blowing in complete freedom over large areas".

HISTORY :
The Maserati Shamal, a Shamal is a fierce desert gust that blows through Mesopotamia and flows into the Persian Gulf, was developed between 1989 and 1996. The car was designed by master designer Marcello Gandini, known for the Lamborghini Countach, the Bugatti EB110 and the Alfa Romeo Montreal. The profile of the rear wheel arch is a clear reference to the Countach. The car was already unique in its design. The very short coupé, powered by a powerful V8, was an eye-catcher from the start. The engine with a displacement of 3.2 litres was twin-turbocharged and produced 326 hp. This resulted in very good performance for the time: 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h are still impressive today. Besides the engine power, the Shamal was also very technologically advanced, as it was equipped with an adaptive suspension, with variable damping rates for each wheel.
Production ended in 1996, after only 369 examples of the model had been made. As a result of the very limited production quantity, the model is very rare on the collector market.

ABOUT THIS SPECIAL EXAMPLE :

- New delivered in Portugal

- One of 369 copies produced

- Painted in Red with "Pelle Nera" black Connolly leather interior

- Completely original condition

- One of the most aggressive and futuristic Gandini designs

- Perfect condition and ready to enjoy

MECHANICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

First up was the AM 479 engine: it was claimed to be all-new, although it took the existing biturbo engine architecture and grafted on a pair of cylinders. The result was a 3.2-litre DOHC four-valve twin-turbo engine with full alloy and Weber/Marelli electronic fuel injection. The two liquid-cooled turbochargers from Japanese manufacturer IHI are faster than a single turbo; this minimises low-end lag. Each turbo also has its own air-to-air intercooler to dissipate heat. The only other twin-turbo V8 production cars up to this point were two limited-edition Ferraris: the 1984 288 GTO and the 1987 F40.
The transmission is a Getrag 560G, the first six-speed gearbox in a production Maserati.
Nicknamed the Ranger, the differential requires no electronics to detect slippage and distribute torque between the rear wheels in any desired ratio. It consists of a series of central gears surrounded by six helical satellite gears. All the gears operate on a common axis to minimise component wear and increase durability.
The suspension appears to consist of MacPherson struts and a stabiliser at the front and trailing arms and coil springs at the rear. At least the new trailing arms here are tubular, and a stabiliser was provided at the rear. But the tried and tested parts were given an electronic, active, intelligent, driver-controlled dimension in a collaboration between Maserati and shock absorber giant Koni. The shock absorbers register with the electronic control unit and adjust to road conditions within 300 milliseconds. The driver can select one of four modes in the cabin, from comfort to race mode, and a system that keeps all four wheels on the road and ensures the lower wishbone and handlebar are always parallel. This interactive lever system, known as Mechanic Attiva, is designed to provide instant response with a minimum of effort. It also assists braking - helpful considering the Shamal has no ABS.

CHASSIS - BODY :
In addition to its mechanical wonders, the Shamal's aesthetics were futuristic and groundbreaking. The Shamal was designed by the Maserati Design Centre in collaboration with former Bertone stylist Marcello Gandini, a man with an enviable selection of the world's most desirable cars to his name.
The rear quarter-wheel openings bear Gandini's signature, aggressively angled in the shape of his 1970 Lancia Stratos concept, the original Lamborghini LP500 Countach (and Bravo concept from three years later), the 1976 Ferrari Rainbow concept, the 1988 Cizeta V16T and the turn-of-the-century De Tomaso/Qvale Mangusta. That this distinctive styling element appears here should come as no surprise.
Monocoque body with front and rear subframes Bodystyle: Two-door coupé Body: Front-engined, rear-wheel drive.

INTERIOR:
The Shamal's body design aggressively states its sporting heritage while the interior is consistent with the best of Maserati. Innovations include fully adjustable steering wheel with horn buttons inserted in the spokes. The cockpit offers superb comfort, thanks to the leather-upholstered anatomical designed seats special when travelling at high speed over winding roads. Standard equipment includes temperature control; analog clock (it's that clock again!); central door locking; electromagnetic control of the boot lid and inboard control for adjusting the dipped beam headlights.

MORE INFORMATION
For more information or an appointment, please call Jorge Faria or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please do not hesitate to contact us . Jorcar is located near Fatima in the centre of Portugal .