The Merak gives an air of confidence and power, which is quintessentially Italian. But if you like the looks, why not get the power and buy a Bora instead?
In the world of auto design, the Italians are the acknowledged masters, and Giorgetto Giugiaro will always be at the top of the list. In 1968, Giugiaro established Italdesign and by 1972, when he designed the Maserati Bora and the Merak, he was recognized internationally. The lines of the Merak are among his most pleasing. It is beautiful from every angle and photogenic to a fault.
In 1975, Alessandro DeTomaso purchased Maserati from Citroën. The Merak reached its zenith in the form of the SS, with improvements including the replacement of the hydraulics from the Citroën SM with conventional coil-over shocks and A-frames. The transmission was a reliable ZF unit used on the much more powerful and heavier Bora.
Improvements were made to the ergonomics, and the elimination of the SM hydraulic suspension and tweaks to the frame design resulted in a weight reduction of over 300 pounds. With its larger 220-hp, 3-liter engine, the SS had a top speed of over 140 mph and reasonable fuel consumption in an ever-more fuel-conscious world. It fulfilled its promise as a reasonably priced supercar that could be driven with confidence.
The 1977 Merak SS offered here is perhaps one of the finest. It has had only two owners, both in Texas, and has no previous rust or collision damage. It has always been garaged and has traveled fewer than 25,000 miles from new. It is fitted with factory air conditioning. This car has its original interior featuring tobacco leather. Other than a bare-metal respray to concours standards in the original Bright White and cosmetics such as wheel refinishing, engine tune, new factory exhaust, and comprehensive detailing, this fabulous car is true to form and entirely unaltered.
The Merak SS has recently begun to come into its own in the eyes of collectors. For someone looking to add a rapidly appreciating, later-generation, performance-minded Maserati to his collection, this Merak SS offers a tremendous opportunity to achieve that dream.