Rare Version of Maserati’s Merak Awaits New Owner in Italy

Citroën’s seventies stewardship of Maserati was a mixed-bag. There was the Quattroporte II, of which only a handful were built, that suffered the indignity of FWD, the Khamsin’s abysmal USDM bumper treatment, and of course the added complexity of oleopneumatic systems adopted from the French make’s more mass-market offerings. Though prone to failure if mistreated, these systems endowed Maseratis of the period with light, easy steering, brakes, and Citroën’s totally unique and utterly fascinating self-centering steering—the latter absent from this week’s featured car, a Merak, but present in it’s beefier V8 brother, the Bora.

An Italian tax-break 2.0 liter version, this particular Merak comes with a 170 HP version of the more typical 3.0 liter car’s 190 HP V6, both based on the Citroën SM’s motor. Inside, it even shares many of the SM’s gauges, while early cars shared the entire dashboard. Located in Italy with only 29,000 miles from new, it’s said to be in spectacular, completely original condition. We love the silver on blue/tartan interior—it’s not the most tasteful combination we’ve ever seen, but its seventies-period kitsch fits the car well. Outside, Giugiaro’s master hand is most evident in the fact this car looks great from nearly any angle one could contort themselves to, and in its elegant flying buttress “C” pillars—a nice consolation prize for the lack of two cylinders and a stainless roof as featured on the Bora.

With four days left bidding this Merak currently sits at $14,000 with reserve not met. It’s difficult to speculate what it will ultimately sell (or not sell) for, as its ultra-fine condition and spec both exceedingly rare. We suspect it won’t be inexpensive.

If you’re after something sexy, original, and a bit different, this Merak could be the ticket.

Click here for more details on this car.