Maserati Merak: The Overlooked Mid-Engined Italian Sports Car of the 1970s

Forgotten Brilliance - Have you ever found yourself captivated by the forgotten stars of the automotive world—those rare, beautifully crafted machines that once burned brightly but slowly faded from the spotlight? In a time when names like Ferrari and Lamborghini seemed to dominate every garage poster and collector's dream, one striking Italian sports car quietly carved its own story in the shadows. It had the soul of a supercar, the elegance of Italian design, and the quirks that make classic cars truly fascinating. Meet the Maserati Merak—an often-overlooked masterpiece of the 1970s.

The Maserati Merak sports car is produced ranging from 1972 to 1983. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

Built between 1972 and 1983, the Maserati Merak was Maserati’s answer to the mid-engined sports car craze that gripped Europe. It entered the arena alongside rivals like the Lamborghini Urraco and the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4. Its name derived from a celestial body in the Ursa Major constellation—giving the car an identity that’s a little cosmic, a little mysterious, and entirely fitting for a machine this unique.

The Maserati Merak sports car is uses a dashboard and part of the interior that was adopted from Citroën SM, on models produced before 1976. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

The Merak wasn’t just a scaled-down version of something bigger—it was Maserati’s attempt to make a sophisticated, balanced, and more accessible sports car. Designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, it wore the classic wedge shape that defined the era. Sleek, sharp body lines made it stand out, while pop-up headlights added a playful yet purposeful touch. It shared its shell with its V8 sibling, the Maserati Bora, but subtle differences—like the louvered rear pillars and partially open rear deck—gave the Merak a distinct personality.

 

Where the Merak diverged most from the Bora was under the hood. Instead of a thirsty V8, it housed a 3.0-liter V6, borrowed from the Citroën SM—a sign of Maserati’s brief period under Citroën ownership from 1968 to 1975. Producing around 190 bhp, the V6 made the Merak slightly less intimidating but more refined and manageable. There was also a rarer 2.0-liter version, known as the Merak 2000GT, which produced 168 bhp. Though smaller in displacement, it made the Merak more accessible in markets where taxation was based on engine size.

The Maserati Merak sports car is uses a 3.0 L V6 engine capable of spewing up to 192 PS (142 KW; 190 bhp) of power. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

This clever use of a V6 didn’t just lower production costs—it also brought practical benefits. By taking up less space than the V8, the engine allowed Maserati to squeeze in a pair of rear seats, giving the Merak a surprising touch of usability for a mid-engined sports car. Though calling them full-sized seats might be a stretch, they made the Merak more versatile than many of its contemporaries. 

 

Inside, the early Merak models bore the influence of Citroën even further, using SM-sourced dashboards and quirky interior details. This blend of Italian flair with French oddity gave the Merak a charm all its own. And with a lighter body and better weight distribution than the Bora, its handling felt more agile, more responsive—ideal for winding mountain roads or spirited weekend drives.

The Maserati Merak sports car has more balanced front-rear weight distribution than the Bora. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

Sadly, despite its elegance and thoughtful engineering, the Merak never earned the same reverence as its flashier siblings. Perhaps the V6 was seen as too modest for purists, or maybe its relatively high production numbers—around 1,830 units over 11 years—made it feel less exclusive in collector circles. Today, it's still somewhat of a hidden gem in the classic car world. With values hovering around €50,000 for a well-preserved example, it remains one of the more attainable Italian classics of its time.

But that’s exactly what makes the Maserati Merak so compelling. It’s not just a car—it’s a story of innovation, compromise, and beauty that defies the spotlight. It’s a sports car that didn’t need to roar to be heard, and for those who discover it, the experience feels all the more special. The Merak may be forgotten by some, but for those who know, it remains one of the coolest secrets ever to wear the Trident badge. *** [EKA [07122020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MASERATI ]

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