Maserati Chubasco: The Forgotten Gandini-Designed Supercar of the ’90s

Ghosted Glory - Back in the 1990s, when the world was swept up in rapid change—from cassette tapes giving way to CDs, to the dawn of the digital age—automakers were also dreaming beyond the ordinary. The era was electric with ambition, and car manufacturers weren’t afraid to push the boundaries of design and engineering. Amid this climate of innovation, Maserati dared to introduce a concept car that, despite never making it to production, remains one of the brand’s boldest creations. Enter the Maserati Chubasco—a machine that looked like it had driven straight out of a science fiction story.

The Maserati Chubasco Prototipo was built to be the car of every enthusiast’s dreams and was shaped by a pure passion for fast cars using the most sophisticated technologies the early Nineties had to offer. (Picture from Carthrottle)

But before that, Maserati was no stranger to building cars that left a lasting mark on automotive history. Back in the 1950s, the brand earned global recognition on racing circuits, especially at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans. Legendary machines like the Maserati 450S, later evolved to the uniquely streamlined 450S Costin-Zagato Coupe not only brought the brand glory, but also helped define its reputation for combining raw performance with unmistakable Italian flair. Fast forward four decades, and that same spirit of innovation reemerged—this time not on the track, but in the form of a radical new concept designed to reimagine what a Maserati supercar could be. 

The Maserati Chubasco designed by Marcello Gandini and featured three front intakes to channel air under the door and out through the rear bodywork. (Picture from Carthrottle)

The Chubasco was born in a moment of transition. Since 1975, Maserati had been under the control of Alejandro de Tomaso, and by the early '90s—with government backing and shifting strategies—the company found itself trying to bridge the gap between its exotic heritage and a more commercially viable future. The Biturbo series had been an attempt to enter broader markets, particularly in North America, but what Maserati lacked at the time was a true flagship. And so, the Chubasco was envisioned to fill that void.  

The Maserati Chubasco Prototipo is very thick with the design and technology of the nineties so that it deserves to be one of the iconic cars of the era. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

Designed by the iconic Marcello Gandini, the Chubasco carried his signature elements—sharp angles, low-slung bodywork, and dramatic scissor doors. Its name, inspired by a fierce storm that lashes parts of Central and South America, hinted at the kind of performance Maserati had in mind. Built on a lightweight aluminum honeycomb central structure paired with a ribbed alloy subframe, it wasn’t just futuristic on the outside—its bones were just as advanced.

The Maserati Chubasco Prototipo featured an electric hardtop that slid over the engine and three front intakes that optimized cooling and aerodynamic flow. (Picture from: bg.Autodata24)

One of its standout features was an electric hardtop that slid backward over the engine, creating an open-air experience in a sleek and technical way. The car also featured three pronounced front intakes that funneled air under the chassis and out the rear—helping both to cool the engine and enhance aerodynamic downforce. Underneath, a flat floor and rear venturis worked in harmony to maximize ground effect. To finish off the aggressive styling, body-colored aero discs covered the five-spoke wheels, giving the car a clean yet futuristic look. 

Maserati Chubasco Prototipo is built on a chassis structure consisting of an aluminum honeycomb central backbone with a ribbed light alloy subframe to carry the suspension and engine. (Picture from: Carsot)

Power came from a reworked version of the 3.2-liter twin-turbocharged V8 used in the Maserati Shamal. With dual overhead cams, a dry sump system, and 32 valves, the engine was capable of delivering up to 430 bhp at 6,500 rpm. That energy was sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, aided by a double-plate clutch and a limited-slip differential—ensuring the Chubasco didn’t just look fast, but actually had the tools to back it up.

Access to the cabin came through signature scissor doors, and while detailed specs were never released, it was clear that this was no rebodied Biturbo. Maserati planned to build around 450 units, pricing it as a half-cost rival to the Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari Testarossa. It was bold, beautiful, and full of promise. 

The Maserati Chubasco Prototipo is a mid-engined sports coupe with an uprated version of the 3.2 liter 32-valve 90° V8 Shamal's engine coupled with the six-speed manual transmission system. (Picture from: SupercarNostalgia)

Unfortunately, that promise never materialized. Fiat, having just acquired a 50% stake in Maserati in early 1990, deemed the Chubasco too expensive to produce. The project was quietly canceled before it could reach the assembly line, leaving only a single prototype behind.

 

Still, the Chubasco’s influence didn’t completely vanish. Its chassis became the basis for the Maserati Barchetta—a lightweight race car introduced in 1992 for a single-make series—and later evolved into the De Tomaso Guarà. Today, the only Chubasco ever built resides at the Panini Museum near Modena, where it silently tells the story of what could have been.

In our opinion, based on its design and vivid red color, the Chubasco gives off a strong futuristic vibe that closely resembles the aesthetic of Shotaro Kaneda’s motorcycle from the classic 1988 Japanese anime film Akira. While the Chubasco is clearly a car and Kaneda’s machine is a motorcycle, their bold lines, low-slung stance, and forward-thinking style share a visual language that makes the resemblance hard to overlook—even if the two are entirely unrelated.

The replica of Kaneda's futuristic motorbike built by Masashi Teshima and adopted from the 1988 classic Japanese sci-fi anime film titled 'Akira'. (Picture from: JovelMusic)

The Maserati Chubasco was a dream captured in metal—a bold, beautiful risk that never reached the road, yet left behind an unmistakable footprint. It showed the world what happens when design dares to go beyond limits, even if only for a moment. And sometimes, that moment is all it takes to become unforgettable. Decades later, that same fearless spirit seems to echo once more—this time in the form of the Maserati MC20, proving that bold ideas never truly disappear. They simply wait for the right time to rise again.  *** [EKA [01022021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARTHROTTLE | SUPERCARNOSTALGIA | CARSOT | WIKIPEDIA ]

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