ant
1261
I Used To Have One
May 08, 2021,09:25 AM
Looking back, it is the only car that I really regret selling.
I've heard about Maserati's alleged problems ad nauseum. My experience having owned from that period: 430, 2 X Ghibli and a Shamal is that they were not nearly as bad as the press dronings suggested.
Yeah, they had small problems, but what can you expect from a tiny enthusiast brand? My dealer at the time, Meriden Modena fixed them all with good humour and a shrug-n-smile.
In my opinion the later Ghiblis were masterpieces. A weird aesthetic,, marching to their own design tune . The later Biturbo V6s were great engines, with their huge power and torque, unusual gruff voice and distinctive start up sound.
In about 2010 I recall being in a Hong Kong car park and hearing someone start theirs, all those memories flooded back. What a car!
My Shamal was brilliant black/black interior (no pics I'm afraid!), the engine wasn't as charismatic as the Ghibli's but what a car. Sooo fast, that turbo rush, it was like surfing the power. The Nouveau Brutal looks were beautifully contrarian, apart from the Alfa Monstro, was there ever such a car?
BTW, it was also a potential widow maker, in the wet or dry that back end could be rather excitable! Great un-PC fun.
Regards
Antony