Maserati Quattroporte II 1976-1978
| Quattroporte II (AM123, 1974–1978) | |
|---|---|
Rear view of Quattroporte II
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| Overview | |
| Production | 1976-1978 |
| Assembly | Modena, Italy |
| Designer | Marcello Gandini at Bertone |
| Body and chassis | |
| Layout | Front Mid-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Related | Citroën SM |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3.0 L Tipo AM 114.56.30 V6 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
The second generation Quattroporte, named Maserati Quattroporte II (AM 123), made its world première at the October 1974 Paris Motor Show, followed by an appearance at the later Turin Motor Show.
As a result of Citroën's purchase of the Italian company, it was a much different car from its predecessor and its successors: built on an extended Citroën SM chassis, it featured front wheel drive and Citroën's hydropneumatic suspension and swivelling directional headlights. The car had Bertone bodywork, penned by Marcello Gandini. The 1973 oil crisis combined with the collapse of the Citroën/Maserati relationship, made Maserati unable to gain EEC approval for the car. Most of the cars built were sold in the Middle East and in Spain, where such type approval was not necessary.
The front-wheel drive layout and the modest V6 3.0-litre powerplant based on the Citroën SM engine did not attract customers. Its 210 PS (154 kW) at 5,500 rpm was barely enough to propel the 1,600 kg (3,527 lb) car to 200 km/h (124 mph).
In 1974, Citroën had Maserati develop a V8 engine. An SM was used to test this 260 PS (191 kW) engine - the adjustments needed were modest and transformed the SM into a sports car. The bankruptcy of Citroën and Maserati ended the V8's development in 1975.
Maserati made 13 Quattroporte IIs. While the prototype was built in 1974, the succeeding twelve cars were built to order between 1976 and 1978. The nearly stillborn Quattroporte II project was costly for the small company, and the firm reached four billion lire in debt by the end of 1978.