Maserati gets V6 Chrysler

marcos

marcos

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Andyk said:
So for some the 3200 was the last proper Maserati as it had a Maserati engine...
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Even the 3200s engine came from the block of the Ferrari V8 from the 328. If anything, the 4200s engine was used by Maserati first and Ferrari afterwards rather than the other way round ;)

Sometimes it works, you can produce bottom of the range cars with pikey engines and still have your 'halo' cars. As long as they look different, it can work!
 
Andyk

Andyk

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Didn't know that about thw 3200 engine....doesn't mention that in my hostory of the 3200 book.
 
conaero

conaero

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marcos said:
Even the 3200s engine came from the block of the Ferrari V8 from the 328. If anything, the 4200s engine was used by Maserati first and Ferrari afterwards rather than the other way round ;)

Sometimes it works, you can produce bottom of the range cars with pikey engines and still have your 'halo' cars. As long as they look different, it can work!
Click to expand...

Nor me I did not know that about the 3200 block. The 4200 lump origin has always been very blurred as to wether it's a Masetati engine or a Farrari engine, I have been told both from reliable sources. The version that makes most sence to me is that the 4.2 was designed by Maserati using Ferrari money during the takover and then trialed in the 4200. It was then upgraded by Ferrari once proven then deployed throughout Ferraris range. The engines are of course built at Ferrari, they even forge the blocks and heads in-house.

I am sure this bugs Ferrari and can see that this is probably the major factor of going down the Pentastar Chrysler route.....Ferrari are planning to end 4.2/4.7 production as they don't use it anymore, or is the Italia 458 still a 4.58 version of the 4.2 lump, I was under the impression that it was all new.....and Ferrari are unwilling to supply that engine to Maserati. Suppose in reality all marques have to do what Fiat chiefs say ultimately.
 
Malcolm H

Malcolm H

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Come come now!

Urban Myths have surrounded Maserati for years.

Maserati have been involed in all sorts of dodgy ownerships and partnerships over the years....it's in the DNA........

In the beginning.............In 1907 Carlo Maserati worked at Bianchi with the designer Giuseppe Merosi who in 1909 went to work for A.L.F.A..........Carlo was involved in the development of a 120 hp engine which was raced by Fiat.

Carlo died in 1910 his brother Alfieri emigrated to Buenos Aires where he built a car before returning to Italy in 1912........so arguably the first Maser is Argentinian! The story goes on and on and of course it is the late 40's and 50's that built the history and nostalgia with successful racing cars...............Followed in the 60's and 70's with beautiful road cars which were unsustainable as a business....

Then we had De Tomaso, Citroen, There was a dodgy Chrysler with a Maser engine which we all try to Forget!

The 3200 engine is a Maser engine (Sure a classic 90 degree V8 but high compression with twin turbos putting out 322/326 bhp at 6000 revs with 80 x 80mm bore and stroke giving 3217 displacement v/s the 328 naturally aspirated 83 x 73.6mm giving 270 bhp at 7000 revs, I don't believe there is a connection but if there is it s only the block casting!) It was first used in the Shamal from 1988 and then the end of the QP IV production from 1998....

The 4200 engine was designed by Maserati with Ferrari money after Ferrari pumped in Millions before the whole lot got a reshuffle.....it is built by Ferrari and shipped up the road in crates to Modena where they bench test everyone of them and even reject the odd one which irks Ferrari to say the list.......It is great to see the testing in the factory........

Rember that Maserati ran with a twin turbo V6 for years and years in the bi turbos..................ceratinly pushes the Ghibli along

Sadly the days of small niche manufaturers has ended and now the giants just use the names for Marketing........the Alfa 8c is just a rebadged GTS launched first to maximise image

Surely the 3200 was the last Maserati .....................the 4200 designed as an entry level Ferrari so as not to devalue the Ferrari brand and so on

But it is all a good discussion point...................... :)
 
marcos

marcos

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Malcolm H said:
The 3200 engine is a Maser engine (Sure a classic 90 degree V8 but high compression with twin turbos putting out 322/326 bhp at 6000 revs with 80 x 80mm bore and stroke giving 3217 displacement v/s the 328 naturally aspirated 83 x 73.6mm giving 270 bhp at 7000 revs, I don't believe there is a connection but if there is it s only the block casting!) It was first used in the Shamal from 1988 and then the end of the QP IV production from 1998....
Click to expand...

Fair enough Malc, you have researched it whereas i have just repeated what I read. It indeed may just be the block casting. Or someone just made a connection between two 3.2 litre, 90deg V8s from the same town!

As you said Matt "the 4.2 was designed by Maserati using Ferrari money during the takover and then trialed in the 4200. It was then upgraded by Ferrari once proven then deployed throughout Ferraris range" I have heard the same and this makes sense in every way. Simplest answer so might be true!

A German 3200 owner called my 4200 the 'Ferrari-Maserati' when I was in Modena and this makes sense, it's the car Ferrari oversaw Maserati build, using their engines, gearboxes, brakes, suspension and quaility control. Whether this makes it a true Maserati or not I don't care, I think this will be a classic for different reasons than the 3200. A bit like the FIAT Dino Spider. I still want a 4200 Spider for next summer, may jump on one at Christmas...
 
doodlebug

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That's not quite right, is it?.Wasn't the Quattroporte IV evo also built under Ferrari's watch? So that would mean the 3200 was also a 'Ferrari Maserati'.
 
Andyk

Andyk

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I though the 3200 was built under Ferrari watch but had a Maserati engine.....Or didn't Ferrari come along through developement.
 
D

dem maser

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Ferrari took over in 1998 so the 3200 was built under them but used masersti parts.....and some cases like vanity mirrors alfa GTV....
 
conaero

conaero

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I again have heard all sorts of stories, even that Ferrari where making the decisions in the mid 90's and actually had full hands on with the 3200 R&D. The other one I heard is that the 3200 AC was faster round their track than there 355/360 car of the time, maybe urban myth, but how cool would that be.

The 3200 always felt much faster than the 4200, just not very stable in the corners and always felt like it would bite and take your life one day....mad as a box of frogs.
 
Andyk

Andyk

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midlifecrisis

midlifecrisis

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Thread Resurrection record.....

From and including: Thursday, 23 June 2011 To and including: Wednesday, 8 November 2023

Result: 4522 days
It is 4522 days from the start date to the end date, end date included.
Or 12 years, 4 months, 17 days including the end date.
Or 148 months, 17 days including the end date.
 
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