Lot 132: Maserati Shamal

The Maserati Shamal is a small, two-door coupe introduced by the Italian manufacturer on December 17, 1989. It is named after Shamal, a hot summer wind that blows in large areas of Mesopotamia. The Shamal was designed by Marcello Gandini, who is famous for designing the Lamborghini Countach.The two-seat interior of the Shamal features extended leather seat cushions, temperature control and the famous Maserati oval clock, which is situated in the centre of the dashboard.The model is powered by a 3.2-litre, quad cam, twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing some 325bhp. It has a six-speed manual transmission and an electronic active suspension control system. This system updates the adjustment on each wheel, based on road conditions and the level of comfort desired.The Shamal has a top speed of 168 mph (270 km/h) and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds. With just 396 cars being built between 1989 and 1996, the Shamal is rare. In right hand drive form, it is rarer still, accounting for just 11 examples.This example has benefited from extensive expenditure in the recent past with the engine, turbos, rear axle and clutch being rebuilt or replaced. The car has won two concours awards and has also benefited from upgraded to later spec to the clutch and engine air intakes.Offered complete with extensive history and all handbooks, this piece of Maserati history is also equipped with an Alpine CD system with trunk mounted changer.