Lot 369: 1976 Maserati Merak Berlinetta

Maserati followed-up its first mid-engined supercar - the Bora - with the similar Merak. Launched in 1972, the latter was intended as competition for Ferrari's top-selling Dino 246 and used a stretched, 3-litre, 190bhp version of the Citroen SM's four-cam V6. The French firm owned Maserati at the time, so the Merak made use of the SM's transmission and power-operated, all-disc braking and - more controversially – Citroen’s quirky instrumentation, though this applied to left-hand drive cars only, right-hand drive examples using the Bora’s more conventional fascia. The unitary-construction chassis and all-independent suspension remained basically as the V8-engined Bora’s, though the Merak offered the convenience of ‘+2’ seating in the rear and superior all-round vision thanks to its distinctive rear 'flying buttresses'. The most successful Maserati of its day, the Merak ceased production in 1983 after 1,832 examples had been built.
Nothing is known of this particular Merak’s history prior to 1985 when it was purchased by Mr Richard Jones, of Wadebridge. Circa 1990 the vehicle was stripped to a bare shell, repaired and repainted, before being acquired by previous owner Mr Denis Kenyon. Included with the car is its original works manual which notes that this is the first right-hand drive example built by Maserati. Finished in red with black leather interior, ‘MRL 272P’ is offered with restoration invoices, current MoT/road fund licence and Swansea V5 registration document.