• Styling and Bodywork

• The Interior

• The Engine

• Transmission and Gearshift

• The Suspension

• Temperament and Safety

• Services and Custom options

• Technical Data

The Spyder is an entirely new Maserati. A Maserati that blends pure style of an Italian sports convertible with the worlds most advanced technology. A car which artfully combines the classic timelessness of glamorous lines and unique Modena tradition with the most sophisticated sports technology.

The Maserati Spyder is a car built around a chassis and an engine designed, conceived and created at the historic Modena factory in Viale Ciro Menotti. Completely refurbished to make it the most advanced in the world, the factory is dedicated to the production of specialist manufacture of handcrafted vehicles which demand high technology and a culture of traditional workmanship.

The model opens up a completely new chapter in the history of the marque, because the Spyder carries on the unrivalled tradition of the acclaimed Maserati convertibles high performing, unashamedly aristocratic cars which have never failed to delight an exclusive band of sophisticated, demanding and uncompromising customers.

STYLING AND BODY WORK

At the heart of the Spyders design is the quintessential Maserati look. A front engine design of which Maserati has historically been one of the most authentic and authoritative proponents. This brand culture, capable of producing distinctive, highly individual cars that transcend fashion, is perfectly expressed in the elegant lines and muscular stance of the all-Italian design developed by Italdesign-Giugiaro.

The Spyders body has the distinctive sleek aggressiveness of the 3200 GT, yet its wheelbase is 220mm shorter than the coup version. The elimination of air grilles, the more compact tail and a new, elegantly structured clear-lens light structure add a more crouching poise to the profile, off-set perfectly by 18 inch wheel rims with a 15 spoke design.

The sporty elegance of that profile remains unchanged. With the soft-top open, the two roll bars behind the seats emphasize the adrenaline-racing look of a sports convertible; with the hood down, it has the look of a compact coup, with a pleasing contrast between the colours of the soft top and the cars paintwork. The colour of the top, like a great many other parts of the car, can be co-ordinated with the paintwork. For the Spyder there is an exceptional selection of colours available, with the possibility of combining 16 paint finishes with 10 interior leather colours and 5 roof colours, these being black, blue, burgundy and two shades of beige.

The design of the body places the maximum possible emphasis on all aspects of passive safety, starting with the differentiated structure that incorporates two separate fixed roll-bars. This structure has been designed to comply with the latest EC and USA standards to front and side crash tests, and assures maximum safety in any eventuality. The safety package is completed with 4 airbags (front and side) as well as seat belt pre-tensioners and the safety inertia switch which cuts off the fuel supply in the event of impact.

THE INTERIOR

The interior of the Maserati affords superlative comfort in every dimension. The coverings are in the finest leather complemented by other, equally luxurious materials, and further enhanced by the handcrafted look of the trim. The overall feel is a successful marriage of traditional workmanship with the precision techniques required by todays quality standards.

The seats, specifically designed for this car, are equipped with all-electric adjustments with memory on the drivers side (which also controls the position of the wing mirrors), integrated headrest and an optional seat heater function.

Alongside the traditional analogue instrumentation in front of the driver, there is Maserati Info Centre at the centre of the fascia equipped with a 5.9 inch colour display. This integrated unit controls the Hi-Fi system with single CD player as standard, the on-board computer, the automatic climate control system and, a GSM telephone module with hands free unit and voice-activated controls as well a 5 disc remote CD changer stowed in the boot.

On board equipment available as extras include; electronically controlled cruise control as standard equipment and optional rear bumper parking sensors.

For the interior, special care has been taken to include functional storage compartments. These include a practical lockable compartment at the rear of the cabin, between the roll-bars and the boot, with a maximum capacity of 300 litres. There is also a set of fitted luggage available as an optional extra. The boot is also able to accommodate two golf bags.

Discerning Spyder clients can fully personalise their chosen car through the bespoke services of the OFFICINE ALFEIRI MASERATI program. In addition to a choice of 16 paint finishes, 10 colours for the interior leather and 5 for the soft top and the floor mats, the program also offers the possibility of personalising the colours of many other interior coverings (dashboard, door panels, top cover, roll-bars, steering wheel). The customer may even specify the colour of the stitching and dashboard lining strip.

The roof is fully automatic, with smooth, seamless electro-hydraulic operation controlled by a button on the central tunnel. When folded back it disappears completely into a closed compartment (separated from the boot) at the rear of the occupants, whilst the roofs 3 layer covering with reinforced structure perfectly insulates the cockpit.

THE ENGINE

A 4.2 litre, normally aspirated power unit, with 8 cylinders in 90 degrees V, compact and very lightweight (it weighs 44.09 lb less than the 3200 turbo engine), with a sophisticated racing style construction, dry sump lubrication and pump assembly external to the one-cast engine block.

Valve control is by way of two chain-driven overhead camshafts per bank of cylinders operating four valves per cylinder through hydraulic valve adjusters. The inlet camshafts are equipped with a continuous valve timing control system.

Output is 287 kW (390 BHP) at 7000 rpm with an exceptionally high maximum torque of 451 Nm (46 kgm) at 4500 rpm, assuring great flexibility of use.

It is equipped with integrated Bosch ME7.3.2 ignition and injection systems, accelerator with electronic "drive by wire" throttle control, and the microprocessor control units (MCU) interact with the older systems via high speed (Controlled Area Network) line to optimise handling of the engine.

All this translates into exceptional handling and driveability, resulting from a combination of superlative performance assisted by high torque at all speeds, within a context of fuel-efficient operation. The efficiency of the new engine design made it possible to lower fuel consumption by an average of 10% compared to the 3200 turbo engine, with peaks of 30% at higher performance levels. This engine is also environmentally friendly and assures compliance with existing and known future regulations.

Thanks to this new engine, the Spyder can reach a maximum speed of 283 km/h (176 mph) and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.

TRANSMISSION AND GEARSHIFT

The gearbox is at the rear, integrated with the differential. This transaxle layout makes it possible to achieve optimally balanced weight distribution between the two axles (53-47% of the kerb weight, respectively, divided between the front and rear), ensuring the very best performance in all conditions.

As an alternative to the six speed manual transmission, the Spyder is also available with Formula 1 style gearbox with computer controlled gear change known as the "Cambio Corsa". The 6-speed gearbox has an electro-hydraulic actuator controlled by means of paddles behind the steering wheel, without the need for a clutch pedal. The system allows the driver to choose between four different gear modes: Normal, Sport, Auto and Low Grip.

Each of these programs, is selected by means of console mounted buttons, corresponding to a different type of operations mode:  Select Normal for everyday, leisurely driving or Sports for earlier gear changes and a more involved driving experience. The electronic traction control automatically adjusts to the selected mode.

When coupled with the adjustable suspension option, the Cambio Corsa Normal/Sport button drives the damping settings as well as the gearbox and traction control functions.

As well as a fully automatic gear change function (auto), there is a Low Grip option allowing controlled starting and gear handling for surfaces such as snow and ice.

Cambio Corsa combines the pleasure of Grand Tourer style driving with fast-reacting performance, allowing the driver to get the most of the engine and enjoy its power in maximum safety. The driver is able to change gear at any time without having to remove his hands from the steering wheel or operate a clutch pedal.

THE SUSPENSION

Double wishbone geometry, in light alloy, offers a combination of superb performance and uncompromising comfort.

The rear suspension is fitted with a toe-in regulator bar that enhances the precision of the drive train, assuring optimal grip of the tyres in every situation and perfectly balanced cornering behaviour together with exceptional ride comfort. 

The front and rear layout incorporates "anti-dive" features to prevent nose-dive under braking, and "anti-squat" features to prevent the opposite effect, of the trail end dipping under acceleration. The suspension system is completed by anti-roll bars at the front and rear.

The superlative road performance of the Maserati Spyder is enhanced by the innovative Skyhook system for continuous automatic damping adjustment, introduced in collaboration with Mannesmann-Sachs (on request).

Our unique Skyhook telemetry concept is the state of the art in automatic suspension control: a set of sensors continually monitors the movement of the wheels and car body, and transmit them to a central unit. By analysing this data, the control unit determines the road and vehicle running conditions and instantaneously adjusts each damper accordingly.

This solution is ten times faster than the systems available to date, and radically improves ride quality in that it perfectly and "actively" controls the damping rate and hence the vehicle response in all conditions, producing maximum effectiveness in true comfort.

In addition to this automatic adjustment, the driver can also choose different behaviour modes at any time: in fact, the basic damper adjustments can be changed while the vehicle is in motion, using the console-mounted button to switch between two different settings: Normal and Sport.

The superb dynamic performance of the Spyder is attributable not just to its engine, but also to the overall system of "intelligent" components for enhanced driveability, handling and driver control.

Steering, brakes and integrated electronic management of suspension, gearbox and traction control achieve the two-fold result of a perfect balance between ride comfort and sporting dynamics, allowing the driver to switch between different behaviour settings as desired.

There is a dashboard mounted button for overriding the ASR electronic traction control and, if the Skyhook system is installed, the button which controls the suspension setting also drives the ASR system, according to two different operating modes: Normal and Sport.

Normal mode tends to benefit stability, in response to the road conditions; Sport mode benefits performance, intervening to a lesser extent on the engine with traction control. It prevents skidding while still providing information about the road holding limit.

Handling safety is completed with the Brembo braking system with light alloy four-piston calipers all round and cross drilled large ventilating disks (front 330 mm x 32, rear 310 mm x 28). The two stage servo brake is calibrated to retain high sensitivity, even with a very fast reaction time and is assisted by the 4-channel Bosch 5.3 ABS anti-lock braking system, the EBD electronic braking corrector and the MSR system, which controls the engine to prevent locking of the rear wheels when using excessive engine braking.

Maserati offers its clients a vast array of services and custom options, ranging from the availability of financing plans for the purchase of leasing, to insurance policies tailored to meet specific needs of each individual customer, to the OFFICINE ALFIERI MASERATI program for specifying personalised vehicle configurations.

The custom vehicle configurations offered by the OFFICINE ALFIERI MASERATI program are grouped into four categories: colour schemes; interior trims; travel and sports dynamics, for a total of approximately 40 custom options. Customers also have the possibility of requesting special custom configurations directly from Maserati, provided these comply with the appropriate technical, type approval and quality requirements.

Special emphasis has been placed on the colour schemes. In fact there are 3 million different possible combinations, as well as the option, on request, of matching the paintwork to a sample of any colour provided by a customer. This flexibility gives the Maserati Spyder a traditional, handcrafted flavour that is reminiscent of the past.

Other personalisation options include:

• Interior parts in briarwood or carbon (e.g. steering wheel, gearshift knob or Cambio Corsa paddles), engraving of a custom signature on the sill plates.

• Set of fitted luggage for the boot compartment; folding wind stop equipped with storage case and special boot compartment; gas discharge lamp (xenon) headlights with retracting washer-wiper system.

• Enhanced "Auditorium 200" Hi-Fi system with 6 speakers and one central subwoofer controlled from an amplifier which outputs 200 Watts RMS.

In short, the vast array of configuration options gives each customer the possibility of specifying a custom-made Spyder, in accordance with their style, tastes, needs and use of their Maserati. The first Maserati Spyders will make their new homes in Australia in February 2002. The Maserati Spyder GT is priced from $215,500 with the Maserati Spyder Cambio Corsa priced from $227,500.