Maserati Khamsin

The Maserati Khamsin is a grand tourer manufactured by the Italian automaker Maserati from 1974 to 1982. The Khamsin debuted as a concept car on the Bertone exhibit at the Turin Auto Show in November 1972. It was Bertone's debut effort for Maserati, designed by Marcello Gandini.

In contrast to its predecessor, the Khamsin had a transparent rear portion that held the tail lights as well as a crisp, angular style. The production model debuted at the Paris Motor Show in March 1973. The vehicle's regular manufacturing began barely a year later, in 1974.

The Khamsin was created under Citroen ownership for a customer that desired a front-engined grand tourer in the style of the earlier Ghibli, a more traditional offering than the mid-engined Bora. The body of the Khamsin is distinctively wedge-shaped, with a fastback roofline and kammback rear end. The tail has a full-width glass back panel with inset "floating" tail lights.

When combined with the large, practically all-glass back hatch, this provided superior rear vision in contrast to most cars, particularly equivalent sports cars. The C-pillar has cosmetic triangle vented panels inlaid, with the right panel concealing the gasoline filling cap. The bonnet, which is punctured by asymmetrical vents, is another unique characteristic. Gandini's signature may be found on design elements such as the wedge body, glazed tail panel, and position of the filling cap. All of them were present in his previous Lamborghini Espada.

Despite being marketed as a 2+2, the leather-trimmed back seats, tucked between the two fuel tanks, were deemed to be too cramped for comfort. The instruments on the instrument panel comprised a speedometer, tachometer, water temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, voltmeter, and a clock.

The Khamsin was built entirely of steel, with a Silentbloc-bushing insulated tubular subframe supporting the rear suspension and differential. Suspension was double wishbones all around, a significant advance over the Ghibli's leaf-sprung solid axle, with coaxial springs and shock absorbers (single up front, double down back), and anti-roll bars. Maserati's 4.9 L, 16-valve V8 engine from the Ghibli SS was retained and produced 240 kW (330 PS; 320 horsepower) at 5,500 rpm.