Price reduction from € 74.950,- now € 69.950,- ! In the early 1970s, Maserati is of the opinion that it should produce a more affordable model under the Bora. The Bora, with V8, is pricey and the brand with the trident logo is afraid of losing market share to other brands. Since Maserati, which is in the hands of Citroën, has the same engines that it also supplies for the Citroën SM, the choice in terms of motorization is quickly made. The design of the Merak is very reminiscent of that of the Bora and that is not entirely coincidental: the basis of the car is partly the same and sheet metal is also taken over from the more expensive brother in a number of cases. And so the Merak sees the light of day in 1972, equipped with a 3.0 litre that originates from the 2.7 litre SM engine. Different variants will be available during the production years, with the three-litre being the ‘standard’ power source. Among them, we find the 2000 GT, especially for the Italian market equipped with a two-litre six-cylinder and as a top model, there is the 3.0 SS, a more powerful and lighter version than the normal Merak. That SS appears in 1976 and that is also the year that the interior is changed. The oval meters from the Citroën SM can no longer be found, but the Merak is assigned the cluster of the Bora. 1976 is also the year that our red SS was first allowed on public roads. As mentioned, the SS is the top of the range, with 50 kilograms less weight and 30 hp more power for extra appealing performance. The fact that the SS has 220 hp instead of the 190 of the normal Merak is due to the three large Weber 44 DCNF carburettors and a higher compression ratio of 9:1. The SS had as competitors the Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino and the Lamborghini Urraco. Only 1,830 Meraks will be delivered in total. The red Merak SS that we now have in our collection is a very neat car that has been in the Netherlands for thirty years and has had only two owners here, the last of whom has owned the car for twenty years. At this time the car was well maintained and the Maserati radiates that. The body of the SS looks neat, with excellent panel fits, the seams are even and the red paint has not been affected by weather conditions. A characteristic of the SS is the black grille that can be found between the pop-up headlights. The Merak can be immediately distinguished from its stronger brother Bora by the arches at the rear, where the Bora has windows there. Seen from the side, the coupé, therefore, looks like a straight two-seater, but that fact turns out to be incorrect when we take a look at the interior. If we open the door, we can see that the Merak has a small rear seat. No, don’t cheer too loudly if you think you can go on holiday with the family with two oversized teenagers: the sofa is suitable for (very) small children, but especially suitable for storing some luggage. On to the rest of the interior, because nobody will buy a Merak because of the practical space. It is wonderful to sit in the Maserati. The fabric-covered seats are great. There is sufficient comfort and the seats enclosing the back are spacious. The compact leather sports steering wheel is placed somewhat between the knees. Looking partly over it, partly looking through it, the counters can be seen. A kind of. Delicious Italian! We suspect that Porsche’s German rivals rolled on the floor shaking with laughter when they saw the ergonomics in this ‘trident’. Perhaps not very practical at the time, nowadays these are precisely the things that many classic enthusiasts can enjoy: character, a car designed with the heart. Small inconveniences that provide emotion, a smile, and pleasure. Incidentally, the dashboard with all counters that are housed everywhere is in a very neat condition. Everything functions as it should and the condition is remarkably beautiful. Positioned in exactly the right place is the gear lever of the five-speed manual transmission. Once on the road, we can only conclude that it must have been a spectacle to have owned a Merak in the 1970s. Forget Tesla’s acceleration times and other meaningless numbers: a 1970s Italian sports car is full of emotion. The sound of the six-cylinder, the feel of the steering, the feeling of shifting and the special position of the pedals: this is pure driving. The technology of the Merak SS is completely done so that the car steers very well and noticeably has a pleasant and good chassis. No projects or to-do list, but a Merak that you can enjoy from day one. And we dare to guarantee that enjoyment. Gallery Aaldering is Europe’s leading Classic Cars specialist since 1975! Always 400 Classic and Sportscars in stock, please visit www.gallery-aaldering.com for the current stock list (all offered cars are available in our showroom) and further information. We are located near the German border, 95 km from Düsseldorf and 90 km from Amsterdam. So easy traveling by plane, train, taxi and car. Transport and worldwide shipping can be arranged. No duties/import costs within Europe. We buy, sell and provide consignment sales (selling on behalf of the owner). We can arrange/provide registration/papers for our German (H-Kennzeichen, TÜV, Fahrzeugbrief, Wertgutachten usw.) and Benelux customers. Gallery Aaldering, Arnhemsestraat 47, 6971 AP Brummen, The Netherlands. Tel: 0031-575-564055. Quality, experience and transparency is what sets us apart. We look forward to welcoming you in our showroom