This classic Maserati gran tourer of '70s inspired by the Khamsin desert winds
Unique ONES After some time ago we talked about a concept car made by an independent designer named Dejan Hristo which was named the Ferrari Simoom, this name was taken from the name of the a kind of the strong, dry, dust-laden wind that blows in the Sahara and the Middle East regions.
Here's Maserati Khamsin gran tourer is introduced for the first time to public at the Turin Auto Show 1972 on the Bertone's booth. (Picture from: ItaliAuto)
It turns out that the car naming taken from the name of the wind was also done by the Italian automotive company Maserati in the 1970s. We even previously had discussed about the Maserati Bora whose name is also taken from the name of the wind and designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of the same era.
One of the Maserati Khamsin design sketches by the famous Bertone design house designer named Marcello Gandini.
(Picture from: FormTrends)
The mentioned car is the Maserati Khamsin (Tipo AM120), a fancy gran tourer produced by Maserati in between 1974 to 1982, and its name is taken from the name of a kind of strong and 'cruel' dusty winds in the Egyptian's deserts for fifty days every year. As you can see the car has a unique shape which is a blend of Italian and French styles.
Maserati Khamsin is a fancy gran tourer (in pictured is the 1975 model) produced by Maserati in between 1974 to 1982. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
As quoted from Classicdriver.com, due to its unique shape, the car is described as a unique love-child born of the Italian and French affairs in the early 1970s. As we know, at that time the Italian company was under the ownership of the French company Citroën. So it is not surprising that the gran tourer designed by Marcello Gandini of the Bertone design house also has a French style touches.
Maserati Khamsin is a unique
shaped car uses a full steel monocoque construction, assisted by an
insulated tubular subframe to support the rear suspension and
differential. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
Physically, the Maserati Khamsin has a typical 1970s wedge-shaped bodywork design, coupled with a pop-up headlights, fastback roofline and a kammback or sharp-angled rear end. The back is characterized by full-width glass panels, featured with 'floating' taillights. In 1977, a mild facelift was carried out by adding several horizontal blades on the Khamsin's nose to help the engine cooling.
Maserati Khamsin is a fancy gran tourer (in pictured is the 1975 model) produced by Maserati in between 1974 to 1982. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
The Maserati's unique shaped car uses a full steel monocoque construction, assisted by an insulated tubular subframe to support the rear suspension and differential. The car is powered by a Maserati AM 115 V8 DOHC 4,930 cc engine coupled with the ZF 5-speed manual gearbox.
Maserati Khamsin is is powered by a Maserati AM 115 V8 DOHC 4,930 cc engine coupled with the ZF 5-speed manual gearbox. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
The engine is capable of blowing a maximum power of 320 hp at 5,500 rpm, with a torque of 482 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The power is fed through four Weber 42 DCNF 41 dual carburetors and uses dry lubrication. This combination allows the gran tourer (for European specification models) to be driven up to a top speed of 270 kph.
Maserati Khamsin is a fancy gran tourer (in pictured is the 1975 model) produced by Maserati in between 1974 to 1982. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
Like other cars made by Citroën at that time, the Khamsin also has applied a special lubrication system that uses what the company called as the LHM (liquide hydraulique minerale), a fluid pressurised by an engine-driven pump and contained in a system of pipes to support its reliability and driving comfort. The fluid is used to activate the Khamsin brakes, clutch, power steering (and even seat height adjustment), so by the slightest touch on any of these controls can have a huge effect.
1977 Maserati Khamsin featured with a mild facelift by adding several horizontal blades on the car's nose to help the engine cooling. (Picture from: Bringatrailer)
The Maserati Khamsin concept was first introduced at the Bertone's booth at the Turin Auto Show 1972 in November. Then in March 1973, the production version appeared at the Paris Motor Show 1973, while the car production only started in the 1974.
Although it accommodates numerous improvements over the Ghibli, its predecessor, unfortunately Khamsin does not emulate its predecessor's success; in large part due to the global fuel crisis that occurred in the mid-1970s which automatically reduced demand for large V8-engined grand tourer cars.
When its production ended in 1982, only 435 Maserati Khamsins were built, of which 155 units were exported to the US market. And now the Maserati's fancy gran tourer is one of the rare cars and much sought after by classic car fans. And if you want to have one of them, you should have lots of piles of money (its prices estimated of more than $120 thousands). But if You already have one, just don't forget to let it warm up before you drive off. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MASERATI | CLASSICDRIVER.COM ]
It turns out that the car naming taken from the name of the wind was also done by the Italian automotive company Maserati in the 1970s. We even previously had discussed about the Maserati Bora whose name is also taken from the name of the wind and designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of the same era.
The mentioned car is the Maserati Khamsin (Tipo AM120), a fancy gran tourer produced by Maserati in between 1974 to 1982, and its name is taken from the name of a kind of strong and 'cruel' dusty winds in the Egyptian's deserts for fifty days every year. As you can see the car has a unique shape which is a blend of Italian and French styles. 
When its production ended in 1982, only 435 Maserati Khamsins were built, of which 155 units were exported to the US market. And now the Maserati's fancy gran tourer is one of the rare cars and much sought after by classic car fans. And if you want to have one of them, you should have lots of piles of money (its prices estimated of more than $120 thousands). But if You already have one, just don't forget to let it warm up before you drive off. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MASERATI | CLASSICDRIVER.COM ]
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