Ferrari Engine in a Maserati Question

I am going off memory but believe that it is a 430 modified not as much power or sound. When I was looking for a Maserati Spyder I notice the shifting was smoother as the tranny warmed. Once completely warm it was mildly smooth. I just purchased another Ferrari rather than a Maserati nothing like the real thing....

 

Maseratis don't have Ferrari engines. They have Maserati engines. As mentioned, the engine designed is shared between the Maserati 4200 series and the F430 but the final build is not identical. As for the F1 transmission, it sounds like you either didn't know how to operate it or something was wrong. Once you get the hang of it, shifting is very smooth

 

Take your foot off the gas between shifts and I bet it is smooth as silk...

 

The Maserati engine uses the same block as the F430, but different internals, specifically a bent crank (vs a flat crank in the 430, as in all Ferrari V8 engines) and tuning for more low-end torque at the expense of top end power. This is why Maseratis sound different than Ferraris, lower-pitched exhaust rather than the wail/shreik of the Ferrari. Still nice cars, more comfortable than my 355, but not as frantic and eager to run. Definitely a GT vs a pure sports car. Agree with other posters that the Cambiocorsa transmission (different name for, but essentially the same as, the F1 Ferrari system) is quite nice once you are used to driving it. Not surprised that it was a bit jerky for a first-timer with these transmissions, but were you to buy it (or an F1 equipped car) you would quickly get the hang of it. Hope this helps some.

John

 

The newer masserati gearbox changes almost imperceptibly. with foot flat down, its a dream drive. I would make sure you have that one. The previous one i tried in the quatroporte was noticable but not anything like as bad as you say. Certainly didnt have to take foot off.

 

You might want to check-out a GranSport. When driven in Sport mode, the GS runs through the F1 gear changes faster than the normal Coupe CC.

 

Agreed

I love my QP Sport GT! If you stick with the later cars and especially the Gransport you'll get smoother/quicker changes.....Even the early ones aren't bad though!

Fantastic cars, all of them!

 

Thats the one, its a cracker!

 

OMG you all need to have owned a Biturbo to know what Maserati ownership and sales and maintenance support can be like in the US. I think only plugzit and I would admit to owning this incredibly frustrating car on these boards. Maserati? Never again amigo! Yes they are pretty, but I prefer not to catch an STD so I'll pass.

FYI, I gave my wife a free pass to smack the sheit out of me with a nailed 2x4 if I ever get close to buying another Maser. She can't wait for me to fail.

That Maser GT engine is only a Ferrari if you figure that the general design was adopted by Ferrari for the 430 because the old 360 block had been exhausted. That's where the resemblance ends. Maserati did their thing with it (in the GT and QP), Ferrari did theirs (for the 430) then Alfa did their treatment (for the 8C) and Ferrari went back to it for the Californication Spider. It's kind of like the Chevy small block was in the 60's and 70's.

 

Same shift speeds between the Gransport and Coupe/Spyder. Both have normal and sport/power modes

 

Yup. You're right. My mistake. The sport mode though was standard on the GranSport and an option on the Coupe CC.

 

The different shifting modes are standard on both. The button name varies depending on options. Skyhook (option on Coupe/Spyder) equipped cars have a "Sport" mode and non-Skyhook cars have a "power" mode. Regardless, the transmission is awesome once a person gets the hang of it (doesn't take long).

 

Would anybody have any detail if this era Maser actually did have a 430 engine in it (bottom half)? The 430 was flat crank and the Maser was cross plane-I get that and it makes sense-is the rest the same? What about bore/stroke? I don't know much about these cars but they at least look like a killer bargain right now.

 

Definately, the Maserati 4200 coupe cambiocorsa is a killer bargain. My father's got one of this fantastic cars, and I can tell that it's really fast, shifts fast on sport mode too, and it's almost a Ferrari, a realy luxury one. I say this not trying to offend Maserati, because it has its own heritage, what I mean is that the 4200 was assembled in the Ferrari factory of Maranello, and shares many parts with F-cars, like the F-430 engine, the f1 gearbox, the F-456 steering wheel, air vents and ashtray, the sticky interior too... Nowdays maserati produces their cars in their own factory.

 

One of these sold on here for literally Honda Accord money about a week ago. That's sobering! I'm all too familiar with expensive parts/maintenance but these cars are 10 yrs old....and chain belts.....hmmmmm

 

I had a Cambiocorsa and then a Quattroporte. Really loved both of them.

I know someone mentioned they are tuned for torque and don't have a top end, this may also be proven on a dyno graph, but both cars seemed to pull very hard and did not run out of breath all the way to red line. The Quattrporte is surprisingly fast at the top end for its weight.

I remember the first time I gunned it and as it approached redline I was thinking "and here is where it slows down" but nope, it just kept pushing you back in your seat. Put a massive smile on my face.

Also, both of those cars - combined - had FAR less issues than my damn 355.