- Powerful twin-turbo V6 engine
- Competent dynamics
- High maintenance costs
- Awkward proportions and dated styling
Overview
Released in Australia in 1989, the Maserati Karif was a two-door, performance coupe. Manufactured in Modena, Italy, the Karif was powered by a 2.8-litre V6 petrol engine with fuel injection, three valves per cylinder, twin overhead camshafts, two IHI water-cooled turbochargers and two air-to-air intercoolers. The Karif was also fitted with a five-speed ZF manual transmission.
Production of the Karif was limited to 222 vehicles.
Dimensions
Although based on Maserati’s Biturbo range, the Karif had the shorter wheelbase of the Spyder . As such, the Karif was 4043 mm long, 1714 mm wide, 1310 mm tall and had a 2400 mm long wheelbase.
Suspension
The Karif’s front suspension consisted of MacPherson struts with dual-rate telescopic dampers, coil springs and an anti-roll bar. At the rear, the Karif had semi-trailing rear arms with coil springs and dual-rate Bilstein pressurized gas telescopic dampers. The Karif was also fitted with Maserati’s ‘Mecannica Attiva’ suspension system which used interacting levers to keep the front wheels square with the road surface and the lower suspension and steering arms parallel.
| Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karif | 2.8-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 | 5sp man. | 205 kW at 5500 rpm | 431 Nm at 4750 rpm |
Safety equipment
The Karif was not fitted with safety equipment such as ABS or airbags.
Features
Standard features for the Maserati Karif included 15-inch alloy wheels with 20/50 VR15 front and 225/50 V15 rear tyres, a radio and cassette player, air conditioning, leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, central locking, power windows and woodgrain interior trim.
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