The Maserati Khamsin (Tipo AM120) is a grand tourer produced by Maserati between 1974 and 1982. The Khamsin had no direct successor, with Maserati not making another V8 grand tourer until the 1990 launch of the Shamal.Following Maserati's tradition it was named after a wind: the Khamsin, a hot, violent gust blowing in the Egyptian desert for fifty days a year.
The Khamsin was introduced on the Bertone stand at the November 1972 Turin Auto Show. Designed by Marcello Gandini, it was Bertone's first work for Maserati. In March 1973 the production model was shown at the Paris Motor Show. Regular production of the vehicle started only a year later, in 1974.The Khamsin was developed under the Citroën ownership for the clientele that demanded a front-engined grand tourer on the lines of the previous Ghibli, more conventional than the mid-engined Bora.In 1977 a mild facelift added three horizontal slots on the Khamsin's nose to aid cooling. Inside it brought a restyled dashboard and a new padded steering wheel. One Khamsin was delivered to Luciano Benetton in 1981.Despite the many improvements over its predecessor, the Khamsin didn't replicate its success; partly due to the concurrent fuel crisis that decreased demand for big V8 grand tourers.Production ended in 1982, with 435 vehicles made (a mere third of the Ghibli's 1295 examples production run) - 155 of whose had been exported to the United States.
The Khamsin's body is prominently wedge-shaped, with a fastback roofline and kammback rear end. The tail is characterized by a full-width glass rear panel, carrying inset "floating" tail lights.
Combined with the wide, almost all-glass rear hatch this gave exceptional rear visibility in comparison to most cars, especially similar sports cars. Cosmetic triangular vented panels are inlaid in the C-pillar, with the right-hand one hiding the fuel filler cap.Another distinguishing feature is the engine bonnet, pierced by asymmetrical vents.Design features as the wedge body, glazed tail panel and the location of the fuel filler cap all carry Gandini's signature, as they were all present on his earlier Lamborghini Espada.Despite being marketed as a 2+2, the leather-trimmed rear seats, nestled between the two fuel tanks, were found too lacking in headroom and legroom to be usable.The complete instrumentation included gauges for speedometer, tachometer, water temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, voltmeter and a clock.
The Khamsin used an all-steel monocoque construction, with a rear Silentbloc-bushing insulated tubular subframe supporting the rear suspension and differential. Suspension was double wishbones all around - a major improvement over the Ghibli's leaf-sprung solid axle - with coaxial springs and shock absorbers (single upfront, double at the rear) and anti-roll bars.
The front-mid mounted engine gave the car a 50/50 weight distribution; it was pushed so far back towards the firewall that the full size spare tire could be stored beneath the radiator in front of it, thus freeing up space in the boot. Apart from the adoption of Bosch electronic ignition, Maserati's 4.9 L (4,930 cc) DOHC, 16-valve V8 engine was carried over from the Ghibli SS and delivered 240 kW (330 PS; 320 bhp) at 5500 rpm and 482.0 N⋅m (355.5 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4000 rpm. It was fed through four double barrel 42 DCNF 41 Weber carburettors and used dry-sump lubrication. As on the Ghibli the fuel tanks were two, but not of similar size. A small tank is on the right and it is connected to the main tank below the cargo floor, with a single fuel filler on the right hand side feeding directly the small tank. The double exhaust system ended with two resonators, each with twin exhaust tips.Power was routed to the rear wheels through a 5-speed, all syncromesh ZF manual gearbox with a single-plate dry clutch; a 3-speed Borg Warner automatic transmission was also available on request. Khamsins rode on 215/70 Michelin XWX tyres on 7½J 15" Campagnolo alloy wheels.
Having been developed under the Citroën ownership, the Khamsin made large use of its high-pressure hydraulic systems. The power steering used the Citroën SM's DIRAVI speed-sensitive variable assistance, which made steering lighter for easier parking and decreased its intervention with speed. The all-around vented disc brakes and the clutch command were both hydraulically actuated and assisted. The adjustable seats and the pop-up headlights were also hydraulically actuated.An adjustable steering column (an innovative feature at the time), air conditioning, electric windows, a radio and full leather upholstery were standard.Maserati claimed a 270 km/h (170 mph) top speed for the European-specification model.The Citroën SM-derived power steering is not power "assisted," rather full power with no mechanical connection between the steering wheel shaft and the steering linkage yoke attached to the power piston rod. Only if hydraulic pressure is lost will the mechanical pinion gear drive the rack gear, and that with significant free play at the steering wheel rim. In normal operation the rack gear, which is connected to the power piston rod, turns the pinion to give feedback to the power valve. This is exactly like the Citroën DS though the mechanical arrangement is quite different.The power is the same at all speeds as the steering hydraulic pressure is supplied directly from the main pressure accumulator "sphere." A flyweight driven by the transmission output shaft controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to the piston of the steering shaft centering cylinder, which presses a roller against a heart-shaped cam geared 2:1 to the steering input shaft. In automatic transmission cars the pressure is tapped from the automatic transmission hydraulic pressure to a control valve similar to the setup on the Citroën SM. ATF and LHM (central hydraulic system fluid) do not mix, and are at quite different pressures. At 0 mph/kmh enough pressure is applied to return the steering to center. At approximately 80 mph/130 kmh (in the Citroën SM) the centering force is at maximum, which makes the steering wheel very strongly resist being turned by the driver ("stiff"). By this strategy the steering can be very quick, 2 turns lock-to-lock (in the Citroën SM), yet not sensitive to the "sneeze factor" at highway speed. <ref Citroën SM factory service manuals /ref> <ref Citroën SM factory parts books /ref> <ref Revue Technique Automobile "Citroën SM 1970-75" /ref>
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