1975 Maserati Merak by Saurer - 1 of 1

The Maserati Merak was first introduced at the 1972 Paris Motor Show as a lighter, more accessible follow-up to the V8-powered Bora. Styled by Giugiaro of Italdesign and sharing much of the Bora's chassis and suspension, the Merak was powered by a Maserati-designed 3-litre quad-cam V6 derived from the Citroën SM, featuring triple Weber carburettors, producing 190bhp and reaching a top speed of c.150mph. With its mid-mounted engine, unitary construction and finely balanced dynamics, the Merak delivered good performance and remarkably refined handling, especially for the era.

Just 1,832 Meraks were built before production ended in 1983, but only one was taken and transformed by a coachbuilder and that was Carrosserie Saurer of Switzerland.

Originally delivered new as a left-hand drive 1975 Merak, this car underwent a full, no expense spared transformation in 1984 in the hands of Swiss coachbuilder, Paul Saurer. Far from a cosmetic reworking or amateur modification, this 'Hot Merak' was entirely rebodied in hand-formed aluminium, with reimagined coachwork that echoes 'Group 4' purposefulness while retaining the elegance of the original. Completed to a level befitting the Saurer name, it is a masterclass in bespoke engineering and design.

Retaining all its original Maserati mechanical components, the Merak by Saurer is now fitted with ultra-rare 12 and 15" Gotti three-piece split-rim wheels, wrapped in bespoke 345/35-section tyres at the rear. Finished in silver with a striking red leather interior, the car has the presence and performance to match its exceptional provenance.

Following its completion, the car remained in a Swiss Collection until 1995 before passing to a collector in Spain. It was discovered and brought to the UK in 2009, where it has since had just three owners. Our vendor (the current owner) purchased the car through Silverstone Auctions in 2014 and over the tenure of his ownership set about a gentle, but thorough, renovation of key components to ensure a smoother and more reliable motoring experience. The work was carried out by specialists in West London, and more recently a very capable team based near Goodwood, and included new suspension, independent hydraulics for the clutch system, timing chain and tensioner upgrade kit, new wiring harness, bodywork/rear window repairs, new condenser kit/points, new fuel pump, new hoses throughout, rebuilt alternator, accelerator/engine cover cables replaced, and a set of new tyres were fitted in 2021. This is not the complete list but illustrates the attention to detail applied to what was, realistically, a one-off / museum car to turn it into a usable, reliable modern classic that would be welcome anywhere. Within the car's history file are invoices totalling almost £30,000 for the aforementioned work.

Its one-of-one styling and documented provenance have earned it invitations to several prestigious UK Concours events including Graypaul Maserati’s UK Concours, the Maserati UK stand at Silverstone Classic, the Chelsea AutoLegends Italian Supercar display, and the Octane Magazine Windsor Concours d’Elegance.

With another motoring project nearing completion, and with garaging a scarce resource, our vendor has reluctantly decided to part with his unique Maserati creating a singular opportunity to acquire a car that combines Maserati engineering, Swiss coachbuilding excellence, and the added cachet of being the only one in the world. A must-have for any discerning collector of bespoke Italian exotica.

Well known, well documented and entirely one of one.