2002 Maserati Spyder: Open-topped fun
Groundbreaking Maserati showed the way forward

"Porsche 911" – sounds good, doesn’t it? If that’s what you can answer when someone asks, what do you drive, then it conjures up an image of a sexy, sophisticated, exclusive car – we have to confess to some admiration for a company which has somehow gained an ‘exclusive’ image when it sells more than 36,000 cars a year in North America alone. Now, let’s try it again – only this time, when asked what you drive, you answer: "Maserati Spyder."

Sophisticated? Check. Exclusive? Of course – even today, after years of increasing demand, Maserati hand crafts fewer cars in a year than Porsche sells each month. And sexy? Most definitely, curvaceous and attractive in a manner to which its Germanic rival can only aspire; even the name sounds sexy.  Add in the practicality of a trunk almost three times the size of the Porsche, and it’s no wonder that Forbes magazine named the Spyder ‘Best GT of the Year’ back in 2001.

Beyond being a beautiful car, the Spyder was also a groundbreaking model; to understand why, we need to look at the car which preceded it. The 3200 GT was only sold in Europe; its Giugiaro-designed body represented a break from the sharp, angular lines that had characterized Maseratis for the previous thirty years. The oval grille, with the Trident in its rightful place in the center, was flanked by headlights which were blended into the flowing curves that swept back over the fenders; the cabin also flowed gracefully down to the trunk.

While the Spyder followed this fabulous design, it was far from being a mere convertible version of the 3200 GT. While front and rear track were the same, the wheelbase was shortened by almost nine inches; an entirely new body shell was created – and it was under this sensuous form that the Spyder showed the way forward. In place of the twin-turbo 3.2-liter V8 that propelled the 3200 GT, the Spyder was powered by a naturally-aspirated 4.2-liter V8, built by Ferrari. While a six-speed manual was available, Ferrari technology was adapted in the Cambiocorsa paddle-operated automated manual gearbox, the gearbox was moved to the rear of the car and integrated with the differential to form a transaxle, to aid weight distribution. Both the transaxle and automated manual were firm fixtures in the Maserati line-up from the Spyder’s introduction in 2001 through to the advent of the Quattroporte Automatic in 2006 – and the latest versions of the technology are making a reappearance in the GranTurismo S, with its exceptional MC-Shift gearbox.  It's a little known secret that the 2002 Spyder is among the quickest Maseratis of that era because the gearbox was tuned for fast, racer-like shifts. The 2003 model, along with some stylistic and interior changes, featured a slightly more calm and smoother-shifting transaxle better suited to some tastes, but those wanting a more pure and raw experience will seek the 2002.

The adoption of the transaxle placed more weight over the rear wheels – essential for performance and handling. But shouldn’t we be avoiding the topic of performance, lest it makes our comparison with Porsche look rather hollow? Think again; a sub-five second time for the 0-60mph sprint, and a top speed the far side of 170mph puts Spyder’s performance in a very exclusive league. And the low center of gravity achieved by the use of a dry-sump engine – a feature more usually associated with dedicated race cars – endowed the Spyder with handling to match its stunning looks and breathtaking acceleration.

The Spyder broke new ground in another way – it was the car which re-introduced Maserati to the American market, after an absence of some years. It proved the perfect choice; the press loved the Spyder from the moment they first saw it. “Get the Spyder out on the open road and your senses have a little war over which is more fantastic, the sound of the V8 (rumbling purr at idle, a fantastic, urgent scream at redline), or the perfect instance when steering, suspension and transmission all team up to fling you with perfect poise around a hairpin turn with just a whisper of tire squeal,” wrote Michael Frank in Forbes magazine. “The Spyder is one of the best performing, most emotionally engaging sports cars for under $100,000 you will ever have the pleasure of experiencing.”

“Meandering through tight bends in fourth gear at 45 mph is the easiest trick in the book, and you don't need to indulge in redline histrionics to get the brakes excited and the Michelin Pilot Sport tires up to working temperature. With the traction control system switched off, it's difficult to resist sliding the car through the second-gear corners that make this picturesque part of the famed Mille Miglia route so entertaining.” So wrote Georg Kacher for Automobile, in 2003. “After 220 miles and about 2200 corners, we returned the Spyder to Maserati with much reluctance. With a sticker price expected to be about $83,000, Maserati's latest Spyder offers a rare blend of character and competence that could make it a compelling alternative to the Mercedes-Benz SL500, the Jaguar XKR, and the Porsche 911 Carrera.”

A year after the Spyder came a hard-topped sibling, the Maserati Coupe. This reverted to the longer wheelbase used in the earlier 3200GT, combined with the 4.2-liter V8 and rear transaxle as pioneered in the Spyder. The same technology went on to be used in the Quattroporte, the car which completed the Maserati line-up – four-door luxury sports sedan, two-door 2+2 sports car and two-seater convertible.

The 4.2-liter engine has proved extremely flexible – with only minor changes, including the adoption of quieter wet-sump lubrication, it continues to be used in the Quattroporte and GranTurismo today. And the styling of the Spyder still turns heads today, whether the three-layer top is raised or lowered. All this makes the Spyder an excellent choice as a pre-owned car – particularly when you consider that the Maserati Certified Pre-Owned program offers peace of mind through its comprehensive warranty. Contact your local authorized Maserati dealer to find out how you could become the proud owner of a car we predict will be a future classic – a Maserati Spyder.