Maserati Biturbo, Karif, Shamal

Ok guys, the Karif with 285hp was a deTomaso prank! They only ever made one (!!!), with that engine power output and had all the journos test it. Then, they actually produced a model with 250hp (without cats) and then with 225hp (with cats).

The quoted 0-100kmh times are paper times, and even the one car with 285hp would have struggle to hit 100kmh in less than 5".

Besides, the Cup is a properly sorted car that will hold its own against a Ferrari 355. The Karif is virtually undrivable.

For a more detailed discussion on the Karif with 285hp (and if you speak Italian), see here: http://www.repartocorse2.com/m-o-n-d-o-m-a-s-e-r-a-t-i-f3/mistero-karif-285-hp-t1337.htm

Far be it for me to argue with a sumo wrestler.........I bow to your superior knowledge

I was right then...

It pains me to say I was wrong..........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

So I was right then.....

I've been researching the "285bhp" Karif II for some time...

From what I can gather, the Karif came as standard with the 225bhp/250bhp (cat, non-cat) engine of the 228/222E. However, there was a "Performance Pack" Karif II option that would take it to 285bhp/290bhp (DIN, SAE). This was very rarely specified. It is briefly documented in the factory manual for the fuel injected cars.

Whilst the Karif II engine is down on power on the Ghibli Cup, it produces a heroic amount of torque. Hence some difference in the way performance is delivered when comparing different in-gear acceleration times. Turbo lag is also enormous, hence the 0-60 being a bit off. The Karif is a much lighter car than the Ghibli though.

Because of this, there's an extra page (hand typed) in the manual telling you how to drive the car slightly differently to take into account the turbo lag.

The engine upgrade was also theoretically available for the other cars in the range, although Maserati told me that they only upgraded two cars, my 222E and possibly a 430.

The extra page in my manual claims that my engine was dynoed at 290bhp, and Maserati told me that when it was new, it was "under 4.5 secs" to 60mph.

The original owner of my car traded it in for a new Ghibli, then traded it back again as the Ghibli was too slow in comparison!

What I will say, 20 years on from it's build, is that due to the light weight of a 222E, and the very short gearing, acceleration is incredible. But, it's very hard to drive, and very hard to access that extra power. You have to be in the right gear, at the right revs, with the right boost, on the right road, and in the right frame of mind, then you have to hang on tight! My car was fitted with 10" wide Shamal wheels as part of the upgrade in an attempt to put enough rubber down on the road.

The big advance of the 3200GT is that it is almost as quick, but the performance was acessable every day. You don't have to be in the mood for a fight to drive a 3200GT quickly. But, if you got out of my car and into a 3200GT it would feel slow.

My car is in bits at the moment, and I never seem to have enough time to fix my own cars up, but I'm sure that when I get round to putting it back together, regular visitors to my workshop will get a go in it and post some independent impressions of the experience!

I get 21mpg out of it too...

Mike Roberts

So the Karif is quicker??????

I got my data from Maserati Coupe The History by Jurgen Lewandowski. He states the Karif as being 285 bhp, maximum speed 255 km/h and 0 to 100 km'h in the 4.8's which clearly makes it a faster accelerating car than the Cup. Mike what you say above bears that out.

I don't think there ever was a performance pack for the Karif. Perhaps the local UK importer did tune the car up (as during the Biturbo-era, the local importers would often come up with fixes that De Tomaso would refuse to make for its cars) but I honestly doubt it.

Big Foot hi mate......will you concede the Karif is quicker in acceleration than the Cup????????

Mate, for you, I'll concede that

Latest Score at half time Urban Maser1- Big Foot 0

BigFoot said:

I don't think there ever was a performance pack for the Karif. Perhaps the local UK importer did tune the car up (as during the Biturbo-era, the local importers would often come up with fixes that De Tomaso would refuse to make for its cars) but I honestly doubt it.

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It's mentioned in the workshop manual and the parts manual, so it would be reasonable to assume that the method of raising the power was developed by the factory and dealer installed. This is very common amongst all manufacturers.

This is the relevent part of the manual that mentions the pokier engine. As well as more power, the rev limit, torque peak, and power peak are higher.


It's not really important how many Karifs and others had more grunt, it's nice that they made a few. And, even better that I've got one

Mike.

Mike the Karif with little more than 200 manufactured, is probably the most collectable of the biturbo era and no doubt will only appreciate in value if you look after it. I think it has more appeal than the Cup but both are great cars

Bog Foot have you eever driven the Karif or the Cup. I must say that the other biturbos have never quite done it for me but the Ghibili and Karif have always had my attention

Surely a Karif wouldn't keep with a Cup on the road though no matter what the on paper figs say

urbanmaser said:

Bog Foot have you eever driven the Karif or the Cup. I must say that the other biturbos have never quite done it for me but the Ghibili and Karif have always had my attention

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Only ever drove a Ghibli GT. Lovely car, really was.

Big Foot you seem very knowledgeable on the biturbos

I am not mate, I just hang out on the Italian Maserati forum where they seem to be Biturbo-crazy!

BTW, one of the members there bagged one of the 11 Limited Editions GranTurismo S MC Sport Line. Lucky sod!