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A 1994 Maserati Shamal live on Collecting Cars in Brisbane has a spec sheet that reads like a wish list: a twin-turbocharged V8, a six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive and, according to the seller, right-hand drive in a car that is understood to be one of only roughly 35 built that way. The Rosso Maserati coupe shows 47,607 km, and with about seven and a half days left on the clock, bidding sits at A$0.
Why the Shamal's spec matters
The Shamal was never a volume car. Maserati built 369 of them between 1990 and 1996, according to factory figures. Marcello Gandini worked with Maserati's in-house styling department on the body, which is where the flared rear arch line and the spoiler perched ahead of the windshield come from. Underneath, the car carries over the Biturbo's body shell, doors and interior on a short 2.4-meter wheelbase shared with the Biturbo Spyder and Karif.
The engine is the real story. The 3.2-liter AM 479 is essentially the Biturbo V6 with two extra cylinders: a twin-turbocharged, quad-cam V8 rated at 326 PS (322 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 318 lb-ft of torque at just 3,000. Power goes through a six-speed Getrag manual, which was an uncommon piece of hardware in the early 1990s, and a limited-slip differential. Maserati claimed 168 mph and 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. The name, for the record, refers to a hot summer wind in Mesopotamia.
What this car brings to the table
This one was delivered new in Australia and first registered in February 1994. It wears Rosso Maserati over cream leather and suede with burr timber accents, plus 16-inch seven-spoke OZ Racing alloys, electrically adjustable front seats and climate control. The service history is documented from 1994 onward, with the most recent work in July 2026 at 47,500 km: a refurbished fuel tank and a fuel injection service. In December 2023 the cam belt, water pump and steering rack boots were replaced and fuel rail leaks were addressed. The sale includes the owner's manual, service book, factory documents, service receipts, magazine articles and two sets of keys.
Keep in mind that the right-hand-drive figure is the seller's estimate, not a number we have been able to confirm from factory records. Even so, a six-speed, twin-turbo Shamal in right-hand drive is about as scarce as this spec gets.
Before you bid
This is not an all-original car. The factory electronically adjustable Koni suspension has been replaced with an AS Motorsport coilover setup, and a Momo Heritage Indy wood-rim wheel stands in for the original steering wheel. The seller includes the factory Koni components and the original wheel. The listing also notes minor stone chips at the front, some blemishes on the cream leather and damage to the dash-mounted fuel release button.
Why enthusiasts should care
The Shamal pairs a twin-turbo V8 and a six-speed manual in a car Maserati built only 369 times, and a right-hand-drive example is rarer still. Maserati has been showing up on Motorious lately, from the 1991 Chrysler TC by Maserati to Neil Peart's Maserati Mistral Spyder. If you like cars whose factory spec is the story, our look at a manual 996 Carrera 4S Cabriolet with Porsche's factory X51 power kit is another good one.
The auction for the 1994 Maserati Shamal on Collecting Cars is open now, with the car located in Brisbane, Queensland.
