Kyalami...molto Speciale!!!

So it's a bit intrusive on switchbacks?

 

Ivan, do you mean more like a Mistral or a Ghibli (which is more of the same size and weight)?
Also, like raised by Bob, do you mean that the electric steering is too much at speed, more than e.g. the conventional optional power steering available at the time on Ghibli's or Indy's and much more than the Khamsin's one at speed?

 

I saw an Espada with it installed and they'd just finished a full restoration of a really clean original low mileage car, kind of shame actually if you like original cars but this one was very nicely done. They were still having some sorting out issues at the time. That was 7 years ago though. The Espada uses a nutty gearbox drive that is driven by the LF wheel and that's what they were using for speed measurement. They now offer a GPS based model. My "guess" is that on those extreme switch backs it might over boost as you momentarily are not going all that fast and are under a lot of load. So perhaps it all feels smother and predictable with it just turned off?

 

Speaking from my experience with my Bora's electric power steering all I can say is that I can't imagine life without it!
Yes. Sometimes it is fun to turn it off on very fast, long hi-way drives etc---But you only do it because the choice is there!

I would do the same in my S Class coupe if I had the option!

 

The electric PS has a sensor connected to the speedometer cable. On tight switchbacks the car is not going too fast the PS can be at times a bit too light. A toggle switch easily turns it on/off.
It is a great add on and is completely hidden.

Ivan

 

Here are pictures of the Kyalami at its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, March 1976

 

Recently visited my friend Ivan, Got to take a nice Drive with this Beautiful Kyalami !
Best example i've seen.

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Last weekend the southeast Maserati club had its Fall drive in North Carolina and Tennessee. This included drives in the Foothills Parkway, Cherohala Skyway and the Tail of the Dragon. The "Dragon" consists of 318 curves over an 11 mile stretch of road. You do not want to have a a heavy breakfast before driving the Dragon

Took the Kyalami and it navigated the curves quite well for a rather heavy car. Thanks to Mike D for organizing this fun event.

Ivan
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Great picture Ivan. Such a cool car

 

Good to see such cars can still be driven enthusiastically.
Could you give your feelings on the handling?

 

The steering is rather precise, more than you would expect from a car of this size. On the Dragon the curves come one after the other so for 11 miles it never left second gear. As you probably know, the 4.9 liter V8 has plenty of torque so changes in speed and road elevation were no problem.

Great car for long trips with plenty of trunk space and very comfortable seats.

Ivan

 

Hi Ivan...

Thank you for the nice words, but it was actually Rob A. (TMC:Southeast President) and I who organized the event!

As for the Kyalami - IT LOOKED GREAT ON THE ROAD (and in the parking lot) !!! This is a special car - if I could have,
I would have traded my 06 Gran Sport drive on this event for riding in the Kyalami.. It looked soooo comfortable! Maserati
always had a way with leather interiors in the GT cars!

Thank you again for bringing it!!!!

Mike D.

 

Reminds me of the Ferrari 412 but shorter.

 

The Kyalami is probably the best handling car from the later classic Maserati. Its shortened chassis is very well balanced. I once drove a 4.7-car high up on the twisty roads in the Dolomits in Northern Italy and was much impressed by its steering. I could even drifting it with counter steering but found the brakes a little dissapointing under these conditions but thats standard for such kind of 1970/80s car. A big plus was the ligtened flywheel on the engine during its resto which gave it a more sportier character. Driving a Kyalami is fun!

 

I agree I inspected Ivan's Kyalami for him and drove it in Reggio Emilia and on country roads nearby 13 months ago and was very impressed. The brakes are not as powerful as on a Khamsin but the handling and agility were a very nice surprise, much better than I thought. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Although only about 200 were made it´s nice to see that Kyalamis can be found all over the world.
To illustrate that I made the selection below. Coincidentally they are all silver, which is a nice colour on a Kyalami I think. I don´t know the VIN of these 6 cars so if you do please let us know.

Let’s start in Europe where most Kyalamis are. This photo is in Belgium In 2020:

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Then to the Middle East, In Lebanon (2019)::

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Hong Kong 2013:

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And then Australia, where according to a Maserati Classiche article 7 were sold. More than one of them was silver I think, but I selected this one, it was posted on this forum in 2018 by Maseratioz:

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This photo is is in New Zealand, in 2017:

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And finally this car in the USA, a 4.9 Automatic. I’m not sure if it’s silver or light blue. Photo from Enrico’s site.

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Did anyone ever do a back to back comparison with the the Longchamp GTS?

 

Yes, see below, if you do that search on that site you will find it.

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Sounds like the Longchamp GT needed to have a 5 speed option. The American V8 is more powerful and lord knows all the reasonable performance options there are available. Much easier maintenance to boot! I know someone who has or had a convertible Longchamp GT. I never had a chance to ask about it.

https://__________.com/p/driven-de-tomaso-longchamp-gts-b05Bw7mJT0CaChnDGwLPiw?iid=FG40S7qhT8WiI-s63XVS5Q

You have to fill in the blanks drive tribe

 

At least one Kyalami was converted to a cabriolet, see below, I think it's #0076, with a 4.2, and manual gearbox.

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Here's the red ragtop version someone I know had 12 years ago.

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I find the Kyalami a lot more attractive than the Longchamp. The Kyalami has a very Italian look to it, both the exterior and interior, the Longchamp not s much.

Ivan

 

I agree though a really nice American V8 crate motor and a modern 6 speed box with Wilwoods would make an awfully nice ride. IDK ... are LongChamps worth anything? The Kyalami weren't for the longest time over here. I never got ask him what it was like to drive the chop might not be very kind to the handling?

 

Apparently there were 14 factory Longchamp spyders. Are you sure this was chopped? The frame looks very beefy and the spyder version may have not needed much reinforcement.

Ivan

 

Actually I don't really know. I thought that was the case but maybe you're correct. It was at a very busy barbecue in his back yard and we didn't get that much time to talk about it. It was also 11 years ago.