Maserati 222

Maserati
222
Production period:	1988-1990
Class :	Sports car
Body versions :	Coupe
Engines:	Gasoline engine : 2.0 liters
Length:	4043 mm
Width:	1714 mm
Height:	1305 mm
Wheelbase :	2514 mm
Empty weight :	1172 kg
Previous model	Maserati Biturbo i

The Maserati 222 is a two-door notchback coupe from the Italian car manufacturer Maserati , which was produced from 1988 to 1990. It replaced the Biturbo i , which had been in production since 1981 , and was largely identical to the last stage of development. The 222 was equipped with a 2.0 liter six-cylinder engine that had gasoline injection and two turbochargers. It was only intended for the Italian market. The 222 is not to be confused with the 222 E , which was outwardly identical, but as an export version was equipped with the 2.8 liter engine of the 228 .

History of origin

With the Biturbo introduced in 1981, the Argentinian entrepreneur Alejandro De Tomaso , owner of Maseratis since 1975, wanted to establish the traditional sports car manufacturer in the field of series production. So far, among other things, the Italian tax legislation had opposed a wider spread of the Maserati models, which charged automobiles with a cubic capacity of 2000 cc and more with a sales tax of 38 percent, while vehicles with a smaller cubic capacity were only taxed at 19 percent. With the Biturbo, Maserati circumvented this problem by giving the car a nearly 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine that was equipped with two turbochargers to increase performance. In the original version, this engine had an output of 132 kW. Together with largely automated production, the Biturbo, which could be manufactured much more cheaply than the previous Maserati models, opened up new customer groups for the company: From 1982 Maserati regularly achieved four-digit production figures. From the original biturbo, the company developed a number of other models, including the sports version S. From 1986, the previously used register carburetor was replaced by gasoline injection; the car was then called Biturbo i in the basic version and Biturbo Si in the sport version. In the first few years in particular, the Biturbo, which had not been fully developed when it was launched, suffered from numerous, sometimes serious defects that impaired the car's reputation. When Maserati made minor stylistic changes for the 1988 model year, the company decided to drop the Biturbo name for all future models. The successor to the Biturbo i was given the number code 222, the meaning of which has not been clarified beyond doubt.

Positioning in the brand's program

With its introduction, the 222 assumed the role of the base model in Maserati's Italian program. Shortly after the regular 222, a more powerful version called 2.24 BC appeared . It was equipped with a redesigned 2.0 liter engine that had four valves per cylinder. The 2.24 v replaced the previous Biturbo Si sports version. Production of the 222 ceased in 1990. The 2.24 v, which remained in the range until 1993, assumed its role as an entry-level model.

The four-door version of the 222 was given the designation 422 . It replaced the previous Biturbo 420 .

Model description

body

The rear of the Maserati 222

The body of the Maserati 222 was self-supporting . In terms of style and structure, it largely corresponded to that of the biturbo coupé presented in 1981, which Pierangelo Andreani had designed by Giorgio Giugiaro with reference to a concept vehicle called Medici . The structure was only revised in a few details. In particular, the front section was now a little more rounded, and the radiator grille was smaller than on the previous model. A rear spoiler was standard on the trunk lid. The modifications were made by Marcello Gandini . They affected the basic version with 2.0 liters displacement as well as the export version 222 E.

engine

The basic design of the engine corresponded to that of the original biturbo from 1981. It was a six-cylinder V-engine with a cylinder bank angle of 90 degrees. The displacement was 1996 cm³ (bore × stroke = 82 × 63 mm). Each row of cylinders had an overhead camshaft , and both camshafts were driven by a common toothed belt. Each cylinder had two intake valves and one exhaust valve. The 222 adopted the technical specifications of the previous Biturbo Si sports model. It had an electronic gasoline injection from Magneti Marelli and two turbochargers from IHI , each with a water-air cooler . The compression ratio was 7.8: 1. As in the Biturbo Si, the engine developed 162 kW.

landing gear

The basic design of the chassis of the 222 also corresponded to the original biturbo. All bikes were hung individually . There were MacPherson struts and wishbones at the front, and semi- trailing arms at the rear . There were also telescopic shock absorbers at the front and rear.

production

As with the previous model, Maserati only manufactured the engines itself. The body, on the other hand, was made at Innocenti in Lambrate near Milan , a company belonging to the De Tomaso Group. In three years, 1156 copies of the 222.

literature

• Martin Buckley: Maserati. Italian luxury and flair . Heel Verlag, Königswinter 2012. ISBN 978-3-86852-633-2 .
• Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1
• Hans-Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car. Zsolnay, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3 .
• Anthony Pritchard: Maserati. The history of racing , Delius Klasing, Bielefeld, 1st edition 2003, ISBN 978-3-7688-2513-9
• David Sparrow, Iain Ayre: Maserati Heritage . Osprey Classic Marques. Auckland 1995. ISBN 1-85532-441-5 .

Web links

Commons : Maserati 222  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Hans-Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car. Zsolnay, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3 , p. 60.
2. ^ ^{A b} Gianni Cancellieri: Maserati. All the cars. Giorgio Nada Editore, Vimodrone 2015, ISBN 978-88-7911-609-1 , p. 235.
3. ↑ Hans-Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car . Zsolnay, Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3 , p. 63.
4. ↑ Description of the Maserati Biturbo on the website www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk (accessed on August 30, 2017).