Maserati Spyder

In 2002, after more than a decade's absence from the U.S. market, Maserati will be hoping to cash in on some of its past heritage (the good heritage, not the unreliable and homely styled heritage) with a new roadster called, simply, the Spyder. Maserati is fully owned by Ferrari, which is itself owned by a Fiat subsidiary. Thanks to the new ownership and the resulting new-found financial strength, Maserati was able to revamp its antiquated factor completely and develop an all-new sportscar.A new Ferrari-designed 4.2-liter V8 makes 390 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. It drives the rear wheels via one of two available rear transaxles: a standard six-speed manual (in the GT) or a computer-actuated six-speed sequential-shifting manual (in the Cambiocorsa -- Italian for racing gearbox), the sequential-shifting unit is similar in design to the Ferrari 360 Modena F1's. There is no clutch pedal, and it allows gearshifts to be made in the blink of an eye.