By Ian Evans

I went to the sneak preview of the new Spyder at the L.A. Auto Show on Thursday night, January 3rd.

Some observations: fit and finish look good, nice lines. No wood in the cockpit. Seating was firm and all controls were well within reach. I'm 5'9" or so; over 6' ers may feel cramped a bit as the seat was nearly fully back. All the display models were "Cambio Corso."

I miss the 3rd pedal, but the paddle shifting is intriguing. What's with the miniature "T" handle in the shifter location (to engage reverse)???

The trunk is TINY, room for 2 golf bags and what else? The safety lights in the doorjambs are gone. The top seems to take up a lot of room when stowed, covered by what someone referred to as a "speed brake."

They had a continuous video running with some great old race footage and some views of the casting of cylinder heads and machining of various engine components. Also a spirited drive through the "Montano's del Fuego" (did I spell that right?).

In the manner of many manufacturers, some under hood trim panels have been installed hiding much of the mechanicals from view. Several historic spyders and early models were on display, beautiful. I had never seen the Frua styled 3500 spyder, awesome. I'll leave the description of the early ones to someone with more familiarity than I.

Conclusion.... I want the red one, with red leather..

Oh yeah, there were some Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Lotii, and other cars there as well...

Los Angeles Auto Show Maserati is back!

By Maurice Khawam, Maserati Club International Correspondent

On January 3, 2002, Maserati North America held a pre-show ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center to debut the new 4200 Spyder.

The much-anticipated event that showcased three gleaming new 4200 GT Spyders in yellow, blue and gray was held in a separate section of Concours hall. A selection of classic Maserati automobiles formed the background for this display.

Proud of its racing heritage and GT production know-how, Maserati put forth to the public some impressively preserved automobiles from its illustrious past. On display we were able to view the Maserati 8CLT that won the Indy 500 consecutively in 1939 and 1940, with Wilbur Shaw driving. Additionally, the unbeatable Maserati 450 S of the 1957-racing season stood proudly by its siblings. Completing the ensemble was the highly prized Birdcage that Bill Krause raced successfully at Riverside in the early sixties. The road cars comprised a group of Maserati Spyders, courtesy of John Bookout and Alfredo Brener. This included a lovely Ghibli, a Vignale, a Mistral and a pair of very rare Fruas.

The Coupes were represented by a gorgeous Maserati 5000 GT, also by Frua. This automobile, that perhaps is the epitome of elegance, was the personal transportation of the Aga Khan and now is part of the Brener collection in Houston, Texas.

It was obvious from inspecting the new cars that Maserati is taking great care to construct a world-class automobile. The attention to detail is quite evident in the finish of the new Spyder whether it is in the body gaps and paint quality or the interior of the automobiles.

Even though this was strictly a static display, one can tell from talking to the factory personnel that Maserati is quite eager to have the new generation of the Giugiaro-designed cars tested by the public. I certainly await this opportunity, as there is no better way to feel the heritage of a marque than to get behind the wheel of one of its products.

This event drew a large crowd of enthusiasts and owners. It served to confirm that Maserati still enjoys a following eager to welcome the company back to our shores.

Click on the image to view at full size. Photos by Maurice Khawam.