[1] The Merak was closely related to the Maserati Bora, sharing part of its structure and body panels, but was powered by a 3.0 L V6 in place of the latter's 4.7 L V8.

The extra cabin space gained by fitting a smaller and more compact powertrain was used to carve out a second row of seats—suitable for children or very small adults—making the Merak not just a less expensive alternative to the Bora but also a 2+2.

Unlike its bigger sister the Merak doesn't have a full glass fastback, but rather a cabin ending abruptly with a vertical rear window and a flat, horizontal engine cover pierced by four series of ventilation slats.

Giugiaro completed the vehicle's silhouette by adding open flying buttresses, visually extending the roofline to the tail.

When Alejandro de Tomaso purchased Maserati in 1977, the Bora was discontinued after a production run of less than 600 cars, while the Merak remained on sale for six more years.

Wheels were cast light alloy Campagnolo 7½J x 15", fitted with Michelin XWX tyres measuring 185/70 at the front and 205/70 at the rear.

On most US delivered models, the spare tyre was full size, requiring a modification to the engine cover (the humpback) and lowering the muffler.

Early left hand drive Meraks (1972 to 1975) were fitted with the same dashboard as the Citroën SM, characterized by oval instrument gauges inset in a brushed metal fascia and a single-spoke steering wheel.

The lightweight and more powerful Merak SS (Tipo AM122/A) was introduced at the 41st Geneva Motor Show in March 1975, although it did not enter production until the next year.