With the Karif, Maserati is returning to a tradition that began with the Mistral and was put aside when the Biturbo came out: wind names, with the Karif (or Kharif) blowing across the Gulf of Aden. To understand what the Karif is, it’s not complicated: just imagine a reinforced Spyder hull to which a steel hard-top has been welded. The overall shape is that of the 222 E, with twin tailpipes and four square headlamps. Two small seats were available at the rear, allowing it to be homologated as a four-seater, but Maserati’s sales literature rightly referred to it as a ‘berlinetta’. The interior of the 222 was not a complete success and Maserati understood this by keeping only the good parts and improving the others.