The Maserati Spyder (factory code M138) made its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2001, heralding Maserati's triumphant return to the convertible sports car segment and the North American marketplace. Engineered on a shortened wheelbase version of the Coupe platform (reduced by 220 mm), the Spyder was configured strictly as a two-seater with an automated power-folding fabric soft top and built-in roll-over protection bars. Under the front hood, it housed the new 4.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 (F136 R) engineered with Ferrari, generating 390 hp. Power delivery utilized a rear transaxle setup paired with either a traditional 6-speed manual transmission or the electro-actuated Cambiocorsa paddle-shift system. The chassis benefited from independent double-wishbone suspension at all four corners, with the computer-controlled Skyhook adaptive damping available. Facelifts in 2004 brought subtle aerodynamic tweaks and interior refinements, alongside limited anniversary editions, with principal sales focused heavily on North America, Western Europe, and Japan.