Maserati Biturbo

Lore & Background

When Alejandro de Tomaso acquired Maserati in 1976, he planned to combine the prestige of the Maserati brand with a more affordable sports car, replacing higher-priced models like the Bora and Khamsin. The Biturbo was initially a strong seller, bringing Italian prestige to a wide audience with sales of about 40,000 units. However, sales fell in subsequent years as the Biturbo developed a reputation for poor quality and reliability. De Tomaso used another of his companies, Innocenti, to produce body panels and provide final assembly. He later sold Maserati to Fiat, who grouped the company with Ferrari.

The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, Chief of Centro Stile Maserati up to 1981, somewhat influenced by the design of the then recent Quattroporte III. All Maserati models introduced from the Biturbo's inception in 1981 until 1997 were based on variants of the original Biturbo architecture, including the later Shamal, Ghibli II, and the 1994 fourth generation Quattroporte. The Barchetta used an ultimate version of the Biturbo V6 engine.

The Biturbo competed in the World Touring Car Championship (1987) and the European Touring Car Championship (1988) without notable success. Until carburetors were replaced with fuel injection, the cars had serious overheating problems. The WTCC cars were later raced in Italian touring championships, while one car was rallied in Group A specs.

Reader's Guide

The Maserati Biturbo's significance lies in its role as the first production twin-turbocharged car and as the foundation for an entire generation of Maserati models. It was designed to democratize the Maserati brand, offering Italian prestige at a lower price point, and initially sold well with about 40,000 units. However, its legacy is mixed: it gained a reputation for poor quality and reliability, leading to declining sales. The Biturbo is ranked number 28 in the BBC book Crap Cars, and in 2007 Time selected it as the worst car of 1984, though they ranked the Chrysler TC by Maserati as a 'greater ignominy.' Despite this, its architecture underpinned later notable Maseratis like the Shamal, Ghibli II, and the fourth-generation Quattroporte. The car underwent two restylings by Marcello Gandini, the first between 1987 and 1989 softening the original sharp lines, and the second in 1991 introducing aerodynamic elements from the Shamal. The Biturbo was sold in the US from 1981 to 1990, with some leftover Spiders sold as 1991 models; Maserati would leave the US market until 2002.

Did You Know?

• All Maserati models introduced from 1981 until 1997 were based on variants of the Biturbo architecture.
• The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, influenced by the Quattroporte III.
• The Biturbo competed in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship and 1988 European Touring Car Championship without notable success.