1973 Maserati Bora

Maserati's legacy is steeped in racing glory and the company is renowned for producing some of the fastest, most luxurious, and elegant grand touring road cars ever conceived.

The Modenese manufacturer Maserati followed other supercar constructors in going mid-engined, with the introduction of the new Maserati Bora at the 1971 Geneva Salon. One of the first 'new generation' models to appear following Maserati's acquisition by Citroen, the Bora replaced the traditional tubular chassis technology in favour of unitary construction. Its name was after an Adriatic wind and the styling was work of Giorgetto Giugiaro's Ital Design, at least as far as its bodyshell was concerned. The mid-mounted engine was Maserati's familiar four-cam V8 in 4.7-litre form, and the five-seed transaxle came from ZF. The all-independent double-wishbone suspension was penned by Giulio Alfieri, co-designer of the 250F Formula 1 car.

To reduce engine noise, the Bora had dual pane glass and a carpeted engine bay. There was a full sized trunk which was a rarity among the supercar world.

Using Citroen's resources, the Bora used hydraulic technology to adjust seats and pedals, raise the headlamps and operate the power-assisted brakes. With its aerodynamic design and 310 horsepower engine, the Bora had a top speed of around 160 mph. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in the 6.5-second range. A 4.9-liter version was introduced around 1973, adding 20 extra horsepower. By January 1976, Maserati's management apparently had discussed discontinuing the Bora but later that year decided to continue with production. 25 Boras were made that year and total production from 1971 to 1978 reached 571 example.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019