1977 Maserati Bora

Mid-engine placement revolutionized the sports car market and automakers were quick to embrace the trend for its numerous benefits. Maserati's first abandonment of traditional tubular chassis technology and its embracing of unitary construction and rear-mounted engine was with the Bora, introduced in March 1971 at the Geneva auto show. Development had begun in October 1968, the same year that Citroen had acquired a controlling interest in Maserati. A road-going prototype had been created by mid-1969 and deliveries commenced before the end of 1971.

Initially known as Tipo 117 and later the Bora, it was named after a lively breeze local to the eastern Adriatic coast - the wind of Trieste.

The Maserati Bora's internal engineering was overseen by Giulio Alfieri, co-designer of the legendary 250F Formula 1 Grand Prix car, and exterior styling was courtesy of Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign. The V8 engine was shared with the Ghibli SS, and the hydropneumatic control system was supplied by Citroen and powered the ventilated disk brakes and allowed for 'touch button' movement of the pedal box, driving seat position, headlights, and windows.

Mechanical Specification

Chassis

The Maserati Bora rested on a 102.4-inch wheelbase chassis with an overall length of 170.7 inches, a width of 69.6 inches, and a height of 44.6 inches. Compared to the front-engine Ghibli (1967 to 1973), the Bora had a 2-inch longer wheelbase, 14.3-inch shorter length, 0.9-inch shorter width, and 1.1-inch shorter height.

The steel monocoque chassis had a tubular steel subframe at the back for carrying the engine and transmission. The four-wheel independent suspension was a first for a Maserati passenger car and was comprised of wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bars, and telescopic suspension dampers. The developmental prototype example had MacPherson struts at the front which were abandoned for the production version due to the severe drivability issue. Steering was via rack-and-pinion, the wheels were 7.5 in × 15 in Campagnolo light alloy type with removable polished stainless steel hubcaps in the earlier models, and the tires were Michelin XWX 205x70 front and rear. Due to 'tramlining' at speed, Maserati soon replaced the rear tires with 215/70VR15 tires, offering a choice of Michelin XWX or Pirelli Cinturato CN12 tires.

Engine

The V-8 engine powering the Maserati Bora was derived from the company's Birdcage Tipo 63-65 race cars and the 450S. It was built from aluminum alloy and had an 8.5:1 compression ratio, 16 valves operated by four chain-driven cams, hemispherical combustion chambers, four 42 DCNF/14 downdraught Weber carburetors, and Bosch electronic ignition. The engine was mounted longitudinally mid-ship and mounted to a ZF-1 five-speed transaxle sending power to the rear wheels. Both the transmission and engine were mounted on a subframe attached to the floor pan by four flexible mounts.

Displacement in the Bora initially measured 4,719cc (4.7 liters / 288 cubic inches / Tipo AM 107.07) and offered 306 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 340 lb-ft (461 Nm) of torque at 4,200 RPM. Examples destined for the United States received the larger 4930 cc (4.9-liter / Tipo AM 107.16) unit from the Ghibli, compensating for the reduction in power due to the exhaust emission regulations. In 1976, Maserati dropped the 4.7-liter unit and solely fitted the 4.9-liter engine. This larger and more powerful version (compared to the 4.7-liter unit) had an 8.75:1 compression ratio and produced 325 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 355 lb-ft (481 Nm) of torque at 4,000 RPM (non-US Specification.

Hydropneumatic Control System

The Hydropneumatic system sourced from Citroen added a level of sophistication, practicality and civility to the Bora that was lacking from other supercars. The hydraulically powered pedal cluster (brake, clutch, and throttle) could be moved forward and backward at the touch of a button, and the steering wheel could be tilted and/or telescoped with similar ease. The driver's seat could be adjusted vertically, and the auxiliary hydraulic circuit system also powered the pop-up headlights, ventilated disc brakes, and windows.

Styling

The Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Bora had a wedge-shaped design with concealed (pop-up) headlights in the front fenders and brushed stainless steel roof and windscreen pillars. There was a full-size trunk in the front of the vehicle, a glass-enclosed cover over the rear engine, and the steel body panels were fabricated by Officine Padane of Modena. The very low drag coefficient of 0.30 greatly contributed to the vehicle's performance and its sporty persona.

Road and engine noise was quieted by the dual-pane insulative glazing separating the cabin from the engine compartment, and the carpeted aluminum engine cap also greatly contributed to the reduction in vibration and noise.

The US-bound cars were given larger and more substantial bumpers to comply with bumper standards. The US and Canadian market cars had red instead of amber taillamps and turn signal indicators.

Around early 1974, the pop-up headlights were given rounded inside corners, a rectangular black air-exit grille was added across the hood, and the front lid was now hinged at the front instead of rear.

Interior

The interior contained buckets seats wrapped in leather and standard electric windows and air conditioning. The door trim, dash, center console, and rear bulkhead were also trimmed in leather.

Production

Production of the Bora with the 4.7-liter powerplant lasted from 1971 to 1978 with 289 examples built. Production of the 4.9-liter Bora began in 1973 and ceased in 1978, with 275 units constructed. The total production of 4.7- and 4.9-liter Boras was 564 units.

Performance

The Bora 4.7 was capable of achieving a top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph) and the Bora 4.9 could reach speeds of 285 km/h (177 mph).

by Dan Vaughan

The Bora was introduced in 1971 and produced until 1978 with over 570 examples produced. It was a 2-door coupe with the engine placed in the middle, powering the rear wheels. Ferrari had been in the process of creating a mid-engined sports car while Lamborghini and DeTomaso had their Countach, Miura, and Mangusta, and the mid-engined Ford GT40 had even made a few appearances at LeMans. After seeing this trend, Guy Malleret, the administrator of Maserati, gave Giulio Alfieri permission to begin the design and production of a mid-engined sports car. Alfieri began work on the technical aspects of the vehicle.

The body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Ital Design. Officine Padane of Modena, Italy had been given the responsibility of the fabrication of the all-steel body panels. The engine cover was made of aluminum. The steel monocoque chassis featured a tubular steel subframe in the rear. The engine and the five-speed manual ZF transmission were mounted on the subframe. The result was a solid design that reduced vibration and road noise.

The Bora was internally known as the Tipo 117 and the creation of the prototype was started in October of 1968. By the middle of 1969, a roadworthy version could be found traversing the highways. At the 1971 Geneva Auto Show, it was debuted to the public in production form.

The suspension was independent, comprised of coil springs, anti-roll bars, and telescopic shocks. Large hydraulically operated ventilated brakes provided excellent stopping power. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was effective and responsive. While the headlights were not in use, they were stored, hidden away in the hood of the car adding to the sleek look of the car.

The 90-degree 4.7-liter V8 engine featured four Weber 42 DCNF downdraught carburetors and electronic Bosch ignition, resulting in an astonishing 310 horsepower to propel a very light 1520 KG vehicle to a top speed of around 170 mph. Between the engine and the driver was an extra carpeted aluminum panel to provide extra sound insulation for the occupants. The rear window was double-glazed. In 1973, an American version was produced which received an emissions-friendly 4.9 liter V8 that produced 300 horsepower. To comply with other safety regulations bumpers were added to the front and rear of the vehicle, degrading its appearance. In 1975 the 4.9-liter engine became standard on all Boras, now producing 320 horsepower. During its production run, 289 examples were created with the 4.7-liter engine and 235 with the 4.9-liter V8.

The interior was elegant, at least in terms of a sports car. The bucket seats were adorned in leather. The door trim, center console, dash, and rear bulkhead were given the same treatment, outfitted with rich leather. The steering column and the height of the driver's seat could be adjusted to accommodate most drivers. If that did not work, the pedal box could be moved backward or forwards. The windows were electric, another uncommon amenity in a sports car. The spare tire could be found in a cover above the gearbox and behind the engine. There were 10 cubic-feet of luggage space located in the front of the vehicle under the hood.

The Bora answered all the demands of the Maserati legacy. It was a quality automobile with style, reliability, and comfort. Even though the plush amenities added to the overall weight of the vehicle, it was still a sports car that handled well, and very responsive to the demands of the driver.

by Dan Vaughan