By the mid-seventies, Maserati looked set to disappear. In stepped one Alejandro De Tomaso who aided by GEPI, a state institution set up to aid companies in financial difficulties, re-organised the company. His aim was to produce an affordable Maserati that could compete in the same market as successful the BMW '3 series'.
On the 14th December 1981, the 'anniversary' of the founding of the company in December 1914, the 'Biturbo' was launched. Here was a compact four-seater sports coupe powered by a twin-turboed 180 bhp 2-litre V6 engine capable of 0-62 mph in 6.5 seconds with a top speed of around 135 mph.
The Modenese factory, which still adopted 'artisan' manufacturing practices, was in no position to sustain De Tomaso's ambitious production plan. Production and painting of the bodyshells was therefore entrusted to Innocenti, at its Lambrate factory in Milan; as was the final assembly and testing. The factory in Modena was to manufacture only the engines and suspension units which were then transported to Milan for final assembly.
The attractive wedge-shaped coupe body was the work of designer Pierangelo Andreani. The innovative shoert-stroke 90° V6 engine was derived from the 1996cc unit Ing. Giulio Alfieri designed for the 'Merak 2000' with certain modifications: three valves per cylinder (two intakes and one exhaust) instead of two, twin overhead camshafts instead of four, a timing belt replaced the central chain and induction was via two low pressure IHI tubochargers with a single twin-choke Weber carburettor sited inside a plenum chamber.
When sales began in April 1982, the Biburbo was greeted by the Italian public with great enthusiasm (long waiting lists enabled early examples to be sold at a premium). However, a combination of poor build quality, reliability problems and a price increase of around 30% after only six months, somewhat curbed their appetite for this new 'Maserati'.
Make no mistake the 'Biturbo' was very well equipped; air conditioning, electric windows, tinted glass, central locking, heated rear window, sun-blinds for the rear window, steering wheel adjustable for height and reach, headrests, front passenger vanity mirror with light etc. were all standard equipment.
1985, saw the introduction of the 'Biturbo II'. The large rectangular instrument binnacle was replaced with a neater elliptical design and the dashboard now housed the now famous oval gold analogue timepiece in place of the previous digital clock.
From June 1983, Maserati fitted a new MABC system (Maserati Automatic Boost Control), which electronically adjusted the turbocharger boost pressure according to the needs of the engine.
For the uprated 'Biturbo II', emphasis was placed on engine reliability. New water-cooled IHI turbochargers were fitted and the earlier Salisbury differential was replaced with the Sensitork® differential which in abnormal driving conditions could transfer up to 90% of the engine power to the wheel with the most traction. |
