Coming under the hammer at an Important Coys Auction of Grand Prix, Competition, Touring and Rally Cars & Collectors Items during the Racing Car Show at the NEC, Birmingham, UK on the 16th January 2016 are two interesting Maseratis.

LOT 345 - 1988 MASERATI BITURBO 222 E.

EX-WORKS BRITISH TOURING CAR - ONE OWNER FROM NEW.

ONE OF FIVE WORKS BUILT AND SUPPORTED CARS.

ESTIMATE £60,000-£75,000.

CHASSIS NUMBER: ZAM331B00*HB117119*.

DESCRIPTION

"One of the greatest names in the history of motor racing was to be seen on major race circuits after a period of 25 years, when a Maserati Biturbo competes in the 1988 British Touring Car championship”- Press information. Maserati. 1988 When Alejandro de Tomaso acquired Maserati in 1976, he had ambitious plans for the marque. His plan was to combine the prestige of the Maserati brand with a sports car that would be more affordable than the earlier high-priced models that had traditionally made up the Maserati range. In fact, Maserati ceased making supercars like the ones developed under Citroën ownership altogether, like the Bora and Khamsin.

In 1988, with the coupés being restyled, the Biturbo name was dropped in favour of 222 — meaning 2-door, 2-litre engine and 2nd generation. The car carried all the visual clues of Gandini’s first facelift, with a more rounded grille and bonnet, different wing mirrors and rear spoiler. The engine size of the 222 E export model grew from the Biturbo’s 2.5- to 2.8-litres. A mixed velour-leather interior was standard on the domestic models, while export markets got leather upholstery as standard.

Purchased new by Trident Motorsport Ltd., this Biturbo was used to Launch Maserati’s return to Motor Racing at the Maserati Showroom, Berkeley street, London on the 20th April 1988. Indeed, testament to the cars originality and provenance, even the press call, press information from Maserati and selection of press photos in Berkley square accompany the car within its history file.

The original sales invoice within the car’s file confirms the car being sold from Maserati as a works car, along with the FIA papers with valid homologation from July 1987, and an RAC production car specification sheet.

Internationally regarded and respected driver Nick May competed in the car during the 1988 British Touring Car Championship, where the car displayed some excellent potential! After the season finished, the car was put in to storage. Most remarkably, it is offered today by the same owner who bought the car new! Chassis HB 117119 has been left to rest in the same collection for the last 30 years. This is first time the car has been offered on the open Market. Offered for sale with a host of bills and receipts, the Biturbo also comes with its original Maserati Handbook and even its original door key, and most importantly all the ECU settings, and the ECU itself.

One of only 5 Maserati Works built and supported cars- this wonderful piece of Maserati’s history is now eligible to compete in a wide selection of historic race series’, and would make an excellent passport to an array of UK and worldwide events. Unique and offered with a realistic reserve. The car also comes with a small spares package."

LOT 354 - 1991 MASERATI SHAMAL

ITALIAN REGISTERED.

ESTIMATE £ -£.

CHASSIS NUMBER: ZAM339B00*MA300122*.

DESCRIPTION

"Built between 1989 and 1996, the V8-powered Shamal supercar was the ultimate expression of Maserati’s long-running Biturbo family. Maserati’s mainstream model throughout the 1980s, and the first series-production road car to employ a twin turbo-charged engine, the Biturbo saloon debuted in 1982. Intended to challenge BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the luxury sporting saloon market, the unitary-construction Biturbo featured all-independent suspension, disc brakes all round, and an interior boasting sumptuous leather upholstery and plentiful wood veneer trim.

Designed by the Maserati Design Centre in collaboration with ex-Bertone stylist Marcello Gandini, a man with an enviable selection of the world’s most desirable cars to his credit, the Shamal was powered by a compact 3,217cc 32-valve V8 engine producing 325bhp, good enough for a top speed within a whisker of 170mph. To fully utilise all this power within a relatively small, rear-wheel drive package, Maserati turned to class-leading technology in the form of electronically controlled, driver-adjustable active suspension, developed in conjunction with Koni.

This Shamal was delivered to Enineer Caliri who was part of Maserati´s development division. This Shamal´s engine was, according to the seller, used for engine tuning experimentation for the forthcoming One-make race series and it pushes out as much as 435 horse power as opposed to the standard Shamal´s 330. It has been in a private collection since 1995 in Italy. A rare chance to acquire one of the last classic Maseratis ever made."