The Maserati Biturbo was a family of executive grand tourers produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati between 1981 and 1994. The original Biturbo was a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé (of somewhat smaller dimensions than the BMW 3 Series of the time) featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior.
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 (penned by Italdesign Giugiaro).
All Maserati models introduced from the Biturbo's inception in 1981 until 1997 were based on the original Biturbo architecture, including the later grand tourers like the Shamal and Ghibli II. The Barchetta, while of a different layout entirely, used an ultimate version of the Biturbo V6 engine.
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, replacing the higher-priced models that had traditionally made up the Maserati range, such as the Bora and Khamsin which were developed under Citroën ownership.
The Biturbo was initially a strong seller and brought Italian prestige to a wide audience, with sales of about 40,000 units. Sales figures fell in subsequent years. De Tomaso also used another of his companies, Innocenti, to produce body panels of the car and also to provide final assembly. De Tomaso later sold Maserati to Fiat when he suffered losses who grouped the company with their erstwhile rival Ferrari.
The Biturbo is number 28 in the BBC book Crap Cars and in 2007 was selected as Time's worst car of 1984, although they ranked the Chrysler TC by Maserati as a "greater ignominy".
The Biturbo competed unsuccessfully in the British Touring Car Championship in the late 1980s, the European Touring Car Championship and the World Touring Car Championship (1987).
Between 1987 and 1989, a facelift designed by Marcello Gandini was phased in, which helped to soften the sharp bodylines present on the original design. These changes first found their way onto the 1987 430. The redesign included a taller and more rounded grille with mesh grille and bonnet, aerodynamic wing mirrors and 15-inch disc-shaped alloy wheels, now mounted on 5-lug hubs. Some models received the wraparound bumpers with integral foglights and the deep sills introduced with the 2.24v in early 1989. Mechanical upgrades first seen on the 2.24v also began filtering through the Biturbo range in early 1989, including suspension and power steering improvements as well as ventilated front disc brakes.
In 1991, the entire lineup was restyled for a second time, again by the hand of Marcello Gandini; the design features introduced with the Shamal were spread to the other models. Gandini developed an aerodynamic kit that included a unique spoiler at the base of the windscreen hiding the windshield wipers, a rear spoiler, and side skirts.The new two-element headlights used poly-ellipsoidal projectors developed by Magneti-Marelli. Inset in body-colour housings, they flanked a redesigned grille, slimmer and integrated in the bonnet; the 1988 bumpers were adopted by all models. The 15-inch isc-shaped alloys were replaced by new 16-inch seven-spoke wheels, with a hubcap designed to look like a centerlock nut. The second facelift was referred to as nuovolook.
The cars in the Biturbo family were of unibody steel construction, with a conventional layout of front-longitudinally mounted engine and gearbox. Suspension was of the MacPherson strut type upfront and semi-trailing arms at the rear, with[coil springs, double-acting dampers and anti-roll bars on both axles. The differential and rear suspension arms were supported by a subframe.
The Maserati Biturbo was the first production car to use a twin-turbocharged engine. It also featured the first production car engine with three valves per cylinder. The aluminium 90-degree SOHC V6 was a completely new design even though it was roughly based on the 2.0 L engine used in the Merak, itself based on earlier Formula One Maserati V8 engines, designed by Giulio Alfieri. The 2-litre version featured wet aluminium sleeves coated with Nikasil.
In Italy, new cars with engine displacement over 2,000 cc were subjected to a 38% value added tax, against 19% on smaller displacement cars. Therefore, throughout the Biturbo' production run, there both two-litre models aimed mainly at the domestic market and "export" versions, initially with a 2.5 L V6 engine and later, a 2.8 L V6 engine. The carbureted 2.5 L engine was rated at 185 hp (138 kW) and 282 N⋅m (208 lb⋅ft) of torque in North American specification and 192 PS (141 kW) and 298 N⋅m (220 lb⋅ft) of torque in European specification.
In 1984 and 1985, the 2.5 L V6 models utilized a single Weber DCNVH carburetor under a smooth aluminum alloy plenum fed by twin IHI turbo chargers (one per bank of cylinders). Maserati, U.S. dealers, and sports car enthusiasts began experimenting with intercoolers for which many variants were fitted and mutually endorsed by Maserati. Intercoolers included air-to-air (two variants: top mounted assembly which was not as efficient as the separate side-mounted versions) and water-to-air intercoolers, all produced by Spearco. In 1986, the 2.5 L V6 models switched to a Weber 34DAT carburetor which was proven to be less efficient and more problematic to maintain than the Weber DCNVH used previously. On initial viewing of the 1986 Biturbo engine bay, the aluminum alloy plenum is finned with a slightly different footprint and the intake manifold was specific for that model. Similar experimentation with intercoolers and placement continued through 1986 models. However, the side-mounted water-to-air intercooler became the standard variant utilized until late 1986 / early 1987 when the intercoolers were placed, by the Maserati factory, outside the engine bay located in front of the radiator where they remained throughout the remaining models in the Maserati Biturbo family tree.
Fuel injection was fitted in 1987 raising power to 187 hp (139 kW) on North American models.
In 1989 the enlarged 2.8 L engine raised the power to 225 hp (168 kW) and 246 lb⋅ft (334 N⋅m) of torque for North America and 250 PS (184 kW; 247 hp) for Europe.
A 1,996 cc DOHC 36-valve (6 valves per cylinder) V6 engine was developed for the Biturbo but never manufactured.
The Biturbo is a two-door 2+2 coupé, introduced in December 1981. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged V6, rated at 180–205 PS (132–151 kW). The Biturbo name was dropped when the car was significantly redesigned in 1988. After 1994, the two-door coupé was again significantly reworked and became the Ghibli.
In July 1983, Maserati launched the sporty Biturbo S, for the Italian market only. Power was increased by 25 PS (18 kW) to 205 PS (151 kW) at 6500 rpm, courtesy of increased turbo boost and twin intercoolers which fed fresh air by two NACA ducts in the bonnet. The chassis was updated as well with lowered suspension and new, wider 6½Jx14" magnesium alloy wheels were fitted. The S was recognizable by its black mesh grille and the external trim (grille frame, headlight housings, window surround and Maserati badges on the C-pillar) finished in a dark bronze shade instead of chrome.The customer could only choose between two paint schemes: silver or red, both paired to the lower half of the body in contrasting metallic gunmetal grey. In the same year, the 2.5-litre Biturbo 2500 or Biturbo E (for Export) was also introduced, and was joined some twelve months later by the Biturbo ES with power outputs 205 or 196 PS (151 or 144 kW), respectively in European- or catalysed US-specification. In 1985, all models received updates and were renamed Biturbo II, Biturbo S II and Biturbo E II. The cylinders were now Nikasil-coated, a more capacious fuel tank was fitted and a Sensitork limited slip differential replaced the earlier Salisbury clutch-type one. The second series of the Biturbo was recognizable by its new 6"Jx14" wheels similar in design to the Biturbo S wheels; the S II wheels had fully painted faces, without the silver center.
1986 brought a major change: carburation gave way to Weber-Marelli fuel injection, and the Italian market models were now known as the Biturbo i and Biturbo Si. Power outputs increased across the range, albeit at some loss of throttle response. The original square instrument cluster (from 1983 - 1985) was changed in 1986 in favour of a rounded shape instrument cluster. The intercoolers were moved from under the bonnet to a front-mounted position directly behind the grille, making the NACA ducts on the Si's bonnet merely decorative.
In 1986, an Italy-only special edition of the Si called the Biturbo Si Black was introduced, whose main feature was a black on metallic grey paint scheme.105 units were made until 1988. Performance was the same as for the regular Si.In 1987, Maserati launched the final car to wear the Biturbo badge, the U.S only 2.5 litre export market model Biturbo (E) Si Black. with black on metallic grey paint scheme and special interior trim. Only a total of 25 cars were known to have been produced for the U.S. market.
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