Oh, what could have been. Maserati had been producing very fast, very expensive sports cars for many years by the time the Biturbo debuted in late 1981. It was the first Maserati built in serious numbers, meant to compete in the newly-emerging sport sedan market that was being dominated by the E30 BMW. It was very contemporary and looked good on paper, but woe to the Yuppie plunking down his S&L money on one of these cars.
Maserati had a kind of roller coaster ride between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Known for building beautiful exotics like the Mistral and Ghibli, they were purchased by Citroen in 1968 and what had been a very small, near boutique operation expanded under Citroen’s (and by association Michelin’s) rule. Don’t get me wrong, they were never going to be GM, but there was still a substantial production and R&D bump. Among all these changes came the Merak (above) and Bora, which shared the hydropneumatic suspension with the far-out Citroen SM (Ate Up With Motor’s excellent piece on the SM is here).
It didn’t last. Gas Crises I and II beat up Maserati sales pretty bad. It was decided to go in a new direction. The Biturbo was their choice for a new beginning. The Biturbo was unlike any Maserati that came before. It was intended to be a much more mass-produced vehicle. While it was not as beautiful as say, a 1964 Mistral, it was handsome in its own way.
The Biturbo was introduced on December 14, 1981, the 67th anniversary of Maserati’s founding. Initially available only as a two-door coupe, the first cars came off the line in December of 1981. Demand was high, and two different factories had a hand in making Biturbos: the Innocenti facility in Milan, and the Maserati factory in Modena. Innocenti made the unit bodies and did painting and assembly, while Maserati built the engines and suspension components.
Early Biturbos were powered by a twin turbo 1996cc (2.0L) V6 with a single dual-barrel Weber carburetor that produced 180 hp at 6000 rpm in European form. In 1983 a four door Biturbo was added to the lineup with a longer 100″ wheelbase. They became available in the United States for the 1984 model year, with a larger 2491cc (2.5L) version of the V6 and a five speed manual; an automatic transmission became available in 1985. Although much less expensive than Maseratis of the past, these were not cheap cars, at about $27,000, just shy of $60,000 in 2012 dollars.
Also in 1984, a Spyder version appeared. Introduced at the 1984 Turin Motor Show, the Spyder was built by Zagato, who placed their logo on the front fenders. Strictly a two seater, it rode a shorter 94″ wheelbase.
Trouble was brewing, however. While the car was praised for its performance, luxurious interior and fine handling, owners had a somewhat different experience as time passed. The engine would develop leaks, and much like the Dutch boy with his finger in the dam, once one was plugged, another was likely to develop in a different spot.
When combined with a small (and frequently indifferent) North American dealer network, myriad wiring and electronic issues, and hit-or-miss assembly quality, these cars’ reputation went steadily downhill. While it was a mainstream Maserati, it was still an exotic, and if not serviced regularly, owners found themselves in big trouble in no time at all. Even vigilant maintenance would not completely keep trouble away.
Maserati did attempt to correct the Biturbo’s issues. The 1986 Biturbo i added Magneti-Marelli electronic fuel injection and electronic ignition. Power increased to 188 hp at 6000 rpm. Late in ’86 a sportier Biturbo Si (Capsule here) debuted, with blacked-out exterior trim, ground effects, a rear spoiler and 220 hp at 6350 rpm (European figures).
Whether the updated Biturbo was a better car was immaterial at that point, as many burned Biturbo owners likely moved on to 325i ownership by that time. The name ‘Biturbo’ in the mid-to-late 1980s was nearly as bad as ‘Vega’ was in the Seventies, and owners, in North America at least, went elsewhere. Maserati attempted damage control by renaming a further refined Biturbo the Maserati 420 after 1987.
To give the Biturbo some credit, they did have some beautiful interiors. The leather was extremely luxurious, genuine wood trim was in abundance, and the cool analog clock in the middle of the instrument panel was a classy touch. But all that could not save the surfeit of mechanical maladies these cars had. I imagine Maserati’s shift from 200-300 cars a year to 30,000-40,000 was a huge adjustment too. And after all, it is an Italian car!
I was not expecting to stumble upon a Biturbo. I actually saw one in the small Northern Illinois town of Lanark, probably fifteen years ago. It was a black coupe sitting in a driveway on the main drag. I thought at the time this was the most unlikely place to find a Biturbo, in a sleepy farming community. Apparently lightning does sometimes strike twice. I was on the way into Clinton for lunch. As I was passing through the river town of Port Byron, I spied our featured CC. At first, I was sure this was a late Eighties E30 BMW convertible, but as I got closer I saw the wheelbase was way too short. Whoa, it’s a Biturbo!
This may well be the nicest Biturbo left in the US. According to the information sheet, the convertible top was installed in 2011 and it has 61,400 miles on it. The interior, while somewhat worn, was in decent shape. I had a hard time getting interior pictures, as giant ‘For Sale’ signs were on BOTH sides of the car. I fear for any car guy who does not know about the Biturbo engine’s delicacy, and just sees a cool-looking, rare Italian convertible. True, by 1986 some of the bugs had been worked out, but can you imagine trying to find parts, or someone to work on this car? In Northwestern Illinois?
While the Biturbo/420/430 was pretty much done in North America by 1988-89, Maserati continued to refine – and build -the Biturbo. In fact, the same basic car lasted all the way to 1994. While some do not care for the angular 1980s styling, I do find these cars attractive.
From 1992 to 1997, the Ghibli II (a ’96 is shown above) and Khamsin utilized the same basic body structure as the Biturbo. This is a pretty mean-looking set of wheels. I have no idea what powered these last of the line Biturbo varieties, but I like the way they look, too.
Maserati had a huge opportunity with the Biturbo. If it had been better assembled and powered by a more robust powerplant, who knows what could have happened? Could a 2012 Biturbo have been a BMW 3-Series beater, in an alternate universe? Don’t cry for Maserati though. The current lineup is pretty sexy, and they have found their way back into the exotic class, maybe where they should have stayed all along.
I passed up the opportunity (??!?!) to purchase my very own BiTurbo in 1999 for the low low price of $3000. The orange leather interior was just a wee bit too pimptastic and I feared the maintenance headache of two turbos and the Maserati nameplate. Luckily I dodged that bullet by purchasing an Alfa Romeo 164 instead (snicker).
Out of the fire and back into the frying pan.
I bought a nice 1987 Biturbo Si 2.5 Fi with only 36k miles on it for only $1300.00. Great condition and it runs great! After getting the repair manual cd on ebay. I simply started going through one thing at a time checking everything under the hood. It was actually fun, cheap and very easy to work on. Any parts that couldn’t be found at my local auto parts store were easy to find on ebay. I found that most of the quirks it had were actually very easy to fix, being rubber vacuum lines rotted and electrical connector ends dirty, loose fitting stuff etc. And no special tools were needed either. I think any 25 yr old classic car would have the same issues. information was also easy to find online with some sites dedicated just to trouble shooting the car..all easy fix stuff. I also was afraid to by one, But with the pride of owning a Maserati that most people never seen before, the race sound of the engine is like nothing else on the road and attracts attention everywhere It goes, I’m so glad that I did.
I’d love to own one of those, but it would take a lot of research. First, to hit all the Internet owner’s groups to find all the fixes to all the problems that have been developed over the decades. Second, extensive research on the individual car I’d be looking at.
On second thought, I’m probably better off just keeping my 924S. Over the last three years, it’s been pretty reliable.
What a great find!. I had completely forgotten that Maserati offered a convertible model. I remember these cars from when they first came out. I was in my great new car dreaming phase as the end of law school was coming into sight. There was a local dealer who had 2 or 3 on the lot. I remember that my impressions were 1) Wow, is that expensive. But, then, it is a Maserati, so I guess is is supposed to be and 2) that interior is stunning.
Of course, it was completely out of my price range (I was driving a well-worn 71 Scamp at the time). But I will confess that if I had been one of those kids with a trust fund, I may have been lured into one of these. Sometimes being broke really is good for you.
Maseratis have always been beautiful cars. In the 80s, the BiTurbo, although good looking, was nothing compared to the Quattroporte. I dig the front ends of these cars especially. And the seats look extremely comfortable.
Too bad they sucked.
At first glance, it looks like a BMW Alliance, as in Renault. Money pit, I’m sure. It would have to be a labor of love for a buyer, but as it is not a Chevy, I pass…
As much as I love when writers include the “2012 dollars” conversion, it leaves me with a very sinking feeling, underscoring just what bad investments cars (Italian or otherwise) can be. This was a sharp looking car in its day, with plenty of character, in context. But “$60,000″ worth? This car wasn’t Italian-exotic enough to warrant that price, not to mention the headaches. What’s it selling for now, and who wants it? In retrospect, a red ’86 Mustang convertible would probably have been a better investment. Thanks, Tom, now I’m depressed.
Meh. There’s nothing wrong with this car that a late model Rover (ex-Buick) V8 transplant won’t solve.
Eff that. Drop a Nissan VQ35HR in there instead of that ex-GM boat anchor.
6 cylinders, 3.5 liters, 298 horsepower, 7000 rpm redline, and reliable.
I’ve seen a few Bi-Turbos in the last 20 years or so and they all had one thing in common, that big FOR SALE sign in the window.
Another great write up there Tom – thanks!
I share your soft spot for the styling of these, and LOVE that ’96 two door… Maseratis have always looked best when they look a little mean like that I think, much like the current Quattroporte which only looks “right” in black – maybe gunmetal grey – and out of which I always expect gangsters to emerge.
I’ll always remember what Car and Driver said in retrospect on a 10 “Best” List – “Maserati BiTurbo, the perfect car to give to an ex-wife in a divorce. The judge thinks you’re being generous and there’s a good possiblity the car could catch fire and kill her.”
My exwife got a 1997 Escort station wagon in the divorce. But in her eyes I might as well have given her a car that would spontaneously combust.
If I felt that lucky, I’d get a blood transfusion from Keith Richards before I’d buy that.
The blood transfusion from KR would have nothing but antibodies – you might live nearly forever no matter what you did, but you might occasionally have a strong hankerin’ for some Big H. Perhaps best avoided after all.
Conservative folks would have gone with any of my Alfas in preference to a BuyTrouble. I remember one BiTurbo on the lift at the local Alfa specialist, year after year after year. It might have made it onto the road for a test drive occasionally, but I wouldn’t swear to it ever making back onto pavement….
I vaguely remember reading they had 1st & 2nd gears set for an optimum 0-60 time at one stage, with an inappropriate gap to third, in the aim for better brochure stats.
I think this would be one of a few vehicles where you would drive it for a little while, measuring for a driveline transplant while waiting for something major to go wrong. Wire it from scratch (like a hot rod) while you’re at it.
No I don’t feel lucky enough to take my chances on one of These.
And assuming the brittle engine holds together the electrics are Italian and it will probably rust
I actually saw one of these on the road here in Dallas, TX on Monday. Black with tan interior: it looked to be in excellent shape; but I can’t remember the last time I saw one prior to that.
Saw my first Biturbo when I was a kid back in the 80s. It was a couple of years old and was for sale and on display in the local Mercedes dealer’s showroom. Bright red, with a gorgeous interior. I knew a bit about cars then, but this ‘Maserati’ name badge was all new and unfamiliar. The car looked so good – and comparatively normal – that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of it or seen one before. I can still remember that clock in the middle of the dash. Have seen very few over the intervening couple of decades.
Hmm, I sorta’ forgot about these. And then there was the Chrysler TC.
Can the Maserati and buy a Lancia Thema V8 instead….
The unholy marriage of a Saab 9000 body and a Ferrari 308 engine.
Love those things in concept. In reality, I’m sure they’re plenty scary from a service perspective.
I’d much rather have an Alfa Spider from the mid 80′s for an Italian droptop. Like the looks much better and most of the Alfa issues are pretty well documented and they’re easy to live with compared to this Maserati.
Nothing a Ford 2.8 V6 can’t solve. I think the Blue Oval 2.8 / T-5 swap would be a match made in heaven for this thing.
I saw this car last fall and pointed it out to my wife (she is from Lanark), commenting that it must be the nicest one in the country as it is properly the last one in the country. Surprise I saw a red on for sale at an auto group just north of Chicago on the Edens ’86 $9995 under 54,000 miles.
That was my car, had it about 10 years, no big issues, just the water pump started leaking after i adjusted the valves and replaced the timing belt, and the starter relay went bad. Not too bad for this car. i think all i did was change all fluids, filters, replaced the gasket to the oil “pan” cover,and put new spark plugs and wires. Its been out of my hands for 10 years now, was even thinking about picking it up again, for the right price of course.
I think it’s at a Land Rover dealer in Fort Pierce FL. $6995. Check Auto Trader.