Maserati BiTurbo
The Maserati Biturbo was a family
of luxury sports cars, saloons and grand tourers produced by Maserati between
1981 and 1994. The original Biturbo was a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé 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
recent Quattroporte III (Italdesign Giugiaro).
All Maserati models introduced
from the Biturbo's inception in 1981 until 1997 were based on the original
Biturbo architecture. Among them the coupés as the 2.24v. and the Racing,
saloons as the 420, 425 and 430, the convertible Spyder, the Karif, the 228,
the later grand tourers like Shamal and Ghibli II, as well as the Maserati
Barchetta which used an ultimate version of the biturbo V6 engine.
The Biturbo proper was a two-door
2+2 coupé, introduced in December 1981. It was powered by a twin-turbo V6,
producing 180 to 205 PS. The Biturbo name
disappeared when the car was significantly redesigned in 1988. After 1994 the
two-door car was again significantly reworked and became the Ghibli.
In July 1983 Maserati launched
the sporting Biturbo S, for the Italian market only. Power was up 25 PS to 205
PS at 6500 rpm, thanks to increased turbo boost and twin
intercoolers fed fresh air by two NACA ducts in the bonnet. The chassis was
updated too with lowered suspension and new, wider 6½Jx14" magnesium alloy
wheels, painted gunmetal grey with silver center and lip. 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. That 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 205 or 196 PS, respectively in European- or catalysed US-specification. Again in
1984 the original square instrument cluster was changed to a more rounded one.
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 Biturbo was recognizable by its
new 6"Jx14" wheels similar in design to the Biturbo S's; 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 domestic models
became the Biturbo i and Biturbo Si. Power increased across the range, albeit
at some loss of throttle response. 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 arrived, whose main feature was
of course a black on metallic grey livery. 105 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 2.5 litre export market
"S" model Biturbo E Si.
