1974 Maserati Bora

● Engineering – Citroën-owned Maserati combined the best of Italian engine and chassis engineering with advanced and rather complex French hydro-pneumatic systems.

+ Design – Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Ital Design in its early stride- combining the modern wedge of the 70s with the sensuous curves of the 60s.

= Passion – French comfort, Italian performance.

The first Maserati road car based on a mid-engine design and the first car developed under full Citroën ownership, the Bora was a milestone in Maserati history. Citroën-owned Maserati combined the best of Italian engine and chassis engineering with advanced and rather complex French hydro-pneumatic systems. We can only assume that Nick Begovich was fascinated with the Bora because of how peculiar it is. French comfort Italian performance are blended wonderfully. The design was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who seamlessly mated 60’s curves with the 70’s wedge shape.

Maserati wasn’t in the best financial position in the late 1960s, so the engineering costs for an entirely new mid-engined model weren’t in the budget until Citroen bought the company in 1968. Shortly after Citroen took control of Maserati, the concept of a mid engined two seat sports car was proposed. Initially known as Tipo 117 and later the Bora, the Maserati project got underway in October 1968 and a prototype was on the road by mid-1969. Shown in its final form at the Geneva Salon in March 1971, deliveries began before the end of the year. 

Sales of the Bora suffered in the mid-1970s amid the oil crisis, while racing plans were thwarted due to homologation difficulties. Despite building only 524 examples between 1971 and 1978, the Bora remains a masterpiece of cutting-edge 1970s sports car design blended with 60s sensuous curves. After the Oil Crisis of 1973 tanked sales of anything high-performance, the market for Boras dried up as quickly as the oil supply from OPEC. The Bora was discontinued after the 1978 model year, as Maserati struggled with being bought by De Tomaso in 1975.

The Bora had several innovative features that distinguished the car from Maserati’s previous offerings. It was equipped with Citroën’s hydraulic system, which operated the brakes, retractable headlights, the adjustment of the driver’s seat and the pedals. Additionally, the Bora had a full-size trunk in the front of the vehicle and was otherwise known as being much more civilized in comfort from its competitors. Unlike its competitors, the Bora used dual pane glass separating its cabin from the engine compartment, as well as a carpeted aluminum engine gap greatly decreasing the engine noise in the cabin and increasing the comfort level for the driver. 

The mechanical features consisted of a fully independent suspension, disc brakes, and factory air conditioning. Also included with the vehicle was a tilting and telescoping steering column and power windows.

Bora Specifications:

Engine:  4.7L V8 
Horsepower 316 @ 5500 RPM
Torque: 355 ft./lbs. @ 4000 RPM 
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual 
Top Speed: 174 MPH