Maserati Bora History

When Citroën took a controlling interest in Maserati in 1968, the new management challenged the engineering team to produce a mid-engine competitor to the Lamborghini Miura and Ferrari Boxer that was on the drawing boards. The result was the Bora, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at the newly founded Italdesign studio and unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show.

The Bora was Maserati's first mid-engine production car and its first with four-wheel independent suspension — representing a quantum leap in chassis sophistication. A front-mounted, rear-mid-placed V8 (4.7 litres initially; 4.9 litres from 1974) produced 310 PS, and Citroën's hydraulic technology equipped the car with servo-operated brakes, pop-up headlights, and an adjustable steering column and pedal box — all remarkable features in 1971.

Its drag coefficient of 0.30 was exceptional for the era, and the Bora's cabin was unusually refined for a supercar. Production ran 1971–1978 with 564 examples built before the energy crisis and Maserati's financial difficulties ended the run. A near-identical sibling, the smaller-engined Merak, shared the same body.