Maserati Biturbo & family

Overview

Of course, Alejandro de Tomaso was, let’s say, special. The way the Argentinean took over Maserati in 1975 can certainly be described as adventurous. He finally paid 300,000 lire after several trips to Rome, which is about 300 espressos, or perhaps just under 200 euros at today’s value. For everything: real estate, production facilities, some secret halls with classics, others with leftover stock. Although he only held 30 per cent of the shares (the rest remained with the state-owned rescue company GEPI), he gained full control over the management. He was then allowed to do whatever he wanted, and he had the Italian government grant him the right to lay off half of the workforce – for which he even received money from the south. He screwed everyone, everyone, over, and on a massive scale. Right in the middle of it: Romano Prodi, who would become President of the European Commission in 1999, but that’s just a side note. One of his first official acts was to dismiss the long-standing Maserati chief engineer, Giulio Alfieri, with immediate effect.

First, de Tomaso had Maserati build a converted DeTomaso model, the Kyalami, which was based on the Longchamp. The Merak was puffed up to SS proportions, and in 1979 the Quattroporte was added, another Longchamps derivative. But apparently de Tomaso had a clear plan from the outset: he wanted to turn Maserati into a large-scale manufacturer. To this end, he again made the Italian state pay: 50 billion lire were invested by the taxpayer in automated production at Innocenti. He saw the BMW 3 Series (E21) as a role model, but of course de Tomaso was aiming higher: the basis was a 2-litre six-cylinder engine inflated by two IHI turbochargers. Even the basic version presented in 1981 had 180 hp, which was more than the then most powerful 3 series, the 323i, with its 143 hp. And it was more than all the competitors, too. Mercedes sold mainly tired diesel cars and taxis in this segment, not even Alfa Romeo could keep up.

We need to go into more detail here. De Tomaso had actually wanted to use the 2-litre V6 from the Merak, which was originally developed from the Citroën SM engine. But there were also legal problems, but the new chief engineer Aurelio Bertocchi and above all Ermanno Cozza developed a new engine on this basis (and consequently at an unfavourable 90-degree angle for a V6), with a bore of 82 x 63 millimetres, 1996 cm3, an aluminium block, one camshaft per head (and toothed belt drive) and a completely new cylinder head with two inlet valves and one outlet valve. However, the engine only managed around 150 stable horsepower, which was not enough. But with Giordano Casarini, a former Ferrari employee, de Tomaso had already hired the right man in 1976. He first tried with a single turbo between the cylinder banks, but this led to thermal problems. So there were two smaller IHI turbos on the left and right of the engine – and with a boost pressure of 0.8 bar, the aforementioned 180 hp at 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 255 Nm at 3500 rpm. Mixture preparation was done by a Weber double carburettor (DCNVH 36), although Bertocchi had strongly recommended fuel injection. But de Tomaso was a conservative and, above all, stubborn guy. The two litres of cubic capacity were of course due to Italian tax legislation, which made vehicles with larger engines 38 per cent more expensive. However, a 2.5-litre version was introduced for export markets as early as 1983, designated as Biturbo E. Although it had hardly any more power (185 hp at 5500 rpm), it had significantly better torque (299 Nm instead of 255 Nm).

It was all good. The design of the coupé, which weighs less than 1100 kilograms, is only 4.15 metres long, 1.71 metres wide and 1.30 metres high, was the work of Pierangelo Andreani, a former employee of Fiat and Pininfarina. However, he had to stick to the Quattroporte designed by Giugiaro; the front with the imposing radiator grille and the rear with the rectangular lights were predetermined, as were certain details in the (opulently equipped) interior. Of course, there was independent wheel suspension all round, front and rear with coil springs and hydraulic telescopic dampers, anti-roll bars, MacPherson strut at the front and semi-trailing arm at the rear. Disc brakes all round from ATE were used. The engine block of the aforementioned 2-litre V6 was made of aluminium, had three valves per cylinder, two overhead camshafts (and unfortunately a toothed belt); a ZF 5-speed transmission was used for shifting.

However, all beginnings are difficult. When the Biturbo was presented on 14 December 1981, the birthday of the Maserati brand, only pre-series vehicles were available; the first Biturbo cars were not delivered to customers until May 1982. Only the engines were produced in Modena; these were then transported to the new Innocenti factory in Lambrate near Milan, where the bodies were manufactured and the car completed. This was to be done with a high degree of automation; the factory was state of the art, but it only worked to a limited extent. The factory was designed to produce 30 vehicles per day (and could have doubled its capacity), which corresponded to an annual output of about 7,000 vehicles. In its best year, 1984, 4,200 units rolled off the production line, after which production settled at between 2,000 and 3,000 vehicles. The early years were indeed not beyond reproach, the workmanship was often a little careless, the electrics had their pitfalls, the carburettor engines did not like high temperatures, and a few US models with catalytic converters burned out spectacularly. And the Italians probably also did something wrong in their press work, with early test reports sometimes being very harsh.

Let’s put it this way: Maserati Biturbo cars that have survived to this day and are still in use have certainly overcome these teething troubles. However, many, very many, were abandoned at some point because the cost of repairs far exceeded their value. You should steer clear of such ‘barn finds’, even if they are available for a fistful of dollars. Later Biturbo models and especially their derivatives, Ghibli, Shamal, and also Quattroporte IV, have long been in high demand and are no longer a bargain. Of course, everything is relative. But we are not trying to evaluate here, just provide a decent list – the history is rather confusing. But that’s traditional for Maserati.

So, let’s go on a journey through time. It’s not that easy:

1981 – Maserati Biturbo
The base model with the carburettor engine was produced from 1981 to 1987, but in 1985 it was renamed Biturbo II, and from 1986 there was also a variant with fuel injection (see below). 9206 units were built.

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1983 – Maserati Biturbo E
As mentioned above, the export version offered from 1983 had a displacement of 2.5 litres and 185 hp. From the outside, the difference was not visible, and there was no special marking. The E followed all developments of the Italian version, including the Biturbo II in 1985, and was built until 1987. With 4577 units sold, it was one of the most successful versions.

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1983 – Maserati Biturbo S
The Biturbo S was launched on 14 December 1983. It could be recognised from the outside by the air intakes on the bonnet (which were actually non-functional) and the two-tone paintwork; the bottom part was always black. More exciting was what was under the bonnet: the chassis was significantly improved and there was an additional 25 hp, giving a total of 205 hp. Without any major changes, this engine was also used in the Biturbo II (from 1985, see below) and produced until 1986. Between 1983 and 1986, 1038 units were produced.

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1984 – Maserati Biturbo ES
The ES was the export model of the Biturbo S, so it had the 2.5-litre engine, but also 205 hp. The ES was also only available in two-tone paintwork, with 1480 units produced by 1987.

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1984 – Maserati Biturbo 425
At the end of 1983, Maserati presented the four-door version of the Biturbo, labelled 425, the 4 for the number of doors, the 25 for the 2.5-litre engine, which seemed more appropriate to De Tomaso for the 25-centimetre longer and almost 200-kilogram heavier saloon. The wheelbase was extended by 8.6 centimetres to 2.6 metres. The Biturbo and 425 looked very similar, but there were hardly any shared body parts; the rear end was designed significantly higher than on the coupé to provide more boot space. Maserati stated 203 hp for the carburettor version; from 1987, the 425 was also available with fuel injection, in which case it was designated 425i. A total of 2372 units were built.

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1985 – Maserati Biturbo Spyder
As early as 1982, the Italian coachbuilder Embo – which had already produced the first series of the Pantera for deTomaso, among other things – tried its hand at an open Biturbo for the first time. However, De Tomaso then awarded the contract to Zagato, where the wheelbase was shortened to 2.4 metres, but the front end was adopted unchanged from the coupé. The soft top was made of fabric but lined with Alcantara on the inside; it had to be opened by hand but disappeared completely into the bodywork. The engines were mostly the same as in the other models, but were introduced at slightly different times. 276 units of the first version, which was offered until 1986, were produced.

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1985 – Maserati Biturbo II
Maserati revised the interior of the Biturbo II and new colours were introduced. However, the new Sensitork limited-slip differential, which was able to transfer up to 90 percent of the power to a single rear wheel, was more important and significantly improved driving performance. The designation ‘II’ was not visible.

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1985 – Maserati Biturbo 420
A year after the Biturbo 425, Maserati also offered its four-door saloon with the 2-litre engine (AM 452). This variant was only available until 1986, but 2810 units were produced nonetheless. It was followed by the 420i with fuel injection (AM 470), of which 1142 units were sold in two years. At the same time, the 420Si with 220 hp (AM 417) was still available, of which 524 units had been sold by the end of 1987.

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1986 – Maserati Biturbo i
In 1986, the Biturbo II was finally joined by a version with a port fuel injection system (AM 470), which produced 188 hp. The ‘i’ was only available in 1986/87, with 683 units being built.

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1986 – Maserati Biturbo IE
In 1986, the 2.5-litre version for export also received a manifold injection, which increased the power to 194 hp. This variant was only produced for a short time. Apparently, there was also a version called Si 2500, which should have been the more powerful S engine, but it only had an output of 188 hp, which was due to the newly introduced catalytic converter.

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1986 – Maserati 228
In the USA, the classic biturbo coupé was considered too ‘small’, which is why Maserati presented a new coupé version based on the four-door model, the 228, on 14 December 1984. It did not go into production until 1986 and never really took off during its six-year production run, with only 469 units being produced. but it is still an important model for Italians, because the 2.8-litre V6 (AM 473) was used here for the first time. At the beginning still with Weber dual carburettors and 255 hp, then from 1988 with fuel injection and 250 hp (with catalytic converter: 224 hp).

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1987 – Maserati Biturbo Si
These were the last ‘classic’ Biturbo models, with the Si replacing the Biturbo S II with 220 hp and manifold injection. It was only available in red, grey or black, with the lower flanks always painted black. The Si was only built in 1987/88, with 992 units produced.

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1987 – Maserati 430
When the 430 was introduced in 1987, the direct successor to the Biturbo 425, Maserati finally abandoned the Biturbo designation (although the engine naturally still had two turbochargers). The 430, whose designation was somewhat illogical, was more than just a facelift; the design was updated both inside and out. The 2.8-litre V6 (AM 473) used for the first time in the 228 was used as the drive, but it came onto the market with injection from the outset. The vehicle remained in the line-up until 1991.

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1988 – Maserati 222
It is unclear where the designation 222 came from, it was a lucky number, maybe that was also to blame. Like the 430, which had been introduced shortly before, the direct successor to the biturbo coupé had been significantly redesigned, family resemblance still counts for something in Italy. The base version was now powered by the three-valve engine from the previous Biturbo Si, i.e. AM 471, 2 litres displacement, 220 hp. The 222 was built until 1990, with 1156 units produced.

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1988 – Maserati 222 E
At the same time as the 222, the export version was also introduced, designated as the 222 E. This was given the 2.8-litre engine with fuel injection (AM 473), 250 bhp without a catalytic converter (1988-1990), 225 with a catalytic converter (1988-1993). 722 units were sold.

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1988 – Maserati 2.24v
Just a few months after the 222, Maserati launched a new 2-litre V6 for the Italian market, with four overhead camshafts and four instead of three valves. And that is why it is called 2.24v. The power increased to 245 hp, and the 2.24v replaced the Biturbo Si as the sporty model; from 1990, this engine (AM 475) replaced the previous AM 471 as the basic engine.

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1988 – Maserati 422
This is the Italian version of the 430. For tax reasons, it had the 2-litre engine from the previous Biturbo Si with 220 hp (AM 471). This variant was not available with a catalytic converter.

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1988 – Maserati Karif
A rather special model: actually a Spyder, i.e. with a short wheelbase, but with a fixed roof welded on by Zagato. It was powered by the most powerful engine of the time, AM 473, 2.8-litre displacement, 250 hp without a catalytic converter. Only 220 Karif models were built by 1992.

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1989 – Maserati Shamal
And now for another special model, albeit one that had a major influence. The Shamal, which was introduced in 1989 and was once again based on the short chassis of the Spyder, not only received a new design from Marcello Gandini, but also a completely new engine (AM 479), eight cylinders, 3.2-litre displacement, and two turbos, which boosted the power to an impressive 326 hp. Many of the Shamal’s design features were later used on other Maserati models. This model was built until 1992, with 369 vehicles produced.

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1989 – Maserati Spyder i90
Although the Spider, introduced in 1984, had been repeatedly revised over the years, the Italian versions received the injection version of the 2-litre V6 (AM 470) in 1986, and the export versions received the equivalent of the 2.5-litre engine (AM 472) with 195 hp in 1987. In 1988, the Spyder 2800 was launched with the AM 473 (250 hp without cat, 225 with), which remained the only engine option until the model was discontinued (there were never any four-valve Spyders outside of Italy). There were only a few visual adjustments and new designations, iE90 and Spyder Nouva 2.8. And if you haven’t lost track of this by now, then congratulations. In Italy, the Spyder i90 was introduced in autumn 1989, which received the optical changes of the 222 and also corresponded to it technically. Finally, from 1991, there was – only for Italy – the Spyder Nouva, which corresponded optically and technically (AM 475, 245 hp) to the 2.24v.

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1990 – Maserati Racing
Another very special model, which, although it bore the designation Racing, probably never competed in a race. The engine was particularly interesting: 2 litres of displacement, four overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, so everything was the same as in the AM 475, which was installed in the 2.24v. But now there were also forged pistons, modified combustion chambers, new turbos from IHI, sodium-cooled valves, the suspension was given an electronic suspension developed in collaboration with Koni, larger disc brakes, but no ABS. With its 286 hp, the Racing was well over 250 km/h fast, and only 230 units were produced by 1992.

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1990 – Maserati 222 SE
A niche product, the look of the 2.24v, but otherwise with the three-valve engine (AM 473) from the 222 E. It was replaced by the 222 SR after just one year, with everything exactly the same and just a new designation.

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1990 – Maserati 4.24v
It took a while before the four-door versions also benefited from the four-valve engines. In April 1990, the 4.24v was the first to receive it, and it was technically and visually identical to the 2.24v.

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1991 – Maserati 4.18v
It’s hard to explain exactly why the 4.18v introduced in 1991 was a step backwards. It had the three-valve engine on board again, but received an ABS in return. After only one year and 77 units, it was already over.

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1991 – Maserati 222 4v / 430 4v
It was only in December 1991 that Maserati introduced the four-valve versions of the 2.8-litre V6 (AM 477) in both the coupé and the saloon. A completely new cylinder head was designed for this purpose, with each cylinder row now having two overhead camshafts; the camshafts on the exhaust side drove those on the intake side via timing chains. This engine produced 279 hp at 5500 rpm, and a manual 5-speed transmission from Getrag was used. The 430 4v, which remained in the programme until 1994, is considered the most sophisticated model of the original Biturbo series, but only 291 units were produced.

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1992 – Maserati Ghibli II
The second generation of the Maserati Ghibli, AM 336, was still based on the floor pan and body structure of the Biturbo series, with the dimensions, doors, roof and glass being adopted. The other sheet metal parts followed a new design by Marcello Gandini, making the Ghibli II something of a domesticated version of the Shamal. The first Ghibli had to make do with the well-known 2-litre V6, which in the meantime had 310 hp; for the export markets, a 2.8-litre version with 284 hp was introduced in 1993, which was also available with a new 4-speed automatic transmission from ZF. The Ghibli II was built until the end of 1997, with 2193 units produced.