Alex Unleashed on Cars- Maserati Bora (The French Connection)

 

Back in the 1970s, supercars were very different to how they are today, notoriously difficult to drive, uncomfortable, bad driving positions and you couldn't see out the back. That description could describe any number of Ferraris, Lambos or De Tomasos. But that wasn't always the case, which brings us to the Maserati Bora, possibly one of the first supercars that was actually usable and enjoyable on a regular basis.

At this point in time, Maserati was owned by Citroen of all companies, so naturally there was plenty of part sharing. The brakes and steering rack are all Citroen parts, and Citroen clearly had input elsewhere in the car's design, the engine can be covered up by some fancy cardboard which then gives the Bora some small luggage space, the windows have double glazing to reduce engine and tyre noise and the seats are far better than the competition, even if the driving position would still leave you as crooked as any other Italian sports car. Though the engine, as you'd expect is not a Citroen hand-me-down. It's a racing derived 4.7 (later 4.9) V8 seen in other Maseratis such as the Khamsin and Ghibli. But this was the first mid-engined Maserati, later followed by the V6 Merak later on in the 70s.

Speaking of which, the Bora, continues Maserati's legacy of naming cars after winds, in this case the wind of Trieste, a city in northeast Italy. Back to performance, the 4.7 engine makes 306 BHP in basic trim, and a hefty 340 Ib/ft, so despite the weight disadvantage, the Bora was no slouch in a straight line, 0-60 in 6.2 seconds was tough to top in 1971. 

That same year, Lamborghini brought out the updated Miura SV, which whilst some 300 KG lighter, and good for circa 180 MPH, could only do 0-60 in around 6 seconds, so not exactly leaving the Bora in it's wake.

Later on, a 4.9 version was made available, though by that point, Maserati was owned by De Tomaso, with post '75 cars all being 4.9s. Maserati had also planned on entering Group 4 GT racing for a French Maserati Dealer with a version of the Bora tweaked to over 400 BHP, though they didn't make the 500 required to meet homologation rules.

But all those previously mentioned comforts and quality of life additions made the Bora heavy and blunted performance, but the Bora was never about being the fastest supercar. Read any report about it's Italian rivals and you'll hear tales of no visibility, bad seats and handling that leaves a lot to be desired, by comparison, the Bora has aged far better, it's easier to drive, certainly better over a long distance, and still delivers all the supercar thrills of big power and big sound. 

Year Produced: 1971-1978

Engine: 4.7 - 4.9 Litre V8

Top Speed: 168 - 177 MPH

0-60: 6.2 - 6.0 Seconds

Power: 306 - 325 BHP

Torque: 340 - 354 Ib/ft

Weight: 1535 KG

Rivals: De Tomaso Pantera, Ferrari 512 BB, Lamborghini Countach LP400, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Porsche 911 Turbo