Maserati’s ownership history was a constant shuffle from its founding. Formed by Alfieri Maserati along with several of his brothers in 1914, the company was sold to Adolfo Orsi after 23 years. Thirty years on, Citroen took over the company; just a few years later the gas crisis ushered the company into the arms of the state, with a minority share dedicated to Alejandro de Tomaso. De Tomaso became sole owner in 1989, but almost immediately, FIAT stepped into the mix, finally acquiring 100% of Maserati in 1993. From that point forward, Maserati bounced from division to group to partnership, all under the FIAT (now Stellantis) umbrella. It’s been a wild ride! Our next car – in an unseasonable setting – is this 1985 Maserati Biturbo here on eBay. Bidding is at $3150, with no reserve, and the car is located in Spokane, Washington. The Biturbo represented de Tomaso’s drive to create a more affordable, but still luxurious sports car – a heavy lift for a marque that was known for high-brow exotics. The model was launched in 1981 and at first met with some success. But after a couple of years, customers fell out of love with the car thanks to reliability and build-quality issues.
The motor was both splendid and problematic. Initially, the cars were fitted with an aluminum 2.0 liter V6 equipped with dual Garrett turbochargers and a single Weber. The car ran with three valves per cylinder and a belt rather than a chain to run the camshafts. There was no intercooler. That early car could cover the zero to sixty stretch in under seven seconds and top speed was over 135 mph. But it tended to break. Multiple iterations of the Biturbo were made over the years, and their engines were larger and carb’d or fuel injected; in 1986, the aging 2.0-liter received fuel injection instead of the carb, and an intercooler. This car has a 2.0 V6, with no photo available to show it off. Instead, we get this unsatisfying shot of the front end, bonnet down. The seller indicates that this Biturbo has traveled only 22,930 from new, but there’s no documentation to substantiate that claim. I tend to believe it, though, since with reliability issues, many of these cars were parked. At least this one has seen some sort of recent service at a Maserati shop in Coeur d’ Alene Idaho.
The interior displays the luxuriousness of this model but it also reminds us that the car came with an automatic transmission. So the sins are mounting on the Biturbo’s nameplate; we’ll just add that it made the list of BBC’s Crap Cars in 2004, at number 28. (On the other hand, the MGB was number ten on that list, and we all know THAT is not deserved!) If you are aching to own a Biturbo this one is ostensibly a decent prospect at a market-appropriate price.
These whips are headache-inducing to say the least.
I had the same car when I was 24 years old back in 1994 in Long Island, New York. That car was fast fast fast… Once you pressed down the pedal, the turbo gauge would wind up and that car would take off like a rocket. It’s the kind of car that works best on long straight highways like the Southern State Parkway or the Long Island Expressway (not during rush hour). In stop and go traffic around town it was a boring ride, and the body style was not impressive to the general public (ie: no one noticed you were driving a super nice Maserati because it was a pretty non-descript car).
I also have a 1994 Maserati I am in the process of replacing the turbocharger
Love that car
Low miles because it usually didn’t run. These were headaches, expensive headaches.
I never understood the appeal of spending lots of money on a vehicle that you knew was going to cost you untold headaches, right from the jump. Because it had the Maserati nameplate on it? Because it handled good, or was sort of fast? Or was it ego?
Whew! had one about 15 years ago. Fast right off the line. It took maintenance but nothing more than a VW Passat. Wish I still had it but don’t want to buy another.
Sold for less than 4k.
These are often featured on BAFE, right?
Bring A Fire Extinguisher.
If you’re aching to own a Biturbo, get one. Then you’ll really be aching.
Like Eugene Levy says to Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s “Vacation”, “You think you hate it now, but wait ’till you drive it.”
IMHO, the Citroen SM coupe, which featured the Mas 6-cylinder engine with dual carbs and the 5-speed and hydraulic suspension, etc., etc., etc., is one of the best iterations Euro cardom.
I’m reasonably certain a USA-spec ‘85 would be 2.5 L.
Yes it should be but the listing says it is a 2.0.
Great looking horrible cars
These cars look so out of proportion to me. The long front, short rear just doesn’t work. It is as if it was designed to be a 4 door and they lopped of the back.
Just the opposite of the late-’50s/’60s cars with stubby hoods but trunks on which you could land a helicopter.
I raced for a team that had 2 of them. The car would want to swap ends at every turn, but it was sweet when those turbos spooled up (as long as it as pointed straight ahead)
SOLD-$3950.
Saw a 1984 sold $15,000-with the V8.
$4k is a steal. Like winning the lottery with a $10k jackpot. Seller regrets that method now. Show great pictures including the engine and just say “Best Qualified Offer”.
Ended:
Aug 26, 2023 00:07:22 PDT
Winning bid:
US $3,950.00
[ 11 bids ]