MG METRO TURBO
Catch me if you can
MASERATI BITURBO S (II)
Yuppie life
YEAR: 1986
The night life in clubs, hair grease, the watch worn over the cuff. The Maserati Biturbo was one of the most popular cars amongst rich kids, the ambitious young professionals: the Yuppies. Compact and angular, with a desirable marque and a fantastic roar. The Maserati Biturbo S, more precisely the S II, the last with carburettors, is the most interesting evolution of a 15-year-long story that has its roots in the legendary Eighties.
Historical background
A new era
When the Biturbo was presented in 1981, a new era started for the marque. After all, the histrionic Alejandro De Tomaso had a clear aim: to offer a high-level product at a reasonable price in order to boost Maserati’s sales, after the marque had been sold by Citroën in dismal economic condition. De Tomaso focussed on the “affordable luxury” formula, which would soon give respite to their coffers. To complete such a mission, they needed a car with modern lines but not too extreme, and that could be used every day. Designer Pierangelo Andreani masterfully developed a compact and angular coupé in the style of Giugiaro’s 1979 Quattroporte, with taut lines forming a slightly forwards-leaning sporty body. The Biturbo was equipped with a 90° twin-turbocharged V6 (2.0 or 2.5): a true novelty.
The price was almost too good to be true: in fact, though the launch price was around 17 million liras, it increased by 25% in just a month; moreover, some optionals became mandatory, causing widespread discontent due to the confusing marketing approach of the sales network. On top of this matter, there were several mechanical issues caused by poor quality during assembly—the latter was neglected due to constantly increasing production volumes in Italy as well as abroad, where the Maserati coupé was marketed with a 2.5 L engine. In 1983, the issues of the first production were fixed thanks to the introduction of core updates such as the Maserati Automatic Boost Control that allowed for the optimal adjustment of turbocharger boost pressure. That year, Maserati decided to launch the Biturbo S.
Sportier than the standard Biturbo, the S was recognisable by the two-toned paint (red-grey and grey-grey were the two combinations offered,) the Naca air ducts in the bonnet, the mesh grille, and the external trim finished in a dark bronze shade. It sported beautiful bicoulor rims, and the fabric interior was signed Missoni.
The implementation of an intercooler considerably improved reliability, while a more rigid suspension provided more stability. Two years later the S was updated, thus resulting in the model protagonist of this page: the S II. It received a major technical upgrade that included a water-cooled turbocharger, a Sensitork differential and Nigusil cylinders. Moreover, it gained 5 hp on the S I (25 more than the standard model) for a total of 210 hp! The standard interior was extraordinarily elegant: sienna leather and camel Alcantara.
The price for the last carburetted Biturbo (fuel injection was introduced in 1986) was more or less 31 million liras, still an excellent positioning compared to its competition and aligned, for instance, with the BMW 325i or the Thema Turbo.
The production of this S II amounted to about 500 vehicles.
Technical specifications
- BODY STYLE: Coupé
- SEATS: 2
- LENGTH: 415.3 cm
- WIDTH: 171.4 cm
- HEIGHT: 130 cm
- WEIGHT: 1,086 kg
- ENGINE: Maserati twin-turbo V6 with intercooler
- DISPLACEMENT: 1,995 cc
- POWER OUTPUT: About 215 hp
- FUEL TYPE: Petrol
- DRIVETRAIN: RWD
- TRANSMISSION: Manual
- SPEED: 221 km/h
Driving experience – Double fun
V6 and twin-turbo: ultimately, that’s all that matters. The sound of the engine is as thrilling as it gets even considering sportier cars: a true Maserati trademark. The pleasure is not in the speed, which is not lacking in any case (over 220 km/h), but in the roar of this engine that, in spite of the often baseless rumours, is reliable, especially with the opportune modifications the S underwent. 210 hp for 1,100 kg is a good compromise between weight and power and the chassis, supported by a sports suspension, is well-designed. For this reason, twisty roads do not represent an issue even at elevated speeds. Still, it is advisable to have a light foot on low grip surfaces, due to a pronounced instability in the tail-end. After all, its reputation as a “snappish” car is possibly one of the reasons the Biturbo is still so charming. Other aspects would be the prestige of the marque and a driving pleasure that leaves some room for comfort. The Maserati Biturbo S is a historical sports car that can also be used with friends and family, for a gathering or a trip. Its interior accommodates passengers with soft, comfortable seats, and it is ideal if you are looking for a classic car with great performance without having to confine yourself in a too small coupé, maybe a two-seater.
Passione Classica’s Maserati Biturbo S
Let us start from this premise: the Maserati Biturbos in circulation are many, and prices sometimes seem really encouraging. If you think you can find some great bargains and buy perfect cars for little money, you are sorely mistaken, at least in 90% of cases. Restoring a Maserati is expensive, very much so. Anybody who owns one knows this—and anyone who has a well-kept car and has spent lots of money for maintenance will hardly give it to you for crumbs.
The main issue of this model (common to many other historical cars) is that during the downwards phase, that is when quotations reached the lowest point and the model was not in demand, cars often passed through uncaring hands: people who did not want, or could not, follow a correct maintenance and treated their Maserati Biturbo S carelessly, foregoing a proper engine warm-up before intense usage, or even skipping oil changes… With these premises, it is easy to understand how forty years later, as the model is back into popularity, it may happen that one needs to tackle expensive repairs. I say this as someone who has spent over 9,500 euros on this car, bill in hand, in spite of the previous owner being a dedicated Maserati customer. This is what makes the difference between various offers: proof of all the interventions carried out, useful when it comes to figuring out if the vehicle is a good one or if it hides unforeseen expenses. This Maserati Biturbo S II, like every car in our garage, has been followed in each and every step of its “rebirth”.
Sold by the Maserati dealership in Torino in 1986, it comes with its original operation and maintenance manual, double keys, and ASI certificate.
Driving experience – Double fun
V6 and twin-turbo: ultimately, that’s all that matters. The sound of the engine is as thrilling as it gets even considering sportier cars: a true Maserati trademark. The pleasure is not in the speed, which is not lacking in any case (over 220 km/h), but in the roar of this engine that, in spite of the often baseless rumours, is reliable, especially with the opportune modifications the S underwent. 210 hp for 1,100 kg is a good compromise between weight and power and the chassis, supported by a sports suspension, is well-designed. For this reason, twisty roads do not represent an issue even at elevated speeds. Still, it is advisable to have a light foot on low grip surfaces, due to a pronounced instability in the tail-end. After all, its reputation as a “snappish” car is possibly one of the reasons the Biturbo is still so charming. Other aspects would be the prestige of the marque and a driving pleasure that leaves some room for comfort. The Biturbo S is a historical sports car that can also be used with friends and family, for a gathering or a trip. Its interior accommodates passengers with soft, comfortable seats, and it is ideal if you are looking for a classic car with great performance without having to confine yourself in a too small coupé, maybe a two-seater.
Passione Classica’s Maserati Biturbo S
Let us start from this premise: the Maserati Biturbos in circulation are many, and prices sometimes seem really encouraging. If you think you can find some great bargains and buy perfect cars for little money, you are sorely mistaken, at least in 90% of cases. Restoring a Maserati is expensive, very much so. Anybody who owns one knows this—and anyone who has a well-kept car and has spent lots of money for maintenance will hardly give it to you for crumbs.
The main issue of this model (common to many other historical cars) is that during the downwards phase, that is when quotations reached the lowest point and the model was not in demand, cars often passed through uncaring hands: people who did not want, or could not, follow a correct maintenance and treated their Biturbo carelessly, foregoing a proper engine warm-up before intense usage, or even skipping oil changes… With these premises, it is easy to understand how forty years later, as the model is back into popularity, it may happen that one needs to tackle expensive repairs. I say this as someone who has spent over 9,500 euros on this car, bill in hand, in spite of the previous owner being a dedicated Maserati customer. This is what makes the difference between various offers: proof of all the interventions carried out, useful when it comes to figuring out if the vehicle is a good one or if it hides unforeseen expenses. This Biturbo S II, like every car in our garage, has been followed in each and every step of its “rebirth”.
Sold by the Maserati dealership in Torino in 1986, it comes with its original operation and maintenance manual, double keys, and ASI certificate.
Price
€ 29,500.00
The cars in my garage
