Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth
no more interesting but crappy quality brit cars for me. those gt sixes are cool looking though.
I am actually now that you mention it not sure the biturbos did catch fire, but in any case I think most folks wished they would if they didn't they were so unreliable. They were handsome cars though and I understand pretty quick in their day.....when they were running.
Tom W
|
Courtesy of the New York Times:
Rust in Peace
With Twin Turbos, Double the Trouble
Sports Car Market
1989 Maserati Biturbo Spyder
By ROB SASS
Published: September 3, 2006
WHAT WAS IT? The Maserati Biturbo was sold in the United States in 1984-89, first as a boxy four-seat coupe and later as a convertible.
AND THE POINT WAS? The Biturbo, a sharp departure from the sleek sports cars that once rivaled Ferraris, was Maserati’s shot at becoming a volume manufacturer. The car represented an attempt to marry Italian style and verve, epitomized by the company’s trident emblem, with the practical appeal of BMW’s 3 Series. With a twin-turbo V-6, the car was quick, but its handling was suspect, and its temperamental mechanical systems could not compare with the solidly reliable BMW’s. Biturbos rusted with a vengeance, cooked their turbochargers and broke timing belts with dire consequences. The plush leather interior was less durable than some revolving-door Italian governments.
THE ADS SAID: “The most exciting and totally new Maserati anyone can remember.” The Biturbo is now the Maserati that anyone who cares about the marque would like to forget.
THE CRITICS SAID: Michael Sheehan, a broker in Newport Beach, Calif., who specializes in sales of Italian sports cars, said: “The best use for any Biturbo is as a parts car to keep others going. Unfortunately, that only perpetuates the madness.” Of the 10 or so Biturbos on display at the Concorso Italiano last month in Seaside, Calif., two remained long after the show had ended, their hoods up, unable to be driven away.
TOTAL RECALL: The 1984-85 models were recalled because the exhaust emissions system could set the car on fire.
WHAT’S IT WORTH? Convertibles can occasionally bring $11,000 to $12,000. Coupes are not so lucky; prices are stuck in the three-figure range. A drivable, cosmetically decent example sold for $950 at a auction in Fort McDowell, Ariz., in January 2004.