Maserati Bora

The Maserati Bora was a two-seat sports car model of the Italian car manufacturer Maserati with in-house V8 mid- engine.

2.1 engines
2.2 power transmission
2.3 Suspension
2.4 body
2.5 Dimensions and weight
2.6 performance

General

It was the first road-going sports car manufacturer with central engine, after Maserati had gathered experience with this layout already in racing. As the model was developed, Maserati was one of Citroën. The coupé body designed Giorgio Giugiaro, the bodies were in 1969 in his company Italdesign prepared in Officine Padane in Modena.

Time Typical are the angular appearance and the flat front with pop-up headlights, up to 265 km / h made possible with the in-house V8 engine a top speed. Other characteristic features are different chrome trim, the exhaust system with four tailpipes and the stainless steel roof. Internally referred to as Type 117, he was presented in 1971 at the Geneva Motor Show. As 1972 began production, the high fuel prices made it difficult to paragraph. Sporty driving an average fuel consumption of up to 25.6 liters per 100 kilometers revealed. In this crisis, Citroën again separated by Maserati. Since the distribution channels thus had to be reorganized, the production figures of 56 fell in 1975 to just six in the following year. Under the new leadership of Alejandro de Tomaso, the model has been technically revised before it expired in 1978 without a direct successor. A total of 571 vehicles emerged. The sales suffered in particular from the fact that the Bora long time did not meet the U.S. regulatory provisions regarding external noise, the exhaust gas and the safety (bumpers ) and there had to compete against the similarly powerful but cheaper De Tomaso Pantera.

A street-legal production sports car with mid-engine, there were at Maserati again until 2004 with the Maserati MC12, albeit in only 50 copies as homologated for racing.

Contemporary assessment

Commended their driving behavior, the space available and the enormous power of the engine, as well as the equipment: standard was air conditioning, power windows and seat and pedal adjusters. Criticized the heating and ventilation system, especially because the interior heated up by the strong flat stationary discs, also special, working with components from the Citroën SM hydraulic brakes with unusually short pedal travel and the mid-engine typically limited visibility to the rear.

Naming

In the model name Maserati used previously often names for winds, such as the Ghibli, the Mistral or here the Bora. The Bora denotes a cold, dry wind that blows on the Adriatic Sea from the northeast.

Technology at a glance

Motors

In the first model generation, a longitudinally-mounted, water-cooled V8 mid- engine with a cylinder block and head made of light metal and two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank was used. The relatively compact engine with a cylinder angle of 90 degrees initially drew from 4719 cc, 310 hp (228 kW) at 6000 rpm. The assembled together with the transmission, the differential and the rear suspension on a rubber-mounted and removable subframe and also used in the Maserati Ghibli aggregate accelerated the car from 0 to 100 km / h in 6.5 seconds, and it reached a top speed of 260 km / h 1976, the engine capacity was increased to 4.9 liters, the maximum torque was 461 Nm at 6000 rpm and 330 were hp ( 243 kW ) available, the top speed increased to 265 km / h

For more information:

Bore / Stroke: 93.9 mm x 85 mm
Compression ratio: 8.5:1
Valve control: two valves per cylinder, operated by two overhead chain-driven camshafts for each cylinder block
Mixture formation: four Weber carburetors 42- DCNF
Ignition system: with distributor

Power transmission

Through a single-plate and a ZF 5-speed manual gearbox, the rear wheels were driven, while the transmission and the differential with final drive hypoidverzahntem were flanged behind the engine.

Gear Ratio: I) 2,580:1; II) 1,520:1; III) 1,040:1; IV) 0,850:1; V) 0,740:1
Ratio in the axle gear: 3,770:1

Landing gear

Thanks to single wheel suspension, double wishbones, coil springs with telescopic shock absorbers and stabilizers front and rear offered the sporting suspension on bad roads sufficient residual comfort. The Bora had a rack and pinion steering. In the framework of cooperation with the Citroën Bora four ventilated disc brakes received have been actuated by a motor driven by the hydraulic system. Later there was a conventional hydraulic with brake booster. By default, alloy wheels were mounted 7.5 x 15 with 215/70 × 15 - Radial Tires Michelin it in the format.

Body

The two-door, two-seater sports coupé body stood on a platform frame with square tubes as a subframe of the engine and transmission.

Despite its compact exterior dimensions because of the relatively compact engine remained above average amount of space for passengers and luggage. The interior was less cramped than the Lamborghini Countach or Ferrari 365 GT / 4 Berlinetta Boxer.

Dimensions and weight

Length: 4330 mm
Width: 1770 mm
Wheelbase: 2590 mm
Track front / rear: 1470 mm mm/1440
Weight: 1400 kg

Performance

Maximum speed: 265 km / h
Acceleration 0-100 km / h: 6.5 s
Fuel consumption ( average): 25.6 l/100 km

Parallel model

The Maserati Merak with almost the same body as the Bora was produced 1972-1983 with a V6 engine. Beginning with 190 hp from 3.0 liters and 235 km / h, 1975, as Merak SS with 220 hp and 240 km / h it was built with 1500 units of the most popular Maserati of his time. His body shape was from Italdesign; for him many design elements and individual body parts of the Bora were taken. A distinction he is external to the free-standing C-pillars and the small, vertical rear window, while the Bora is provided with additional side windows and a flat-lying large rear window. Other differences are the lack of the Merak plastic side bar as well as a different front design. The Merak because of the shorter V6 engine room for two (very small ) jump seats in the rear.

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