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The Maserati Bora turns 50. It was 'the thinking man's exotic'

The Maserati Bora made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1971, meaning the V8-powered supercar from Modena has just turned 50 years old. It arrived at a time when the Italian sports car manufacturers were undergoing a paradigm shift to the mid-engined layout that defines the modern supercar. The Bora (not to be confused with the VW sedan we knew as the fourth-generation Jetta) was named after a winter wind that blows from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea. Though it holds the distinction of being the first Maserati to employ the mid-engine configuration, it was a bit of a latecomer, following on the heels of Lamborghini's 1966 Miura, De Tomaso's 1964 Vallelunga and Ferrari's 1967 Dino 206 GT. However, it was a dramatic departure from the curvaceous designs of the 1960s. Skinned in an avant-garde wedge penned by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, the Bora was like a concept car come to life. Its most distinguishing characteristic, the unpainted A-pillars and roof, were polished stainless steel, a preview of Giugiaro's DeLorean that would not arrive for another decade. Any resemblance to De Tomaso's Mangusta was probably a coincidence (or the fact that it too was a Giugiaro design). The Bora's massive rear glass area showed off its aluminum twin-cam V8, nestled in a racecar-like steel-tube subframe. Motors came as either a high-revving 4.7-liter unit good for 310 horsepower and 325 pound-feet, or a torquier 4.9-liter producing 320 hp and 355 lb-ft. Delivered through a smooth-shifting ZF five-speed, it carried the car from 0-60 in a reported 6.6 seconds, and onward to a top speed of 174 mph. The Bora modernized Maserati, offering a four-wheel independent suspension for the first time behind the Trident badge. The Bora was considered more liveable than a Countach, thanks to features like double-paned glass between the cabin and engine compartment, a carpeted engine cover, and adjustable pedal box. Though overshadowed by its contemporaries from Maranello and Sant'Agata Bolognese, the Bora was considered the thinking man's exotic. As evidence of its decidedly un-basic following it was even cited in 1984's The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, describing the evil Dr. Emilio Lizardo's escape from imprisonment: "Last night he kills a guard, breaks out of Trenton Home for the Criminally Insane. Ten minutes later, he cops a Maserati Bora.

UPDATE: Stellantis says it is not selling Maserati

In a joint statement, Stellantis and Maserati have refuted reports that the Italian brand could be sold: Stellantis has no intention of selling the Trident brand, just as there is no intention of aggregating Maserati within other Italian luxury groups. Stellantis restates its unwavering commitment to Maserati’s bright future as the unique luxury brand within the 14 Stellantis brands. Maserati is in a transition period toward electrification with its Folgore BEV program: today the Trident offers GranTurismo and GranCabrio in ICE and BEV versions, Grecale in ICE, mild-hybrid and BEV versions, while we confirm that successors of the Quattroporte and Levante are also in preparation. Maserati's mission is to write the future of mobility through the best performance in the luxury segment, focusing on the desires of its customers. To achieve its goals, the brand precisely targets a highly specific audience. Maserati is therefore setting up a series of initiatives to expand its presence in the global market, to strengthen its brand image and to underline the uniqueness of its products. Maserati is facing a major challenge and must remain focused on its objectives in the coming months. Stellantis reaffirms its commitment to its entire portfolio of 14 iconic brands and recalls that each of them has a 10-year horizon to build a profitable and sustainable business, while recognizing that market volatility and temporary situations may cause fluctuations. The original story continues: Maserati posted disappointing sales and revenue figures shortly after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares warned that the group can't afford to have brands that don't make money. While nothing is set in stone, one of the group's executives said that selling the brand isn't off the table. Industry trade journal Automotive News Europe (subscription required) learned that Maserati sold approximately 6,500 cars globally between January and June 2024, down from around 15,300 units during the same time period in 2023. It posted an adjusted operating loss of ˆ82 million (about $88.7 million) during the first six months of the year, compared to a profit of ˆ121 million (about $130 million) in 2023. "The first half has been disappointing," admitted Natalie Knight, the chief financial officer at Stellantis, on a call with journalists.

2024 Maserati GranTurismo revealed, twin-turbo V6 or 750-hp EV: 'We're going to let buyers decide'

Maserati is in the midst of a renaissance; it's branching out into new segments with cars like the MC20 and the Grecale. While it's counting on these models to widen its target audience, it's not forgetting about its existing customers and the cars that brought them to the brand. The new, second-generation GranTurismo is a blank-sheet redesign that's evolutionary where it counts and revolutionary where it needs to be. First, the elephant in the room: this is a big, luxurious coupe launched in an era when big, luxurious coupes are disappearing at an alarming rate. What's the point? Min Byung Yoon, Maserati's lead exterior designer, explained the grand tourer (a fast, upscale car designed to quickly and effortlessly drive across a country) is one of the pillars that the company's image is built on, and keeping this tradition alive is important. Customers care more about image and usability than tradition, however, so the new GranTurismo receives several important updates. Maserati will offer the GranTurismo in three different flavors: Modena, Trofeo and Folgore. The first two use a version of the excellent 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 inaugurated by the MC20 and also found in the Grecale. Known as the Nettuno engine internally, it develops 490 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque in the Modena, figures that increase to 550 and 479, respectively, in the Trofeo. It's bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission in both applications, and it spins the four wheels — the original GranTurismo was rear-wheel-drive. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Andrea Baccino, the chief engineer for the Italian firm's electric powertrains, told me that making all-wheel drive standard across the range is a way to expand the GranTurismo's usability. It's now a viable year-round driver, even if you live somewhere in rural Vermont. The system is rear-biased but variable: it can send up to 100% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels or split it 50/50 between the front and rear axles. The V6 is front-mid-mounted to achieve a 52/48 front-rear weight distribution, and the GranTurismo weighs around 3,957 pounds, which is surprisingly low considering it's not exactly nimble: it measures about 195 inches long, 77 inches wide and 53 inches tall. Hitting 62 mph from a stop takes 3.9 seconds in the Modena and 3.5 seconds in the Trofeo, and top speed checks in at 187 mph and 198 mph, respectively.