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Powered by Maserati’s proven 90° V8, the Bora was a true supercar which promised 170 mph performance. It was Maerati's first mid-engine car and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 1971. Not long afterward, Maserati went into full production of this car which introduced many new ideas to the Maserati brand.

After the success of the Ghibli, Maserati once again turned to Giorgetto Giugiaro and his newly founded Italdesign studio to style the new model named after a brisk breeze off of the Eastern Adriatic coast. Pietro Frua also submitted a full-size mock-up, but Giugiaro’s proposal proved to better encapsulate the modern era whilst concurrently fitting in harmoniously with other models in the range. The bodies were produced in Modena by Officine Padane. The 5-speed ZF gearbox was mounted in a sub-frame together with the rear suspension.

With Maserati now under Citroën ownership, the Bora made use of the French manufacturer’s hydrualic system that operated the brakes, pop-up headlamps, driver seat and the adjustable pedal block. The 310 hp output (300 hp in America due to restrictions on emissions) permitted a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph). At the end of 1971 Giugiaro presented a seminal concept car based on the Bora: the Boomerang.

564 Boras rolled of the production line in eight years, nearly half of them in the 4.9 guise. Amongst original Bora owners was long-time Maserati customer Karim Aga Khan and movie producer Carlo Ponti, Sophia Loren’s husband.

A racing version of the Bora was developed in 1973 following the French importer Thepenier’s request to compete in Group Four, but at that time – and after extracting over 430 hp from the car – Maserati could not reach the production figure of 500 cars required to obtain its homologation. The oil crisis, combined with new tax restrictions passed by the Italian government, had, in effect, significantly reduced the market for such high performance cars. Production of the Bora stopped in 1978.

Story by Maserati & Supercars.net

Chassis & Sales

1975 Maserati Bora - sold for $48,400 Finished in blue with a contrasting white interior, this Bora retains its original engine and includes power steering. It was restored during the mid-1990s, and since 2000, it was driven approximately 200 miles each year. It has been updated over the succeeding years, with the brakes and hydraulics having been replaced in 2001, among various other improvements. From 2003 to 2009, the Bora was displayed at the Lane Motor Museum and maintained u... more
Gallery: 2010 Vintage Cars of Meadow Book by RM Auctions

1975 Maserati Bora Coupe AM117US920 - sold for $60,500 One of 564 built from 1971-1980 and one of 275 with 4.9-liter V-8. A landmark Giorgetto Giugiaro design. Freshly rebuilt hydraulics and new water pump; desirable colors. Only 24,000 miles, rust-free, single ownership since the 1970s
Gallery: 2011 Monterey Auction by RM

1975 Maserati Bora Coupe - sold for $60,500 Just 564 Boras were built from 1971 to 1980, with 275, including this car, powered by the 4.9-liter engine. Benefiting from single ownership since the 1970s and from the first year of 4.9-liter availability, this 1975 Bora is nicely presented throughout and features a highly desirable red-on-black color scheme. With only about 24,000 miles, this corrosion-free example benefits from a new water pump, and marque experts have freshly rebuilt the ... more
Gallery: 2011 Monterey Auction by RM

977 Maserati Bora Coupe Barn Find with 978 miles - sold for $92,500 Completing this astounding trio is yet another timeless Italian exotic, a 1977 Maserati Bora 4.9. Maserati’s first mid-engine supercar, the Bora features Giorgetto Giugiaro’s famous wedge-shaped design, whose aerodynamics enabled a top speed of over 170 MPH, helped in no small part by a powerful 4.9 liter V-8 backed by a 5-speed ZF gearbox. But the most amazing feature in this case the fact that it has been driven a mere 900 miles. Document... more
Gallery: 2011 Monterey Daytime Auction by Mecum

1974 Maserati Bora Coupe 5-Speed - sold for $41,000 Described by Road & Track magazine as “strikingly handsome, clean and slightly brutal-looking,” the Bora coupe was Maserati’s first foray into the Seventies supercar sweepstakes and, with its race-proven 4-cam V-8, 5-speed transmission and comfortable cockpit, remains one of the most attractive of that breed to this day. A nice driving all-original car with some new paint and an attractive contrasting stainless steel roof and White-on-Black in... more
Gallery: 2011 Monterey Daytime Auction by Mecum

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