automotivebriefs
9:16in productionCh. 1 · Ownership Shifts/ 9:16 · ceiling 15 min
Sports cars · Road

Maserati Bora

Giorgetto Giugiaro · 1971

The Bora wasn’t Maserati’s fastest car—but it was the first to prove their future wouldn’t be built around the front axle.

The Maserati Bora is a pivotal machine: the first mid-engined street car and first with four-wheel independent suspension from Maserati. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign in the late 1960s, it launched in 1971 under Citroën ownership and ended production in 1978 after De Tomaso’s acquisition. Its 0.30 drag coefficient and ‘gentle bends’ reflect a transitional moment in automotive design—between organic curves and hard-edged modernism. Named after the Bora wind of Trieste, it redefined what a Maserati grand tourer could be: technically current, aerodynamically advanced, and architecturally coherent.

Sports carsRoadCarsIndustrial designItalyCars across the network →
Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:48
    Ownership Shifts

    Citroën’s 1968 takeover forced Maserati to rethink its engineering identity—and De Tomaso’s 1975 buyout killed the experiment.

  2. 2:15
    Firsts That Mattered

    It was Maserati’s first mid-engined street car—and its first with four-wheel independent suspension.

  3. 3:56
    Design Transition

    Giugiaro’s ‘gentle bends’ marked a deliberate pivot from curves to angles—this was the hinge point.

  4. 5:48
    Name and Launch

    Named after the Bora wind of Trieste, it debuted at Geneva in March 1971—fully formed, aerodynamically resolved.

Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • balances presence and poise
  • executes two-seat, rear-mid layout without compromise
  • proves mid-engined layout can serve grand touring
What does not
  • deliver driver engagement through steering feel or throttle response
  • offer mechanical theatre or raw feedback
Drive it if
  • someone who values architectural clarity in automotive form
  • someone who sees the Bora as a pivot—not a peak
Skip it if
  • those seeking lightweight responsiveness
  • those seeking visceral immediacy of a front-engined GT
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

A two-seat, rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car and grand tourer. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign in the late 1960s. Launched in 1971 under Citroën’s ownership. Built until 1978 after De Tomaso’s acquisition.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

The Bora places the driver ahead of a mid-mounted V8, with four-wheel independent suspension beneath a low-slung grand tourer body. Its layout separates cabin from engine noise and heat, but demands precise weight distribution to balance agility and stability.

What it gets right

It gets right the balance of presence and poise: a low drag coefficient (0.30), gentle angularity in Giugiaro’s evolving language, and a clean separation between driver, passenger, and powertrain. Its two-seat, rear-mid layout was executed without compromise.

What it does not

It does not deliver the visceral immediacy of a front-engined GT. Its cockpit is isolated from mechanical feedback. It does not offer driver engagement through steering feel or throttle response—those were secondary to refinement and aerodynamic calm.

What it changed

It ended Maserati’s reputation for fast but outdated cars. It proved a mid-engined layout could serve grand touring, not just racing—and that four-wheel independent suspension belonged in a production Maserati.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for someone who values architectural clarity in automotive form, and who sees the Bora as a pivot—not a peak. It is not for those seeking raw driver involvement, lightweight responsiveness, or mechanical theatre.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you want to understand how Italian GT design pivoted from tradition to modernity in one car, and how Citroën’s engineering influence briefly reshaped Maserati’s priorities.

Same garage · Sports cars4 of 139
8:12
Alpine A110 (2017)Antony Villain · 2017The Alpine A110 (2017) is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car built on an all-aluminium chassis and powered by a Nissan-derived 1.8-litre turbocharged inline-four engine. It debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Production ended in June 2026.
8:32
Alpine A310Michel Beligond · 1971The Alpine A310 is a French sports car, launched in 1971 as Jean Rédélé’s final Alpine model. It debuted at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. It used a tubular steel backbone chassis and a one-piece fiberglass body. Its engine was mounted longitudinally in the rear and drove the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. The driving position was low and sporty, with footwells angled toward the car’s centre.
9:14
Renault Alpine GTA/A610Heuliez · 1984The Renault Alpine GTA is a rear-engined sports coupé launched in 1985 by Alpine under full Renault ownership. It replaced the A310, sharing its layout and V6 PRV engine. Marketed as the Alpine V6 GT or V6 Turbo in Europe—and as the Renault GTA in Britain—it featured aerodynamic design (Cx 0.28–0.30), lightweight composite body panels, and a steel backbone chassis. Production spanned 1984–1995, totalling ~7,300 units across both GTA and A610 models.
9:40
BMW 8 Series (E31)Klaus Kapitza · 1989The BMW 8 Series (E31) is a two-door grand tourer built by BMW from 1990 to 1999. It uses a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. It is powered by either a V8 or V12 engine. Development began in July 1981 and concluded in 1986. It debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in early September 1989. BMW used CAD tools to design its all-new body. Its drag coefficient is Cd=0.29. It replaced the E24 6 Series but was not a direct successor. Total production was 30,609 units.
Up next in Automotive

Maserati Ghibli

Giorgetto Giugiaro · 1967 · 9:56

Giugiaro’s last curvaceous statement before he turned sharp — and Maserati’s most coherent V8 fastback.

Play nextBack to Sports cars
9:56