1987 Maserati Biturbo Zagato

The Maserati Biturbo has always been a car that fascinated me; perhaps it's that I grew up in the 1980s where box-tacular designs were the norm, but there was something about the styling of the Biturbo that I always found appealing. It was tight and compact, sporty with enough flare that it really stood out. I was especially a fan of the dished wheels and still am. Compared to the somewhat oddly proportioned Quattroporte III, the Biturbo just looked right. That continued under the hood, where from a performance standpoint the Biturbo was fairly impressive; at least, on paper. In an era where 140-150 horsepower was considered "good", the twin turbocharged V6 put out a lofty 180 horsepower. Not all of that transferred into pulse-pounding performance, but still it was more than adequate for the time period; remember, that's more than some American V8s were pushing at the time. Still, the Biturbo didn't gain the best reputation, meaning you can pick up clean examples today for not much money, such as this clean example from Ocean Drive Motors:

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Year: 1987
Model: Biturbo Zagato
Engine: 2.5 liter twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 29,008 mi
Price: $9,000

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1987 MASERATI BITURBO

MODEL: BITURBO ZAGATO
DRIVE TYPE: REAR WHEEL
CYLINDERS: 6
HORSEPOWER: 180.00 BHP (1325 KW) @ 6000.00 RPM
Hp / LITER: 90.0 BHP / LITER
FUEL FEED: FUEL INJECTED
BLOCK: ALUMINUM
HEAD: ALUMINUM

STOCK #: 8029
ODOMETER: 29,008 MILES
EXTERIOR COLOUR: SILVER
INTERIOR COLOUR: TAN
VIN #: ZAMPM1106HA331332
PRICE: $9,500.00
FEATURES: SERVICE RECORDS, NO RADIO, CONV. TOP NEEDS REPLACEMENT, RE-BUILT ELECTRICAL RELAY BOARD,

*VERY LOW MILEAGE – EXCELLENT SHAPE*

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Though they look very similar to the sedan, the Spyder version of the Biturbo was styled by Zagato and rode on a shortened chassis, making it strictly a two seater. The color combination on this particular car is nice and understated; red and white were quite popular, so it's nice to see something a little different. While I'm not a fan of the overly-plush looking seats from 1980s Maseratis, overall the condition of this car inside and out is very clean. There are some needs, such as the replacement top, but if you're on a budget and want some unusual Italian fun in the sun, this Biturbo could be a fun sun project car. Overall it is priced pretty accurately in the marketplace for these Biturbos.

-Carter

One thought on “1987 Maserati Biturbo Zagato”

  1. If there ever was a car that screamed out for a PPI, the Biturbo would be at the top of the list. Furthermore, as an 80s era turbo car, not many owners (including owners of other turbo cars, such as the Saab), followed proper warm-up and cool-down procedures (which are not necessary today due to modern electronics and materials), which could lead to prematurely worn seals and bearings.

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