Nicest One Left? 18K-Mile 1985 Maserati Biturbo
“While Maserati’s choice to use twin turbochargers is consistent with Formula One performance standards, it is also unique. The new Maserati, all aluminum, V-6 engine is the only passenger car engine that uses two turbochargers, one per cylinder bank.” So says a 1985 Maserati Biturbo brochure. The seller has this beauty listed here on eBay in Miami, Florida and they have a $16,899 buy-it-now price listed or you can make an offer.
About that asking price, Hagerty is at $12,600 for a #1 Concours-quality car, so unless someone has to have this particular car without thinking of the resale value at all, I predict that this one will never sell at that price. That being said, I don’t see a flaw in or on this car inside or out. It’s the nicest one that I’ve seen and only has one thing holding it back, in my opinion: the automatic transmission. Hagerty is at $8,300 for a #2 excellent-condition car and that seems more realistic to me.
Maserati made the Biturbo from early Ronald Reagan to early Bill Clinton (1981 through 1994). That’s about as wide of a swath as there is and the Biturbo spanned those years and only got better. It has been said by more than a few car magazines and others, that the 1987 and later cars are the ones to own due to having both turbo-intercoolers and fuel injection, making them more reliable and more powerful.
That being said, this car only has 18,000 miles on it and I have to assume that with a three-speed automatic, it may have been driven easier and maybe by a more responsible owner, but I could be wrong. The famous hand-made, 1980s Maserati “wrinkled puffy” (my nickname back in the band days) leather seats appear to be like-new both front and rear. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t see a crack, ding, or chip anywhere on or in this car.
The big thing here, other than owning a car with Maserati badges on it, is the engine. The early cars didn’t have the impressive red intake and symmetrical look, so this isn’t a case of being able to pop the hood at car shows and wow the viewers, but it looks clean. It’s Maserati’s 2.5-liter, three-valves-per-cylinder (two intake, one exhaust) V6 with 192 horsepower and 233 lb-ft of torque. The seller gives no information at all about this car other than listing the miles and saying “Exceptional Condition – Recently Serviced”, but I have to hope that it runs and drives as good as it looks. How much would you pay for this Biturbo?
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Comments
I actually think the 2 door Bitrouble is a good looking car. It’s a shame it’s a carbonated model with a 3 speed ZF transmission. I think the Hagerty guide is more in line with the value based on the condition. I would hope the recent service included a new timing belt and a valve adjustment which if performed at the dealer would amount for half of the cars asking price.
The later engines not only received EFI but they also received a intercooler and most importantly water cooled turbo center sections. I drove a 89 with the later revisions and it was a sweet car to drive. I also owed a 88 Milano Verde which compares to the quirk of the Maser but with a little more sport than gran tourer. I would have both of them in my stable. Just not this one.
These things are pure garbage. I knew a few with them and junk all of them.
18k mi on a BiTurbo is like 148k mi on a 300ZX. Buying an old Maserati from a used car lot in Little Havana….what could go wrong?
nice
looks nice enough… but that price is not realistic in the slightest. Also it’s not perfect. The seats have fraying on the back by the shoulders and discoloration (slightly greenish– the scourage of biturbo seats), the speedo needle is beginning to lift, and I notice a few niggly bits under the hood that definitely show this isn’t close to concourse (note the carbon canister is disconnected). Still, nice car. Always nice to see a nice biturbo well presented.
“I don’t see a flaw in on or this car inside or out.”
This ignores the great,all consuming flaw: it’s a Maserati.
No, a Biturbo. Maserati has made some great cars.
HAHAHA! Bring a fire extinguisher. A big one.
A cuban /miami drug lord can put this in the collection, doesn’t have to drive it !
This listing ended on Fri, Mar 22 at 11:53 AM.
Thanks, t-bone bob!