Maserati Bora/Merak Road Test

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Maserati

Maserati Bora - Merak

1971 - 1980
Country:
  Italy
Engine:
  V8
Capacity:
  4719/4943 cc
Power:
  310-320 bhp
Transmission:
  5 spd. man
Top Speed:
  257 km/h
Number Built:
  571
Collectability:
  3 star
 
Maserati Bora Merak
The mid-engined Maserati Bora was the absolute epitomy of Modena exotica, a rare animal, a production car in which the stylist, in this case Giugiaro, was given a free hand to design what in appearance could be mistaken for another styling exercise, but in practice was a modern-day classic.

The shape of the Merak/Bora approached the ultimate in passenger car aerodynamics, a maximum speed of over 170 m.p.h. combined with road-holding and handling ensured there was hardly an equal off the racing circuit.

There was a formidable amount of engineering sophistication sitting above the four wheels. In addition to its other attributes the Bora/Merak was also one of the most practical of all the mid-engined production cars in terms of luggage capacity. Unfortunately though the front passenger's foot-well was compromised.

Somehow Giugiaro found plenty of space for the 4.7-litre V8 engine and adequate luggage in the front boot within the confines of the 14 ft. 2 in. length but when he'd achieved that he remembered that a heavy duty battery and a heater unit had to be accommodated somewhere. Rather than encroach on boot space he moved the vertical bulkhead rearwards into the passenger footwell, leaving space between it and the boot to accommodate bulky items.

Access to the battery was gained by removing a panel in the carpeted boot, allowing the battery to be slid out easily on its tray. The engine and seats were positioned within the monocoque and the 8 ft. 6 in. wheelbase as to give 42 per cent load on the front axle and 58 per cent on the rear, with a consequently low polar moment of inertia resulting in neutral handling. It had independent wishbone suspension all round with coil spring damper units and anti-roll bars front and rear.

Huge ventilated disc brakes were fitted all round, 240 mm. diameter front and 248 mm. rear, which had benefited from Maserati's Citroen association, a pressurised hydraulic system having been adopted, notable for its almost zero pedal movement and the astounding effect it has on stopping power for very little effort on the part of the driver. The Bora was no lightweight, the all-steel construction weighing in at over 1½ tons, so that its shattering performance was a credit to the 4719 c.c., 310 b.h.p. DIN version of Maserati's 93.9 mm. bore and 85.0 mm. stroke, four overhead camshaft V8.

Maximum power was produced at 6,000 r.p.m., a worrying 500 r.p.m. beyond the start of the red line on the tachometer, while the 340 lb. ft. torque was produced at 4,200 r.p.m. Drive was transmitted through a ZF five-speed gearbox with all-indirect ratios to 15 in. diameter, 7.5 in. wide alloy wheels shod with 215/70 VR Michelin XWX tyres. In 1974 this was changed to 205 section front tyres and 215 rear. Asthetically the biggest complaint was reserved for the unimaginative wheels which featured big stainless steel hub caps covering the nuts.

Sophistication continued into the cockpit, where beneath the attractive and durable, satin-finished, stainless-steel roof panel the high-pressure hydraulic system fitted initially for the brakes was put into action for driver's seat and pedal adjustment. No fore and aft adjustment was provided for the driver's seat: the hydraulic system lifting up the one-piece seat, slightly tilting forwards the back-rest.

Further adjustment to comfort was offered by a steering column adjustable for rake and reach and the front of the seat was adjustable manually for angle. The Bora had an extremely heavy clutch, and while some car journalists at the time were not fans of the gearbox, it was fairly typical of those being fitted to most mid-engined cars at the time.

The seats featured cushions curving down almost to the calves, and built-in, adjustable headrests. Good quality leather was used throughout the interior for the seats, facia, door trims, centre console and rear bulkhead.

Facia design matched the high standard of the exterior's appeal, the Veglia instrumentation being particularly well positioned, except for the poorly calibrated, 200 m.p.h. speedometer, which had its critical left-hand top quarter obscured by the thick leather-rimmed, 14 in. steering wheel.

In the centre of the facia, placed at a perfect angle for the driver's vision, were the oil temperature, water temperature, "benzina" for the 19.8 gallon tank and below them the Veglia Electronico clock and battery condition indicator. At night they were lit with sensible green lighting which unfortunn!ltely did not have proper rheostat control, only low and high. An annoying bright green light in the tachometer remained on permannently as a sidelight warning.

Electric window switches and air-conditioning controls were contained on the centre console part of the facia. Two-speed wipers and washers were controlled by the left-hand steering column stalk, the end of which when turned anti-clockwise operated the interior light, while a knob on the facia offered practically infinite timing for intermittent screen wiping.

Of the levers on the right, one controled indicators and the other lights and, if pressed, the town horn, additional air-horns being operated by a conventional button in the steering wheel boss. The system of controlling the lights with a combination of three levers was both confusing and a little unsatisfactory. For the lights to be operated at all by the column master switch the retractable headlights had to first be raised, which was achieved smoothly and quickly by the main hydraulic system.

The headlights had to be raised even for the sidelights to be switched on by the master switch, or alternatively there was a separate parking light switch which could be used to avoid raising the headlights. Trying to flash high beam was practically impossible, as a combination of two levers needed to be operated and there was a time lag before the lights raised. Because climbing out of the low slung Bora was fairly awkward the lights stalk on the column could be kicked easily: the result was likely to be a flat battery.

Maserati Bora, Merak and Khamsin
Small lockers were in the armrests of each door, a lockable, if restricted, cubby hole and a most locker behind a sliding door in the bulkhead to the left of the facia (the equivalent space on the opposite side was filled by the fuel tank) provided oddment space inside the cockpit.

Also accessible when the bodywork was hydraulically raised were two small lockers, one in each pillar behind occupants heads, the right-hand one containing the header tank for the front-mounted radiator. Lifting out the domed centre section of the carpeted engine cover revealed a huge air-cleaner on top of the four, twin-choke Weber carburetters and a pleasing ease of access to plugs and other essentials.

The spare wheel was located in the tail under a tiny cover. At the other end of the car the boot could take a couple of large suitcases standing on their sides plus plenty of soft things. In addition to the panel hiding the battery was another hiding the washer bottle. The boot lid was released from within the car and by a safety catch hidden by the Maserati badge.

Starting the complex piece of machinery amidships was accomplished undramatically if the correct rourine was adhered to. From cold the vertical quadrant choke lever could be ignored as a potential source of plug wetting: instead, it was advisable to press the throttle to the floor once to partly prime the Webers, turn the engine over briefly, press the throttle once more to finish the priming, turn the key and normally the engine would fire instantly.

Starting from warm was instantaneous, just a whisker of throttle being necessary. The Bora was capable of pulling from as low as 25 m.p.h. in the 0.74:1 fifth gear ratio. At moderate speeds the fat front tyres had a disconcerting habit of following ruts and bumps on poor roads, kicking the steering wheel a little, but deflecting the car negligibly.

This phenomenon would disappear at high speeds. The characteristics of the engine, which produced an impressive 340 lb. ft. of torque at 4,200 r.p.m., was flexible but proved unhappy being compelled to travel at reduced revolutions for long, sometimes two plugs sooting themselves temporarily if too much town work was indulged in or if those superb aerodynamics were wasted by cruising for too long at 50, 60 or even 70 m.p.h.

First gear represented roughly 50 m.p.h., 2nd over 80, 3rd 120 m.p.h., 4th 147 m.p.h. and 5th 168 m.p.h. In practice it proved unnecessary to scream the engine up to peak power to achieve breath-taking performance and the red line on the tachometer begins at 5,500 r.p.m., anything over that being advisedly for short duration only, which would nevertheless give a happy cruising speed of 154 m.p.h.

Standing-start figures were impressive, though the Bora required a fair amount of effort to thrust it off the line. It was when you put the potential into action on the open road that you realised what Bora motoring was all about. Overtaking manoeuvres were achieved by a simple thrust on the throttle and in the instant it took to blink, the obstruction had gone. The torque provided a tremendous thrust in the back in any gear, so the gearbox did not need to be over-used.

At the other extreme, the brakes were equally staggering, a light touch on the centre one of the big, well-spaced pedals halting the beast from over 100 m.p.h. in seconds, almost complete lack of nose-dive and the sheer stability giving the effect of being halted by a giant hand. However, on wet, slippery surfaces, it was all to easy to lock the front wheels by panic braking the sensitive, high-pressure system. Traction was such that those same surfaces provoke little more than a few yards of wheelspin if too heavy a foot is applied.

Maserati Bora Merak
A beast in the wet or at low speed, however the Bora was brilliant at speed...
In the dry wheels spin could be measured in feet before the car shoot off like a rocket, the tremendous traction helping provide colossal cornering capabilities. Without being suicidal it was almost impossible to break away either end on a dry road: roll was practically non-existent, the Michelin XW:Xs gripped the bitumen like glue and the g-forces which could be created whilst the Bora remained on its appointed line had to be felt to be believed.

At low speeds handling characteristics were nominally those of understeer, hardly relevant, for it was not until the aggressive nose was thrusting forward at respectable speed that the suspension needed to exert its virtues at all, and by then the handling had become, and remained, neutral.

Steering was what you would expect from such an utterly exciting machine, utterly precise and responsive yet remaining fairly light even at parking speeds - but the limited visibility ensured that parking remained a difficult task.

The Bora's ride was surprisingly good, some low-speed choppiness disappearing as the springs and shock-absorbers began to work at speed. But the Maserati Bora had a few detail short-comings which were not to be expected at the price, but which were inherent in a 1970's mid-engine design. They were small sacrifices to accept to enjoy the pleasure of what was amoung the ultimate in fast motoring then available.

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Also see:


Maserati Merak Advertisement
Maserati Heritage
Maserati's Racing Pedigree
Maserati History - The Story Behind The Rise of Neptunes Trident (USA Site)
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