Lot 533: 1983 Maserati Biturbo Coupe

Maserati�s mainstream model throughout the 1980s and the first series-production road car to employ a twin turbo-charged engine, the Biturbo debuted in two-door form in 1982. Intended to challenge BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the luxury sporting saloon market, the Biturbo was of classic, front engine/rear drive layout and featured all-independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and an interior boasting sumptuous upholstery and plentiful wood veneer trim. The all-steel unitary chassis/body was styled in-house and built by Innocenti, part of the De Tomaso empire like Maserati. ZF five-speed manual and later a three-speed automatic were the transmission options, while a limited-slip differential came as standard. Produced initially with a 2.0-litre, three-valves-per-cylinder, 90-degree V6, the Biturbo gained 2.5-litre, 2.8-litre and four-valves-per-cylinder engines as the model range expanded throughout the 1980s to include four-door saloon and open-topped spyder variants.
First registered on 23rd September 1983, this left-hand drive Biturbo was purchased in Italy by a previous owner and driven back to the UK. In 1984 the car was advertised for sale in the Sunday Times by Ivor Hill Ltd,Wimbledon from whom it was bought by Alexander Fyshe on 7th December that year. The car had covered nominal mileage only, a mere 1,498 kilometres (approximately 930 miles) being recorded on the odometer at time of purchase. Used regularly early in its life, the Biturbo comes with Alexander�s personal notes recording all journeys, servicing and mileage totals from December 1984 to September 2006. A new speedometer was fitted at 73,301 kilometres, since when the car has travelled a further 5,700-or-so kilometres, making the total distance covered from new some 49,540 miles. Not used since September 2006 and currently on SORN, the car is offered with Swansea V5 registration document. Sold without reserve.