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1984 - 1987 Maserati Biturbo Pre-Owned

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Khatir Soltani

An Affordable Exotic?

The year was 1987 and I was a successful entrepreneur unwittingly on the brink of insolvency, Black Monday to sweep away my dreams of fortune.

It was 1987, I was a successful entrepreneur standing in my local Alfa Romeo showroom, bored with the BMW 325 parked outside and looking for something saucy. (Photo: Maserati)

But nary a clue about what lay ahead, I stood in my local Alfa Romeo showroom, bored with the BMW 325 parked outside and looking for something saucy to jet to and from the office in. The lovely 164 hadn't been invented yet, or at least I wasn't privy to any insider knowledge regarding it yet, and the even lovelier GTV6 had been decommissioned as of 1986, leaving a particularly ungainly Milano in its place.

I drove the Milano and was unimpressed. My 325 felt lighter on its feet, so to speak, and better built by a long shot. But it still was missing a certain sex appeal from a design standpoint. While in deep thought about this the crafty sales lady at the dealership pointed out something special "that just came in" stuck way back in a corner.

A slightly used 1985 Maserati Biturbo trimmed out in E specification caught my eye. OK, the photos in this review aren't of a Biturbo E, but this sweet little red example is the best I could do. (Photo: Maserati)

What an intriguing car. Two-tone black and gray (two-tone was in back then), lots of flashy chrome and an interior to die for, what more could an upwardly mobile hedonist want? And this fine example of a slightly used 1985 Maserati Biturbo was trimmed out in E specification, meaning it was the performance edition of a performance car.

"Where do I sign?" I thought to myself. No, first I had better drive it, just to make sure it doesn't leave me feeling as flat as the most recent Italian car I had driven. Various luxury and sports cars were lined up between the Biturbo and the sliding glass doors to the roadway outside, and therefore were moved out of the way. Simultaneously the little Maser was lit up, its aftermarket Borla exhaust system tantalizingly rasping away as the sales manager checked me out, wondering how this kid, grinning from ear to ear upon hearing the mechanical music, was about to pay the $40-something thousand needed to take it home.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada