In this, the company's centennial year, we have seen many great examples from Maserati's rich history. Today, we have selected five of the very best, all powered by a V8 engine. The earliest of these is the V8RI, which we already featured in July. The reason we have highlighted this independently sprung Grand Prix racer again is that the recent Goodwood Revival featured two V8RIs on the grid together, most likely for the first time since the 1930s.
Another star of the Revival was the unique 420/M/58 Eldorado, which was parade of the 250F parade. Built for the 1958 Race of Two Worlds at Monza, it combined a 250F chassis with a downsized version of the 450S V8. Perhaps its biggest claim to fame was the use of a sponsorship livery for the first time on a European racing car.
A similar V8 engine was found in the 5000 GT Touring Coupe introduced late in 1959. The featured example is the second of two similar cars with the original earmarked for the Shah of Persia, who had been a driving force behind the 5000 GT road car project. One of the stars at Pebble Beach last month the second 5000 GT Touring Coupe was commissioned by Basil Read, who also owned the Kyalami racing track at the time.
Arguably the most striking of the five cars featured today is the Boomerang show car created by Giorgietto Giugiaro in the early 1970s. Using Bora underpinnings, it boasts a dramatic wedge-shape and a futuristic interior with a steering wheel that doubled as a dashboard. Even though intended as a show car, the Boomerang is fully functional and road legal.
Another Bora variant is the little known Bora Group 4, which was shown at the recent Chantilly Arts & Elegance. It was developed by the factory for a wealthy privateer, but homologation issues prevented it from living up to the high expectations.
Enjoy the links:
1973 Maserati Bora Group 4 - Images, Specifications and Information
1972 Maserati Boomerang - Images, Specifications and Information
1959 - 1960 Maserati 5000 GT Touring Coupe - Images, Specifications and Information
1958 Maserati 420/M/58 Eldorado - Images, Specifications and Information
1935 - 1936 Maserati V8RI - Images, Specifications and Information
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Originally Posted by Kitdy
