Maserati Bora I (Tipo 117) gallery (1971–1978)

The Maserati Bora (factory code Tipo 117) debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1971, marking a monumental milestone as the trident marque's first mid-engine road car. Engineered around a steel monocoque with a tubular rear subframe, it featured a striking wedge-shaped fastback coupe body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign, accented by a brushed stainless steel roof and pillar treatment. Bora utilized fully independent suspension with double wishbones and coil springs at all four corners, complemented by Citroën-sourced high-pressure hydraulics that operated the ventilated disc brakes, pop-up headlamps, and adjustable pedal box. Mounted longitudinally amidships was an all-aluminum quad-cam 90-degree V8 engine, initially displacing 4.7 liters and producing 310 hp, which was later joined and largely superseded by a larger 4.9-liter iteration yielding 300 to 320 hp to meet stricter emissions standards. Power was channeled to the rear wheels via a robust ZF five-speed manual transaxle and a limited-slip differential. The Bora offered an exceptional balance of grand touring luxury and supercar performance without undergoing significant structural facelifts during its lifecycle. Total production reached 564 units across Europe, North America, and other global export destinations until manufacturing concluded in 1978.