RE: Fabulous Maserati BiTurbo 420 Si for sale
RE: Fabulous Maserati BiTurbo 420 Si for sale
Thursday 30th January 2025

Fabulous Maserati BiTurbo 420 Si for sale

Not many BiTurbos remain, but even fewer have been dry-stored and driven just 8,000 miles...


Typically (or at least occasionally) a highlight from the classifieds will feature a news hook, something that links an old car back to the current day. Not this time, though. When there’s a Maserati BiTurbo for sale, it has to be shared as widely as possible as fast as we can, regardless of what’s happening with Maserati in the here and now. Which is anyone’s guess, quite frankly. 

While so many examples of Maserati’s E30 rival have now perished, this one is as good as it looks. The BiTurbo could hardly be more '80s if it tried, from its super-shiny wire wheels to its ruched leather. The clock would be the perfect accessory for a dubiously pinstriped suit; the gearknob looks like it lived a previous life as an office paperweight - it’s absolutely enormous. This couldn’t be anything but a BiTurbo, which is what makes it so intriguing nearly 40 years later. 

Wherever you look, there doesn’t seem to be an imperfection to be found. And that isn’t a trick of the light, or your eyes, or Photoshop - it looks like a barely used Maserati because that’s what it is, having spent a long time in dry storage. Imported from Italy in 2019 and recently recommissioned, it’s still showing fewer than 8,000 miles. Or 12,305 kilometres, to be specific, because this is a 420Si BiTurbo, a derivative only sold in Europe and therefore left-hand drive. Exceptionally rare in period, with only around 500 made across two- and four-doors, the 420Si BiTurbo was powered by the twin-turbo 2.0-litre V6 (the clue’s in the name and all that) with 225hp. This one is especially interesting as a car with power steering (one of just 24, apparently), and the manual gearbox. 

It’s a fascinating example of a cult classic Maserati. Those Borrani wire wheels are bespoke, for example, there are Maserati Racing Autosport accessories, and a signed Nardi steering wheel. We don’t know who by, but it seems like the original owner of this car was a special customer. There’s a letter from Maserati in the history, too. 

It seems that the car went into storage before the 21st century, but the work completed in the UK over the past half a dozen years is comprehensive. The cambelt has been changed twice, the fluids replenished, the paint restored, wood repaired and steering rack refurbished. Such is the provenance and rarity, it doesn’t feel like the car that’s been picked up by a casual enthusiast. This is for folk who really love BiTurbos. 

Is that you? This one’s now for sale at £35k, which must be top money for a BiTurbo. When one can be found. And in a world of £50k non-M3 E30s plus 190Es becoming more valuable by the week, maybe that’s not an extortionate price. Certainly the Maserati has rarity on its side. We mentioned the wheels, right?


See the original advert here

Author
Discussion

mrclav

Original Poster:

1,645 posts

252 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Those wheels look like the ones they put on low-riders out in California.

Don't suit this car, at all.

Billy_Whizzzz

2,620 posts

172 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Wow some arch gap

richinlondon

885 posts

151 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Everyone’s going to say the same thing I know but my god those wheels look silly on this

ducnick

2,254 posts

272 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
It needs the original wheels back on it. Also, if it’s a 1988 car, why has it got the later headlights and the air deflector above the wipers? I’m sure they didn’t appear for a couple more yrs on the 24 valve cars in 1990.
Smoked rear lights and red painted brake calipers also make me query its originality. If you are paying this much for a dry stored low miles biturbo you are going to be demanding 100% originality, not something that’s been modified.

Edited by ducnick on Thursday 30th January 07:41

Castrol for a knave

7,934 posts

120 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all

£35,000 for a left hand drive bland 80's Maserati, that'll eventually bankrupt you, is a no from me.

Especially as the same money gets you into a decent HF Integrale, like the lovely 90 plate one sold recently by Richard Grace.

dontlookdown

2,501 posts

122 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
I do like the look of those razor edge 80s Masers saloons, but those wheels are an abomination. Owner must be a Miami Vice fan.

J4CKO

46,821 posts

229 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
I like the shape of these sort of the offspring of an BMW E30 saloon and a truncated Aston Martin Lagonda.

But, I think Liberace wants his wheels back and that interior, even Italian fashion went a bit 80s in the 80s.


Earthdweller

19,267 posts

155 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
ducnick said:
It needs the original wheels back on it. Also, if it’s a 1988 car, why has it got the later headlights and the air deflector above the wipers? I’m sure they didn’t appear for a couple more yrs on the 24 valve cars in 1990.
Smoked rear lights and red painted brake calipers also make me query its originality. If you are paying this much for a dry stored low miles biturbo you are going to be demanding 100% originality, not something that’s been modified.

Edited by ducnick on Thursday 30th January 07:41
Bravo

That's proper nerding

smile

bmv6197

100 posts

132 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
ducnick said:
It needs the original wheels back on it. Also, if it’s a 1988 car, why has it got the later headlights and the air deflector above the wipers? I’m sure they didn’t appear for a couple more yrs on the 24 valve cars in 1990.
Smoked rear lights and red painted brake calipers also make me query its originality. If you are paying this much for a dry stored low miles biturbo you are going to be demanding 100% originality, not something that’s been modified.

Edited by ducnick on Thursday 30th January 07:41
+1

Originality a must at that price point. Lights and wheels especially.




ducnick

2,254 posts

272 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Earthdweller said:
ducnick said:
It needs the original wheels back on it. Also, if it’s a 1988 car, why has it got the later headlights and the air deflector above the wipers? I’m sure they didn’t appear for a couple more yrs on the 24 valve cars in 1990.
Smoked rear lights and red painted brake calipers also make me query its originality. If you are paying this much for a dry stored low miles biturbo you are going to be demanding 100% originality, not something that’s been modified.

Edited by ducnick on Thursday 30th January 07:41
Bravo

That's proper nerding

smile
To be fair I owned a 1988 biturbo for many ears so I know what they should look like.
This is what it would have looked like from the factory


McRors

458 posts

85 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
A money pit but I do love the ruched leather seats and vulvic clock. Epic.

Earthdweller

19,267 posts

155 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
ducnick said:
Earthdweller said:
ducnick said:
It needs the original wheels back on it. Also, if it’s a 1988 car, why has it got the later headlights and the air deflector above the wipers? I’m sure they didn’t appear for a couple more yrs on the 24 valve cars in 1990.
Smoked rear lights and red painted brake calipers also make me query its originality. If you are paying this much for a dry stored low miles biturbo you are going to be demanding 100% originality, not something that’s been modified.

Edited by ducnick on Thursday 30th January 07:41
Bravo

That's proper nerding

smile
To be fair I owned a 1988 biturbo for many ears so I know what they should look like.
This is what it would have looked like from the factory

Fair play !

But I've a real challenge for you now, can you tell the difference between the VAG group crossovers laugh

Mark-C

7,601 posts

234 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
I quite like that ... possibly even the wheels!

But I'd want a two-door ...

Pereldh

817 posts

141 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Wire wheels...? Wrong owner, shy away...

damonbill

272 posts

274 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Hideous wheels, terrible car, but I kinda love it.

£7500 love it, not £35000 love it.

WPA

14,653 posts

143 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
Not sure why anybody would think wire wheels would look good on it plus a complete money pit

smilo996

3,819 posts

199 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
the wheels are a bit Swiss Tony but I love the more trad design of the update with the silly wheel-arch profile.

Better.

DaveyBoyWonder

3,867 posts

203 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
And in a world of £50k non-M3 E30s plus 190Es becoming more valuable by the week, maybe that’s not an extortionate price.

Give me an E30 or 190E any day of the week...

J4CKO

46,821 posts

229 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
smilo996 said:
the wheels are a bit Swiss Tony but I love the more trad design of the update with the silly wheel-arch profile.

Better.
That looks better, kind of exuding a sort of cool, posh version of a Lancia Integrale sort of vibe.

Geoffcapes

1,284 posts

193 months

Thursday 30th January 2025
quotequote all
smilo996 said:
the wheels are a bit Swiss Tony but I love the more trad design of the update with the silly wheel-arch profile.

Better.
This is what they should look like. Not those ridiculous wheels.

Someone is having a laugh with that price tag.

You could get an original one from Italy, import it, pay all the taxes, and still have enough to buy a Gransport.