Maserati Bora 4.7

Large history file documenting regular maintenance
Original interior
Long-Term Ownership

The Maserati Bora might well be one of the most criminally underappreciated cars of the post-war era.

In 1968 Maserati was acquired by Citroen giving the Modenese company the much-needed development budget to produce their first mid-engined GT car. The late 60’s and early 1970s were a great era for Citroen, a time where their programme of constant innovation reached its apogee. Finally, with the French firm’s investment and technology Maserati were able to build a car with the equipment and engineering required of the era, fully independent suspension, disc brakes, air-conditioning. Bear in mind that the Mistral and Ghibli still had live rear axles, the Mexico and Sebring, leaf springs!

At the heart of the Bora sat a Maserati designed hemi-V8 with race derived dual overhead cams, good for over 300 HP in both 4.7 litre and 4.9 litre versions. It was a true supercar of the era with performance figures to match whilst also being comfortable and accessible for the driver.

Conceived as a luxurious GT the seating position is excellent, adjusted by a moveable steering box and wheel, even luggage space is plentiful. Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign was tasked with creating a design in keeping with the car’s GT car brief, understated and purposeful without being excessively aggressive. The result is strikingly architectural, well resolved and scattered with unique touches like the polished stainless-steel roof.

The OPEC oil crisis and a staggering list price new meant that in the end only 564 cars were sold. Where many of those five hundred or so cars have been neglected over the years this example comes with a good history file attesting to lots of regular maintenance by known specialists.

Chassis 384 was delivered new to Italy and by the late 1980s the car was owned by a Mr Sergio Piccini in Tuscany (Arezzo) in the town of Sansepolcro. In 1996 the car is briefly registered in Milan before being purchased by Auto Speak, a dealer in Modena, before being sold to a dealer in Germany, called AutoExpert in Cologne. In December 1997 the car is featured in Italian car magazine, AutoMotor Magazine, displaying 68,000 km.

In 1998 Mr Ulrich Senoner from Munich purchases the car, and is responsible for a sustained period of investment which is evident in the car today. Most significantly he sent the car to noted specialist Candini in Modena in 2014 for a full engine overhaul including a new ECU.

The current owner purchased the car in 2016 directly from Mr Senoner having searched for a useable and well-maintained Bora for a very long time. In his care the car has been used regularly including at the St Moritz Automobile Week ‘Super Stick Shift’ tour.

On the road the investment made over the preceding decades in maintaining the car is clear to see, the hydraulic system operates correctly, the engine responds smoothly, and the original interior displays a pleasing patina.

Invoices Summary (2000 – 2015) 08/2000 – 2,806 DM (Values and Carburetor Rebuild)
10/2001 – 41.52 DM
11/2001 – 1,035 DM (Drive Shafts)
04/2003 – 621.35 EUR – Service Parts
04/2003 - 56.61
05/2003 – 116.81
11/2003 – 252.88 - Carburettor Service
04/2004 – 1,318.92 – Servicing
06/2004 – 3,462 – Servicing
03/2006 – 831.56 – Parts
07/2007 – 151.13 – Parts
10/2007 – 4,121 – Servicing
11/2009 – 458,98 – Engine bay preparation
06/2010 – 163,74 – Parts
10/2011 – 1396 – Servicing
07/2014 – 10,370 – Major Overhaul at Candini, including ECU
05/2015 – 481,17 – Servicing
08/2015 – 1968,75 – Oil pump, steering pump, servicing
08/2015 – 797,78 – Servicing