Shortly after Citroën took a controlling interest in Maserati in 1968, the concept of a mid-engine two-seat sports car was proposed in order to remain competitive with Lamborghini and Ferrari. Dubbed the Bora, the new model debuted at the Geneva Auto Salon in March 1971.

The Bora’s sleek “wedge-style” coachwork was provided by Italdesign’s Giorgetto Giugiaro. Its mighty V-8 engine—first displacing 4.7 liters and later enlarged to 4.9 liters—derived from Maserati’s Birdcage Tipo 63–65 race cars. Performance was formidable: With 330 horsepower on tap, the Bora 4.9 could sprint to 60 mph in less than seven seconds, and Maserati claimed a top speed of 170 mph. This engine was paired with a ZF five-speed manual transmission and fitted to a monocoque chassis employing four-wheel independent suspension. A Citroën-supplied hydro-pneumatic control system powered the ventilated disc brakes, pop-up headlights, windows, and ingenious adjustment of the pedal box and driver’s seat. Compared to its competitors it was more civilized and practical, offering a full trunk in front along with generous cabin insulation and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel.

This US-market example was completed at Modena in late May 1975 and originally clad in Rosso Fuoco (20R308) over black Connolly leather (VM 8500). It was shipped to Los Angeles, California on 3 June 1975 and shortly thereafter sold new by Maserati’s American distributorship in Englewood, New Jersey. The car’s early ownership history in unknown, but it was acquired by the consignor in 2015 via a collector in Texas.

At some point during previous ownership the car was treated to a thorough restoration and painted in a striking shade of yellow resembling the factory color Giallo Fly. The interior has been similarly retrimmed in its factory-correct black leather with suede dashboard and grey carpets. A full suite of Veglia Borletti instrumentation is complemented by an updated JVC RX-type head unit mounted to the driver’s left. The car currently rides on a factory-correct set of Campagnolo alloy wheels which are presently shod in BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires befitting a period-style aesthetic.

Factory documentation provided by Maserati Classiche confirms that the car’s 4.9-liter V-8 engine is numbers-matching to the unit listed on the car’s build sheet. As presented today, this rarified Bora is further accompanied by manuals, maintenance guide, and a parts catalog. This Bora represents a rare opportunity for the discerning enthusiast to own a quintessential Italian exotic, one that remains a truly covetable alternative to a Ferrari or Lamborghini, replete with coachwork by a renowned designer, accompanied by factory documentation, and brimming with technological advancements.