Car Sangarz

Today is a day that ends in the letter "y" which means an Ebay search is inevitable.  After checking the usual lust worthy subjects, I stumble upon a hallowed mark that has had some rough patches over the years, Maserati.  To my surprise, it isn't the current Gran Turismo or Quattroporte that grabs my attention.  It isn't even the sexy lines of a coupe or cabrio.  It's this:

r3vlimited.com

Considering this Maserati Biturbo is on Time magazine's list of 50 worst cars of all time, most of you probably think I'm crazy for liking it.  It's inexplicable really.  There was a Biturbo coupe on Ebay just a couple days ago and the lines looked so clean.  Now, I see the sedan and it isn't far off the mark.  It just exudes a kind of Italian style that is terribly hard to put into words.

Styling is nice but most of you are aware that I primarily like to talk about drivetrain and performance.  Well, I won't disappoint today.  Depending on year and trim, the Biturbo housed anything from a 2 to 2.5 liter V6 which made anywhere between 180 and 290 horsepower.  The lower end of this range is comparable to an E30 M3!  All the physical dimensions are within a stone's throw of the M3 also.  In addition, it was naturally a rear driver.

So what's the catch?  This isn't titled the The Rich Man's 3-Series for nothing!  The reason behind it being on Time's worst car list is largely due to a plethora of service advisories and reliability issues.  I'm sure after dumping a bunch of cash into the car, it's a sweet ride.  Here's one on Ebay to get you started. 

The model bears the distinctive Pininfarina mar: the imposing and dynamic front is interposed by headlamps whose lines are horizontally developed, perfectly blending into the form of the fenders. The grille is instead crowded by the renowned Trident symbol in chrome. The dynamism of the side view is accentuated by the short front overhangs as well as by the long bonnet whether the three air intakes with chrome profiles lighten the front fender. The side panels are decked with chrome details to increase the car distinctiveness while the overall side dynamics are also highlighted by the 20-inch alloy wheels. The rear of the Maserati GranTurismo Convertible emphasizes its sporty and highly technological nature: the triangular tail lights uses 96 LEDs ensuring immediate nighttime recognition, while the aerodynamic diffuser is framed by two pairs of large diameter chrome exhausts tailpipes.

When the retractable roof is closed, the car has an elegant but decisively dynamic profile; the roof can then be opened in 24 seconds by one touch to the soft top control button. The Maserati GranTurismo Convertible is a genuine four-seater enabling all four passengers to enjoy the experience of driving with the top down to the fullest. The rear seats are designed the same as the front ones, providing a welcoming and an automotive space as pleasurable for the passengers as it is for the driver. A multi-layer soft top has been selected for the GranTurismo Convertible, allowing a wide range of color combinations while maintaining functionality, space and light weight requirements. The complete soft top system weights a mere 143 lbs and maintains the car's excellent low center of gravity either with the top open or stowed.

Remember the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale that was introduced last year at the Paris Auto Show? The Italian sportscar maker has brought a ‘softer’ version of the MC to the States that drops the “Stradale” word from its name. That is because the GranTurismo MC has a full automatic gearbox instead of the original Race Shift transmission and two extra seats in the back instead of a roll cage. Even so, the Granturismo MC is the fastest series production model Maserati has ever sold in America.

For those that think an Aston Martin DB5 or a Shelby Cobra aren't rare enough, here are two cars from the 50s that would satisfy those extravagant connoisseurs.

This 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 is for sale from Belgium and has been completely restored.  It's a stately grand touring car that could probably be driven for miles on end.  This is an early 1954 model because it comes with the 2.6 liter motor.  Later builds were equipped with the 2.9 liter.  Any Aston would be a great addition to a personal collection but this one would make jaws drop.  With only 764 DB2/4s having been made, this can only appreciate in value over the years.  Find it here.

This automotive piece of art is a Scarab roadster.  It's listed as a 1959 model but it's really a modern day replica of the original.  There were only 3 originals made that year and all were built specifically to go racing.  They were very successful back then against Ferrari, Maserati, and Corvettes.  I can't do this car justice with just a few words.  Check out the auction here or click the links below for more information on this gorgeous car.

Scarab Replica - Video - Jay Leno's Garage

Scarab Motorsports

Courtesy Z06zone.com

There are only a few things that a 16 year old boy thinks about on a daily basis.  In no certain order, these thoughts circulate around food, video games, girls'...er..."personalities", and big horsepower numbers.  The car that produced the biggest numbers at a fraction of the cost of most supercars back when I was 16 was the 2002 Corvette Z06.

The fifth generation of the venerable Corvette ran from 1997 to 2004.  The Z06 didn't arrive until 2001 and it was heralded as the descendant of the ultimate Vette, the C4 ZR-1.  The car originally was introduced packing a healthy 385 horsepower from a 5.7 liter LS6 V8.  However, the second year of the Z06's existence is what grabbed everyone's attention.  Chevy decided to redesign the intake, camshaft, pistons, valves and valve springs.  The LS6 now broke that magical 400 horsepower barrier with 405.  Chevy even commemorated this with 405hp badges on the fenders.

XMSengineering.com

In addition to a 405 horsepower motor, the American icon received uprated suspension, lighter wheels, fatter rubber, and a revised gearbox.  These upgrades allowed for amazing performance numbers.  Zero to sixty sprints were done in around 4 seconds.  1320 feet disappeared in 12 seconds.  Side loads on the skidpad reached numbers as high as 1.07g.  These numbers were comparable to the Porsche Turbo and Ferrari 360 Modena.  Remember that the Vette costs half as much as those cars.  This generation Z06 marked the Corvette's return to supercar status on an international level.

thaigaming.com

The main problems with this Z06, as with a growing teenager, are a 20/20 hindsight, impending maturity, and a younger, faster generation.  All of this is summed up in the 2005 C6 Corvette with the Z51 suspension package.  It is newer, smaller, just as fast, just as sticky, and has a much more refined interior.  Regardless of which year you choose, each can be had for around $25,000 without much searching.


If Corvettes are your cup o' tea, you can't do much better from a cost/performance standpoint than the cars from the past 10 years.  Considering the past ASS and how long it took to write about the Corvette, it would seem I no longer hold a love for the car.  I respect its abilities but am attracted to other cars on a more basic emotional level.  The Maserati Gransport sounds like sex.  The Aston Martin looks like sex.  The Acura NSX drives likes sex.  The Corvettes, on the other hand, are like that female Olympic medalist who had her gender questioned.  They do what they are supposed to do very well but it's definitely not the kind of "personalities" that teenage boys want.

It may seem odd to some that the Affordable Supercar Series has yet to cover an Italian marque. Most people do think of that boot-shaped country whenever they hear the word "supercar." Well, there's good reason for such a delay. To tell the truth, very few cars from Italy can be described as both "affordable" and "super." However, we at Flappy Paddle Heads have persevered to find a car more super than a Fiat Panda and more affordable than a Lamborghini Countach.


This is the Maserati Coupe. It was Maserati's re-entry into the United States in 2002 under the ownership of Ferrari. Yes, the same Ferrari that makes your neck hurt every time one flies by in the other direction. This car could also be had as a convertible, or spyder in Italian parlance. The only other options to really consider are a proper 6-speed manual versus a automated single clutch manual called Cambiocorsa and a conventional suspension as opposed to the adaptive Skyhook suspension. I'll give you a minute to digest all that.

Luckily, there was no decision to be made when it came to the engine department. Stuffed in this gorgeous wrapper is a 4.2 liter V8 that produced atleast 385 horsepower and 333 lb-ft of torque. This was enough to catapult this 3700 pound grand tourer to sixty in 4.7 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 13.2 seconds. Even with all that weight, it could still hold on to the skidpad for .88g and be hauled down repeatedly with fade free brakes.

All this performance and sexy understated sheet metal can be bought for as little as $27,000 according to current Ebay prices. My personal choice would be a 2004 Gransport which has a few more horses but a much better sorted set of suspenders. With prices that low, you won't be relegated to boxed wine and Chef Boyardee for a matching Italian dinner.

Specs courtesy of Caranddriver.com
Photo courtesy of netcarshow.com