Maserati Biturbo Shamal returns, and it looks like this

Born under the ownership of Alejandro De Tomaso, the Maserati Biturbo was one of the iconic Trident cars of the 1980s, a model created to take on Alfa Romeo and Lancia, but never able to really break through. Not that it didn't try, with countless versions born over the years, with ever-increasing power. 

Among these is the Biturbo Shamal, presented in 1989 with an even more aggressive design and V8 engine in place of the standard V6, for a total of 322 PS. This is a numbers that makes one smile today, but during the 1990s it was for very few supercars. For example, the Ferrari Testarossa came in at 390 PS. Now, after decades of oblivion, the Maserati Biturbo Shamal comes back to life thanks to a restomod signed Automobili Modena, with production - strictly by hand - stopping at just 33 examples.

The watchword: loyalty

One of the hallmarks of the original Maserati Biturbo lay in the angular lines designed by Pierangelo Andreani, from which Automobili Modena's restomod is strongly inspired. Lively, sharp lines run through the bodywork starting from the nose, where the LED light clusters recall the original car. This is accompanied by plenty of muscle, rendered by the smooth surfaces of the flanks and wheel arches, an imposing appearance that ends with a high tail, topped by a fixed wing that embraces it. They do their utmost not to go unnoticed by the four exhausts - two on each side -  coming out of the valence. There are of course many references to the original Biturbo Shamal, such as the design of the grille, the design of the centre pillar, the 'Trident' on the rear pillars and the door handles. 

There are no images of the interior, however, we know that they mount Recaro seats and can be customised on request with various types of leather and other materials. There is also a monitor to control infotainment and climate control while the classic oval analogue clock is set in the centre of the dashboard.

More powerful and meaner  

Under the bonnet is not a V8 like the original Maserati Biturbo Shamal, but the 3-litre V6 (also twin-turbo) derived from the Ghibli S. The base is, like any self-respecting restomod, that of the original car, to which changes have been made to the set-up, braking system (with ABS, like the Biturbo Shamal of the time), and rims, which now fit Pirelli PZero tyres 225/40ZR18 at the front and 265/35ZR18 at the rear. 

Maserati Biturbo Shamal restomod by Modena Automobili

Photos by: Modena Automobiles

Total power output rises to 500 PS and 550 Nm of torque, to reach a top speed of 180 mph and go from 0 to 62 mph in 5 seconds flat.

As mentioned Automobili Modena will assemble 33 examples of its Maserati Biturbo Shamal. It is currently finishing the prototype, ready for the first quarter of 2025 while orders are already open. The price? It starts at around €600,000 (approx. £463,000).

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