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of the Week Bora Bora Bora
One look at an early 1970s Maserati Bora is enough to tell you why Karim Aga Khan and movie producer Carlo Ponti both wanted one. This car was more modern and wild than any other car on the road. Its styling was by Giorgetto Giugiaro (Italdesign), who earlier had penned the breakthrough Lamborghini Miura. To counter the performance and knifelike styling of that car, Maserati needed the Bora, its own mid-engined racer. Powered by a muscular 310-horsepower, 4.7-liter V-8, the 1971 Bora could fly to more than 170 miles per hour, and the driver would see 80 mph before redline in second gear. But it was a Maserati, so it was a bit less brutal than the competition, with the possibility of easy conversation between driver and passenger at 120 mph. Fortunately and unfortunately, Citroën gained control of Maserati during the Bora era, lending excellent but complex brakes, headlamp pods, power seats and even adjustable pedals--all powered hydraulically. In 1974, U.S. emissions controls created the need for a detuned, larger V-8 displacing 4.9 liters but producing less horsepower. These later cars--524 Boras were made; 235 had the larger motor--aren't as desirable to most collectors. Forbes FactThe Citroën connection has forever tainted the Bora (and the Merak, another child of the odd French-Italian marriage), but this may not be the most difficult failing of Boras: Try synchronizing the engine's four Weber carburetors, or paying the tab for such a tune-up.Still, when fully restored Boras come to market, they're worth a look. For instance, the rare right-hand-drive 1976 model below, recently at auction by Coys of Kensington, saw a complete restoration by its previous owner but still was only predicted to sell for about $30,000. (The car was sold on March 3; auction results have not yet been published.) If you can afford it, that's a steal for a mint, head-turning sports car you know none of your neighbors has--or may even have ever seen.
Ford Tough - 3/10/03 6:15:00 PM ET Forget the wild news stories about Ford Motor. There's still a Ford in your future. Fly Like A Billionaire (On A Budget) - 3/10/03 12:00:00 PM ET More and more business travelers are opting to buy shares in small jets, and skip commercial aviation. Iraq May Be Placing Explosives In Oil Fields - 3/10/03 2:20:00 PM ET U.S. officials say Iraqi forces are getting ready to torch oil wells in the event of a U.S.-led invasion. Bristol's Penance - 3/10/03 1:00:00 PM ET It restates earnings downward for 1999 to 2001 but also gives a boost to profits this year. Weird? Yes. Long: Tenet; Short: Universal Health - 3/10/03 3:13:17 PM ET Money manager Robert Maltbie's weekly picks of which stocks to long and short.
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