The only specimen of the Boomerang ever produced also made other appearances in international competitions. It was extremely modern in terms of its interior, where the dashboard instruments were built into the spokeless steering wheel and the seats were positioned very low. The retractable square headlamps stood out in the front, alongside the horizontal lights in the rear. Developed over the chassis of the Maserati Bora, it is an extreme dream car, irrational, able to reach a top speed of close to 300 kph, thanks to its powerful 8 cylinders engine. The original windows, especially on the two doors, were interspersed with a strip of metal. First presented as an epowood model at the 1972 Turin Motor Show, it then became a one-off and was exhibited five months later at the Geneva Show of 1973. The model was designed along a horizontal line that divided the car in two, with a sloping windscreen and a panoramic sunroof. The originality of the Boomerang from an aesthetic point of view was demonstrated in its wedge shape and in its bold, clear lines, which conveyed an image of penetration, power and speed. Instead, it left behind a stylistic legacy that continued to live on not only in Giugiaro's later creations, but also in other projects, serving as inspiration for various other automakers in Europe and the United States. The two-seater sports coupé never went into production. The rear-wheel drive had a five-speed gearbox. It could unleash 310 hp, bringing it close to a top speed of almost 300 km/h. It doesnt get better than that - except when you see the. The base used by Italdesign (chassis and complete mechanics) was a Maserati Bora, with a central eight-cylinder rear engine laid out at 90° that delivered 4,719 cc. A unique car conceived by the man named as Car Designer of the Century. Hopeful and lustfully futuristic, the Boomerang even starred in a recent Louis Vuitton advertising campaign.Maserati Boomerang – a mock-up of which made a fleeting appearance at the 1971 Turin Motor Show: only one model was ever made, which would be presented at the Swiss show in 1972 as a registered vehicle that ran perfectly. Maserati was between owners and cash was tight, making the Boomerang just another icon in Giugiaro’s greatest hits catalog.Įven today, however, the Boomerang is emblematic of the era. The Boomerang did not see the light of day at the end of a Maserati factory, but mostly due to economic issues around the world in the early 1970s. The gauges are all so accessible, you just want to reach out and tap them to see if they are the real deal. The steering wheel with its rim-mounted setup is quite breathtaking even today. Production-ready elements are seen in the relatively practical doors, enclosed popup headlights and even the cabin. In fact, the Countach has a very blunt nose and shape by comparison. It debuted in 1972 just a few months after the Bertone-styled Lamborghini Countach, and aimed to make Lambo’s vision seem quaint. The sophisticated computer modelling of today was just a twinkle in the DoD and NASA’s eye at the time, so the intuition of a designer often led the day.īut unlike the 512 S Modulo and others, the Boomerang concept was designed to go into production - tomorrow. Wind tunnels in this era were largely the last step of a design – mostly to flag any huge turbulence issues. Lancia Stratos HF Zero at Atlanta Dream Cars exhibit Ferrari 512 S Modulo at Atlanta Dream Cars exhibit Maserati Boomerang turns 50 MaA dream car, an extreme, futuristic, almost irrational, definitely beautiful model capable of remaining imprinted on the memory of every single fan: half a century has passed since 9 March 1972, when the Maserati Boomerang made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. It's powered courtesy of a naturally aspirated engine of 4.7 litre capacity. In wind tunnels of the day, the goal was to have as little front surface area as possible. 1972 Maserati Boomerang Concept Boomerang, Concept Tweet The Boomerang is a motor vehicle from Maserati, with rear wheel drive, a mid positioned engine and a Giugiaro-styled 2 door coup body style. The design was the ultimate expression of mid-engine hypercar engineering of the time. This design mantra took over the minds of the world’s top stylists collectively around 1970 – as the Ferrari 512 S Module and the Lancia Stratos HF Zero concepts swept everyone to accept the shape.