Giorgetto Giugiaro – Pulpaddict

Half a century of the Maserati Boomerang

It’s amazing to think that this week marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of one of the most iconic automotive concepts ever.

The futuristic Maserati Boomerang, which was created by legendary Italian car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and produced by Italdesign, was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 9 March, 1972.

It was based on a Maserati Bora, with a central eight-cylinder rear engine laid out at 90° that delivered 4,719cc. It could unleash 310hp, bringing it close to a top speed of almost 300km/h (186mph). Drive was through the rear wheels and it had a five-speed gearbox.

The two-seater sports coupé never went into production. Instead, it left behind a stylistic legacy that continued to live on not only in Giugiaro’s later creations, but also in other projects, and it served as an inspiration for other designers and manufacturers globally.

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.

The model was designed along a horizontal line that divided the car in two, with a sloping windscreen and a panoramic sunroof. The original windows, especially on the two doors, were interspersed with a strip of metal. The retractable square headlamps stood out in the front, alongside the horizontal lights in the rear.

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.

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MASERATI BOOMERANG CONCEPT TURNS 50.

A dream car, an extreme, futuristic, almost irrational, definitely beautiful model capable of remaining imprinted on the memory of every single fan: MASERATI BOOMERANG CONCEPT TURNS 50.

Half a century has passed since March 9^th 1972, when the Maserati Boomerang Concept made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. It was created by Giorgetto Giugiaro and produced by Italdesign. A Maserati Boomerang mock-up 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. The base used by Italdesign (chassis and complete mechanics) was a Maserati Bora, with with five-speed transaxle and a 310 horsepower, 90-degree V-8 rear engine, displacing 4,719 cc. Top speed was approximately 180 mph.

Maserati’s two-seater sports coupé – MASERATI BOOMERANG CONCEPT TURNS 50 – never went into production. 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 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.

The only specimen of the Boomerang ever produced also made other appearances in international competitions. It would change hands between various owners, ended up featuring in a number of auctions, and was even used in commercials. Considered by many to be a genuine work of art, the Boomerang was revolutionary and managed to influence the designs of successive cars. It continued the tradition of Maserati as a brand capable of creating unique automotive concepts, iconic and avant-garde cars that acted as pioneers of technology and style. Now more than ever, Maserati is unique for its design and innovative by nature, with the MC20 super sports car, the new Grecale SUV and the Nettuno engine, a patented synonym for technological revolution.

For more information about the latest vehicles from Maserati, please visit https://www.maserati.com/us/en

VW NARDO W12 SUPERCAR.

On the 20^th anniversary of Volkswagen breaking seven world speed records on the famed Nardò circuit in Italy, we take a look back at the infamous VW NARDO W12 SUPERCAR.

Few are aware the first Supercar to feature a functioning example of Volkswagen’s unique “W” engine was not the Bugatti Veyron with its quad-turbocharged W16 engine. Instead, the earliest progenitor bore a VW emblem on its hood. With aerodynamic styling penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign, the striking W12 Concept Coupe that debuted at the Tokyo International Motor Show in 1997 was, just like the Veyron, an out-and-out Supercar. Perhaps even more significantly, it broke the traditional notion that a Volkswagen had to be a regular family car, paving the way for range-topping luxury and performance models from the brand.

The W12 Concept Coupe was powered by a 5.6-liter W12 engine, made by mating two of the company’s compact and lightweight 2.8-liter VR6 engines on a common crankshaft. When married, the W12 made 414 horsepower, which was channeled through Volkswagen’s Syncro all-wheel drive and a six-speed sequential transmission.

The W12 was a hit—at least in Concept form. Though it never made it to series production, Volkswagen’s first Supercar utterly exemplified the term. Its windshield was a single sheet of specially-curved glass that stretched all the way through the end of the roofline, splitting double gullwing doors and blending directly into a glass engine cover that allowed a view of the mighty W12 beneath. With the flames stoked, a roadster variant was unveiled in 1998 at the Geneva Motor Show.

It would be another three years before reasoning for the earlier prototypes’ existence became clear. In 2001, Volkswagen announced it would attempt to set the 24-hour speed record at the 7.8-mile Nardò Ring in southern Italy. The W12 Concept Coupe seen in auto shows had evolved significantly – the W12 engine was enlarged to six liters, which, among other mechanical differences, resulted in power leaping to 591 horsepower. It did away with the coupe concept’s all-wheel drive system, and tipping the scales at a scant 2,646 pounds, it sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds!

On the ground in October 2001, the VW NARDO W12 SUPERCAR was instantly in its element, clocking an average speed of 183.5 mph over 4,402 miles, shattering the World Record. The feat was particularly astounding considering it was the first real trial of the first road-going VW Group W engine ever. As remarkable an accomplishment as it was, the team knew the W12 still had more to give.

Fewer than four months later, on February 23, 2002, they would return to see the VW NARDO W12 SUPERCAR cover a distance of 4,809 miles and sustain an average speed of 200.6 mph. If there was any question about the durability of the W-series engine, it was answered at Nardò that day. In achieving this astounding average speed, the W12 Nardo set seven world records and 12 international class records in the process.

Volkswagen could now lay claim to nine of 12 world records relating to distance and time. The additional two were set by the ARVW (Aerodynamic Research VW) in 1980. According to the Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA), all nine world records stand to this day. To learn more about the engine that powered the VW NARDO W12 SUPERCAR, please visit https://media.vw.com/en-us/releases/1409