The Maserati Boomerang Is The Futuristic Concept Car You've Never Heard Of
If the Shamal is regarded by many as the most underrated Maserati, the Boomerang concept is possibly one of the most unforgettable — once you've had the opportunity to see it in the first place, that is. The Maserati Boomerang should belong to our list of the best Maseratis of all time. However, it's a one-off concept car that made rounds at auto shows and exhibits worldwide after wowing the crowds at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. The Boomerang debuted at first as a mock-up concept with no engine or running gear. Still, it didn't matter to the lucky few who laid eyes on its glorious, futuristic design.
The Boomerang made its second public appearance at the 1972 Swiss Auto Show. This time around, it had all the elements of a roadgoing car, including a V8 engine, a working gearbox, and a space-age interior. In addition, it re-entered the auto show circuit as a "registered vehicle that ran perfectly," according to Maserati.
Maserati Boomerang: Futuristic dream car
According to Goodwood Road & Racing, the Maserati Boomerang is one of the brand's best concept cars. Designed by the legendary Giurgetto Giugiaro and built by Italdesign, the Boomerang is a Maserati Bora underneath its wedge-inspired body style. It has a centrally-mounted, 90-degree, race-bred 4.7-liter V8 engine behind the cabin, pumping out 310 horsepower to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. Maserati made no claims about the performance numbers, but it said the Boomerang could reach a 186 mph (300 kph) top speed, which is remarkably impressive for a one-off show car.
It may have a potent V8 engine, but Boomerang's biggest draw is the way it looks. It has an almost-flat windscreen, a panoramic roof, retractable square headlamps, and horizontal taillights. Furthermore, a bold horizontal line divides the car into two when viewed from the sides, splitting the side windows into two separate glass elements reminiscent of the McLaren Senna. It was so beautiful that French die-cast model maker Norev unveiled a scale model of the Boomerang in the mid-70s.
Changing hands
Maserati sold its only Boomerang to a Spanish car collector in the mid-'70s after making waves at the London, Paris, and Barcelona auto shows according to Car and Driver. The Boomerang changed hands again in 1980 after a complete and thorough restoration. It reappeared at the 1990 Bagatelle Concours d'Elegance in Paris, and Giugiaro himself affixed his iconic signature on the back of the car at the event.
After trading more hands several times and appearing in a few TV commercials over the years, it settled in France as a fully registered road car. But on September 9, 2015, the Boomerang sold at a Bonhams auction at the Château de Chantilly for a staggering $3.7 million. The price may seem excessive for a one-off working prototype, but the Boomerang is genuinely one of a kind. It distinguishes having the most prominent Trident logo in any Maserati, and it's possibly the only concept with a steering-mounted instrument cluster and switchgear. Crazy, right?
As noted by Goodwood Road & Racing, it's clear the Boomerang was influential in the design and conceptualization of Italdesign's successive production cars like the DeLorean DMC-12 and the Lotus Esprit. The Boomerang turned 50 this year, and its spirit lives on with the all-new electric DeLorean scheduled to debut in mid-2022 to celebrate the 54th birthday of Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A.