Editing Maserati (section)

===Citroën ownership===
In 1968, Maserati was taken over by [[Citroën]]. Adolfo Orsi remained the nominal president, but Maserati was controlled by its new owner. The relationship started as a joint venture, made public in January 1968,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,12/articleid,0118_01_1968_0010_0012_6708926/ |title=Maserati e Citroën firmano un accordo di collaborazione |date=17 January 1968 |page=12 |newspaper=[[La Stampa]] |language=it |access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> in which Maserati would design and manufacture an engine for Citroën's upcoming flagship called [[Citroën SM|SM]]. Launched in 1970, the SM was a four-seat [[front-wheel-drive]] coupé, powered by a Maserati ''Tipo C114'' 2.7-litre 90° [[V6 engine]]; this engine and its gearbox had been used in other vehicles, such as [[Rallying|rally]]-prepared [[Citroën DS|DS]]s used by Bob Neyret in [[Bandama Rally]], and in the [[Ligier JS2]].

[[File:Maserati Bora (6086494575).jpg|thumb|The [[Maserati Bora|Bora]] is the first mid-engine Maserati road legal automobile.]]

With secure financial backing, new models were launched and built in much greater numbers than years prior. Citroën borrowed Maserati's expertise and engines for the SM and other vehicles, and Maserati incorporated Citroën's technology, particularly in [[hydropneumatic|hydraulics]]. Engineer [[Giulio Alfieri]] was key to many of the ambitious designs of this period.

The first new arrival was the 1969 [[Maserati Indy|Indy]]—a Vignale-bodied four-seater GT with a traditional V8 drivetrain, 1,100 units of the Indy were made.

In 1971, the [[Maserati Bora|Bora]] was the company's first series production [[Mid-engine design|mid-engine]] model, an idea agreed with administrator Guy Malleret shortly after the 1968 takeover. The Bora ended Maserati's reputation for producing fast but technologically out of date cars, being the first Maserati with four wheel [[independent suspension]]. In contrast, competitor Lamborghini had used independent suspension in 1964.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caranddriver.com/features/1967-maserati-ghibli-feature |title=1967 Maserati Ghibli |magazine=[[Car & Driver]] |date=November 2002 |first=Aaron |last=Robinson}}</ref>

In 1972, the Bora was transformed to the [[Maserati Merak|Merak]], now employing a ''Tipo 114'' SM-derived V6 enlarged to 3.0-litres.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motortrend.com/classic/features/12q3_1973_maseratri_bora_and_merak/engine.html|title=1973 Maserati Bora and Merak – Motor Trend Classic|date=22 January 2013|work=Motor Trend}}</ref>

Citroën never developed a 4-door version of the SM – instead Maserati developed the [[Maserati Quattroporte II|Quattroporte II]], which shared most of its mechanical parts with the SM, including the [[mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout]], and six headlight arrangement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcgrathmaserati.co.uk/car-for-sale/maserati-quattroporte-2/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426140335/http://www.mcgrathmaserati.co.uk/car-for-sale/maserati-quattroporte-2/ |title=Maserati Quattroporte 2|archive-date=26 April 2015}}</ref>

To power this large car, Alfieri developed a V8 engine from the SM's V6 on the behest of Factory Manager Guy Malleret. The engine was rated at {{convert|260|PS|kW hp|abbr=on}} and fitted to a lightly modified SM, which proved that the chassis could easily handle the power increase.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autoweek.com/article/1974-citron-sm-v8-mystery-no-more|title=1974 Citroën SM V8: A Mystery No More|work=Autoweek|date=27 September 2010 }}</ref> Citroën's and Maserati's financial difficulties hampered the type [[homologation]] process; the development costs for the stillborn saloon further aggravated Maserati's situation. Only a dozen Quattroporte IIs were ever produced, all with the V6.

The replacement for the successful Ghibli was the [[Gruppo Bertone|Bertone]]-designed [[Maserati Khamsin|Khamsin]], a front-engine [[Grand touring|grand tourer]] introduced in 1972 and produced until 1974; it combined the traditional Maserati V8 GT layout with modern [[independent suspension]], [[unibody]] construction, and refined Citroën technologies such as [[DIRAVI]] power steering.

====Crisis years====
[[File:Citroën SM C114-03 Engine 011.jpg|thumb|The ''Tipo C114'' Maserati V6 in a Citroën SM]]

Meanwhile, the [[1973 oil crisis]] put the brakes on the ambitious expansion of Maserati; demand for fuel-hungry sports cars and grand tourers shrank drastically. [[Austerity]] measures in Italy meant that the domestic market contracted by 60–70%.<ref name="stampa riconversione">{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,10/articleid,1111_01_1974_0021_0010_21386890/ |title=Maserati: i sindacati chiedono di "riconvertire gli impianti" |first=Antonio |last=De Vito |date=25 January 1974 |page=13 |newspaper=[[La Stampa]] |language=it |access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> All of the main Italian GT car manufacturers were heavily affected, having to lay off workers in order to empty lots of unsold cars. Maserati received the hardest blow, as its home market sales accounted for over half of the total—in contrast with [[Ferrari]]'s 20%.<ref name="stampa crisi 1974" /> In this situation, the only Maserati automobile that continued to sell in appreciable numbers was the small-displacement Merak.

In 1974, with the [[1973–75 recession]] at its climax, things took a turn for the worse. Citroën went bankrupt and its incorporation into [[PSA Peugeot Citroën]] begun. The year closed with domestic sales tumbling from 1973's 360 to 150 units,<ref name="stampa crisi 1974">{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,13/articleid,1106_01_1975_0060_0013_15839667/ |title=Feisal ha comprato in due minuti una berlinetta "Boxer" Ferrari |first=Michele |last=Fenu |date=15 March 1974 |page=13 |newspaper=[[La Stampa]] |language=it |access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> and losses exceeding the [[share capital]].

On 22 May 1975, a press release from Citroën management abruptly announced Maserati had been put into [[liquidation]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,1/articleid,1107_01_1975_0117_0001_21481723/ |title=Modena per la "Maserati" |first=Francesco |last=Santini |date=24 May 1975 |pages=1–2 |newspaper=[[La Stampa]] |language=it |access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> The workforce immediately picketed the factory, but production was not halted. [[Trade union]]s, the [[mayor]] of [[Modena]], and local politicians mobilised to save the 800 jobs; [[industry minister]] [[Carlo Donat-Cattin]] even flew to Paris to meet Citroën chairman [[Francois Rollier]]. An agreement was reached in June,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,12/articleid,1107_01_1975_0132_0012_21207013/ |title=La liquidazione Maserati, Citroën accetta il rinvio |date=11 June 1975 |page=12 |newspaper=[[La Stampa]] |language=it |access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> after several meetings and assemblies. During one of these meetings, Citroën liquidators disclosed that a possible Italian buyer had shown up, and the name of Alejandro de Tomaso was put forth for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,15/articleid,1107_01_1975_0120_0015_21251161/ |title=Gruppo italiano in trattativa per comprare la "Maserati" |first=Francesco |last=Santini |date=28 May 1975 |page=15 |newspaper=[[La Stampa]] |language=it |access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> Citroën accepted to suspend liquidation as requested by the Italian government, which on its part guaranteed six months of [[Unemployment benefits in Italy#Redundancy fund|special redundancy fund]] to pay the salaries.