IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE

Throughout history, there have been some great partnerships. Fred and Ginger, Marks and Spencer, Morecambe and Wise… but Citroen and Maserati – surely that’s a step too far? Despite being unlikely bedfellows, the two companies had a lot to offer each other.

Citroen brought its focus on cutting edge technology, comfort and a certain je ne sai quoi to the table, while Maserati offered its racing heritage and exquisite engine craft.

But unlike some of the great partnerships, the Citroen-Maserati tie up was less like a love affair and more like an arranged marriage. It all started one morning when the French car maker decided that, rather than build cars to carry a box of eggs across a ploughed field without breaking any, actually what it really needed to do was build a 180bhp V6-engined, front-wheel drive grand tourer to rival Aston Martin and Jensen. If it worked, it would be the fastest front-wheel drive car ever built.

Perfectly logical, I’m sure you’ll agree. The trouble was that while Citroen’s ride quality was second to none, its engines weren’t renowned for their sporting pedigree. So, rather than build their own new powerplant (or even buy in a batch), they decided things would be much simpler if they bought an engine maker. Like Maserati.

For the full story pick up the July issue of Classic Car Mart - On sale now