Maserati S.p.A. (Italian:[mazeˈraːti]) is an Italianluxury car manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914 inBologna, Italy,[3] the company's headquarters are now inModena, and its emblem is atrident. The company has been owned byStellantis since 2021.
The Maserati brothers,Alfieri (1887–1932),Bindo (1883–1980),Carlo (1881–1910),Ettore (1894–1990), andErnesto (1898–1975), were all involved with automobiles from the beginning of the 20th century. Alfieri, Bindo, and Ernesto built 2-litre Grand Prix cars forDiatto. In 1926, Diatto suspended the production of race cars, leading to the creation of the first Maserati and the founding of the Maserati marque. One of the first Maseratis, driven by Alfieri, won the 1926Targa Florio. Maserati began making race cars with 4, 6, 8, and 16 cylinders (two straight-eights mounted parallel to one another).
Thetrident logo of the Maserati car company, designed by Mario Maserati, is based onNeptune'strident of theFountain of Neptune inBologna'sPiazza Maggiore. In 1920, one of the Maserati brothers used this symbol in the logo at the suggestion of family friend Marquis Diego de Sterlich. It was considered particularly appropriate for the sports car company due to the fact that Neptune represents strength and vigour; additionally the statue is a characteristic symbol of the company's original home city.[4]
Alfieri Maserati died in 1932, but three other brothers, Bindo, Ernesto, and Ettore kept the firm going.
In 1937, the remaining Maserati brothers sold their shares in the company to theAdolfo Orsi family, who, in 1940, relocated the company headquarters to their home town ofModena,[3] where it remains to this day. The brothers continued in engineering roles with the company. Racing successes continued, even against the giants of German racing,Auto Union andMercedes.
In back-to-back wins in 1939 and 1940, anMaserati 8CTF won theIndianapolis 500, making Maserati the only Italian manufacturer ever to do so.[5]
The second world war then intervened and Maserati abandoned car making to produce components for the Italian war effort. During this time, Maserati worked in fierce competition to construct a V16town car forBenito Mussolini beforeFerry Porsche ofVolkswagen built one forAdolf Hitler. This failed, and the plans were scrapped. Once peace was restored, Maserati returned to making cars; theMaserati A6 series did well in the post-war racing scene.
Key people joined the Maserati team.Alberto Massimino, a former FIAT engineer with both Alfa Romeo and Ferrari experience, oversaw the design of all racing models for the next ten years. With him joined engineersGiulio Alfieri,Vittorio Bellentani, andGioacchino Colombo. The focus was on the best engines and chassis to succeed in car racing. These new projects saw the last contributions of the Maserati brothers, who, after their 10-year contract with Orsi expired, went on to formO.S.C.A. This new team at Maserati worked on several projects: theMaserati 4CLT, theMaserati A6 series, the 8CLT, and, pivotally for the future success of the company, theA6GCS.
The famous Argentinian grand prix driverJuan-Manuel Fangio raced for Maserati for a number of years in the 1950s, achieving a number of stunning victories including winning theFormula One World Championship in1957 in the250F.
Maserati retired from factory racing participation because of theGuidizzolo tragedy[a] during the 1957Mille Miglia, though they continued to build cars forprivateers. Maserati became more and more focused on building road-goinggrand tourers.
The 19573500 GT marked a turning point in the marque's history, as its first ground-upgrand tourer design and first series-produced car.[citation needed] Production jumped from a dozen to a few hundred cars a year.Chief engineerGiulio Alfieri took charge of the project and turned the 3.5-litreinline six from the350S into a road-going engine. Launched with aCarrozzeria Touring 2+2 coupé aluminium body oversuperleggera structure, a steel-bodied short wheelbaseVignale 3500 GT Spyderopen top version followed in 1959. The 3500 GT's success, with over 2,200 made, was critical to Maserati's survival in the years following withdrawal from racing.
The 3500 GT also provided the underpinnings for the small-volume V8-engined5000 GT, another seminal car for Maserati. Born from theShah of Persia's whim of owning a road car powered by theMaserati 450S racing engine, it became one of the fastest and most expensive cars of its days. The third to the thirty-fourth and last example produced were powered by Maserati's first purely road-going V8 engine design.
In 1962, the 3500 GT evolved into theSebring, bodied byVignale and based on the shorter wheelbase convertible chassis. Next came the two-seaterMistral coupé in 1963 and Spider in 1964, both powered by a six-cylinder engine and styled byPietro Frua.
In 1963, the company's firstsaloon was launched, theQuattroporte, also styled by Frua. If the 5000 GT inaugurated the marque's first road-going V8, the Quattroporte'sTipo 107 4.2-litreDOHC V8 was the forefather of all Maserati V8s up to 1990.
TheGhia-designedGhibli coupé was launched in 1967. It was powered by a 4.7-litredry sump version of Maserati's quad cam V8. The Ghibli Spyder and high performance 4.9-litre Ghibli SS followed.
In 1968, Maserati was taken over byCitroën. 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,[6] in which Maserati would design and manufacture an engine for Citroën's upcoming flagship calledSM. Launched in 1970, the SM was a four-seatfront-wheel-drive coupé, powered by a MaseratiTipo C114 2.7-litre 90°V6 engine; this engine and its gearbox had been used in other vehicles, such asrally-preparedCitroën DSs used by Bob Neyret inBandama Rally, and in theLigier JS2.
TheMaserati 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 inhydraulics. EngineerGiulio Alfieri was key to many of the ambitious designs of this period.
The first new arrival was the 1969Maserati Indy, a Vignale-bodied four-seater GT with a traditional V8 drivetrain, 1,100 units of the Indy were made.
In 1971, theMaserati Bora was the company's first series productionmid-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 wheelindependent suspension. In contrast, competitor Lamborghini had used independent suspension in 1964.[7]
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 260 PS (190 kW; 260 hp) and fitted to a lightly modified SM, which proved that the chassis could easily handle the power increase.[10] Citroën's and Maserati's financial difficulties hampered the typehomologation 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 theBertone-designedMaserati Khamsin, a front-enginegrand tourer introduced in 1972 and produced until 1974; it combined the traditional Maserati V8 GT layout with modernindependent suspension,unibody construction, and refined Citroën technologies such asDIRAVI power steering.
Meanwhile, the1973 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%.[11] 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 withFerrari's 20%.[12] In this situation, the only Maserati automobile that continued to sell in appreciable numbers was the small-displacement Merak.
In 1974, with the1973–75 recession at its climax, things took a turn for the worse. Citroën went bankrupt and its incorporation intoPSA Peugeot Citroën begun. The year closed with domestic sales tumbling from 1973's 360 to 150 units,[12] and losses exceeding theshare capital.
On 22 May 1975, a press release from Citroën management abruptly announced Maserati had been put intoliquidation.[13] The workforce immediately picketed the factory, but production was not halted.Trade unions, themayor ofModena, and local politicians mobilised to save the 800 jobs;industry ministerCarlo Donat-Cattin even flew to Paris to meet Citroën chairmanFrancois Rollier. An agreement was reached in June,[14] 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.[15] Citroën accepted to suspend liquidation as requested by the Italian government, which on its part guaranteed six months ofspecial redundancy fund to pay the salaries.
On 8 August 1975, an agreement was signed at the Ministry of Industry in Rome, and property of Maserati passed from Citroën to Italian state-ownedholding company GEPI[b] andAlejandro de Tomaso, an Argentinianindustrialist and former racing driver, becamepresident and CEO.[16][17] As of December 1979, GEPI's quota amounted to 88.75% of Maserati,[18] the remaining 11.25% stake was being controlled by de Tomaso through a holding company which grouped his automotive interests in Maserati andInnocenti.
After de Tomaso bought Maserati in August 1975, he dismissed long time Chief Engineer Alfieri on the day of taking over the business.[19]
Beginning in 1976, new models were introduced, sharing their underpinnings—but not their engines—withDe Tomaso cars; first came theKyalami grand tourer, derived from theDe Tomaso Longchamp, restyled byFrua and powered by Maserati's own V8. Following the Kyalami was theGiugiaro-designedQuattroporte III based on theDe Tomaso Deauville, which was introduced in 1976 and put on sale in 1979.
The Bora's sales dwindled down; the Khamsin was discontinued between 1982 and 1983. Progressively stripped of its Citroën-derived parts, the Merak continued to sell over one hundred units a year, until 1982. Despite the downturn in sales, awareness of the brand increased during this time as a result of the popular songLife's Been Good byJoe Walsh, which contained the lyrics "My Maserati does one eighty-five."[20]
The 1980s saw the company largely abandoning the mid-engine sports car in favour of a compactfront-engine,rear-drive coupé, theBiturbo.[21]Of fairly conventional construction, the Biturbo's highlight was itstwin-turbochargedV6 engine, thefirst for a production car. This engine, descending from the 90° V6 engineered by Giulio Alfieri, was fitted in a large number of models, all sharing key components; every new Maserati launched up to the 1990s would be based on the Biturbo's platform.The Biturbo family was extremely successful at exploiting theaspirational image of theMaserati name—selling 40,000 units.
In 1983 and 1984, the range was extended to includesaloons (the 425 and 420) and acabriolet (theZagato-bodied Spyder), respectively on a long and short wheelbase of the Biturbo platform.
During 1984,Chrysler bought a 5% share in Maserati. Following an agreement between De Tomaso's friend and Chrysler headLee Iacocca, ajoint venture was signed. Maserati would go on to produce a car for export to the American market, theChrysler TC by Maserati, with Chrysler-sourced engines. In July of that same year, amerger between Maserati and Nuova Innocenti was decided; it was carried out in 1985.[22] Chrysler upped its stake to 15.6% by underwriting three quarters of a 75 billionLire capital raise in 1986.[23]
New Biturbo-based cars and model evolutions were launched year after year. In 1984, it was the 228, a large coupé built on the long wheelbase saloon chassis, with a new 2.8-litre version of the twin-turbocharged V6.WeberFuel injection was phased in starting in 1986, bringing improved reliability and a host of new model variants. The same year, the ageing Quattroporte III was updated and marketed as the luxuriousRoyale, built to order in an handful of examples a year; its discontinuation in 1990 marked the disappearance of Maserati's four-cam V8 engine, a design that could trace its roots back to the 450S racer and the legendary 5000 GT. In 1987, the 2.8-litre 430 topped the saloon range. 1988 brought theKarif, a two-seater, based on the short wheelbase Spyder chassis. Meanwhile, the Biturbo name was dropped altogether, as updated coupés and saloons were updated and became the 222 and 422. 1989 marked the reintroduction of an eight-cylinder grand tourer: theShamal, built on a modified short wheelbase Biturbo chassis, clad in new muscular bodywork styled byMarcello Gandini. It was powered by an all-new twin-turbocharged 32-valve V8 engine paired to a 6-speed gearbox. 2.0-litre, 24-valve V6 engines were also added to the Shamal range.
In October 1989, De Tomaso bought the remaining GEPI quota. In December,FIAT entered in Maserati's history. Maserati and Innocenti were separated; Innocenti Milano S.p.A., the company that sold Innocenti cars, continued its business under a 51% FIAT Auto ownership. All of theModena andLambrate plants went to a newly created company, the still existent Maserati S.p.A.; 49% of it was owned by FIAT Auto and 51% was controlled by De Tomaso through the old company, Officine Alfieri Maserati.[24][25]
In the early 1990s, amid-engine sports car prototype was developed, the Maserati Chubasco, which was supposed to be built in 1992, but the project proved very expensive and was shelved. It featured Gandini-designed body, a V8 powertrain, and abackbone chassis. The project was cancelled, as part owner Fiat deemed the project to be too close to Ferrari in the marketplace.[26] Starting in 1990, the entire range of the Biturbo received a facelift designed by Marcello Gandini, on the lines of the Shamal's styling. The last version of the Biturbo coupé was called Racing. It was a transitional model in which several features to be found on the upcoming Ghibli were tested.
TheGhibli II was introduced in 1992. It was a six-cylinder coupé, with modified Biturbo underpinnings dressed by new Gandini bodywork (toned down from the Shamal) and the latest evolution of the 24-valve twin-turbocharged V6 with record breaking specific output. The underpinnings of the stillborn Chubasco gave birth to theMaserati Barchetta, a small open top mid-engine sports car styled by Synthesis Design's Carlo Gaino.[27] aone-make racing series was held in 1992 and 1993, using the Barchetta Corsa racing version; the road-going Barchetta Stradale was never put into production. Just 17 units of the Barchetta were produced.
Between 1992 and 1994, all models save for the Ghibli and Shamal were progressively discontinued.
On 19 May 1993, 17 years after having rescued it from liquidation, Alejandro De Tomaso sold his 51% stake in Maserati to FIAT, which became the sole owner.[17][28]
In 1994, the aging Quattroporte III/Royale was replaced by theQuattroporte IV which was ultimately based on Biturbo underpinnings. Styled by Marcello Gandini, it was initially available with a V6 engine shared with the Ghibli II. A more powerful V8 variant was made available in 1996 and "Seicilindri" and "Ottocilindri" (six and eight cylindres in Italian) badging was introduced to distinguish between the two models. The engine of the V8 model was a development of the Shamal's V8.[29]
Over two decades after the ill-fatedChrysler TC by Maserati during Chrysler's brief ownership stake in Maserati, the two companies became interconnected again whenFIAT purchased majority control of Chrysler in 2011 as a result ofChrysler's bankruptcy. Maserati and Citroën also later interconnected for the first time since 1975, following the PSA-FCA merger in 2021 with the formation of Stellantis.
In July 1997,FIAT sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rivalFerrari (Ferrari itself being owned byFIAT).[3] In 1999, Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division. A new factory was built, replacing the existing 1940s-era facility.
The steps taken by the new parent company resulted in the improvedQuattroporte Evoluzione which was introduced at the March 1998Geneva Motor Show.[30]
Maserati 3200 GT
A distinctive feature of the 3200 GT were its boomerang shaped rear lights.
In 1998, a new chapter began in Maserati's history when the company launched the3200 GT. This two-door coupé is powered by a 3.2 L twin-turbocharged V8 derived from the Shamal engine, which is rated at 370 horsepower (280 kW).
Meanwhile, two new models were shown to the public: theMaserati MC12 road supersports and successful GT racer with aFerrari Enzo–derived chassis and engine and the newQuattroporte, a luxury saloon with the 4.2-litre V8 engine of the Gran Turismo.[31] In 2001, Ferrari decided to change all of the old tooling and installed high-tech devices in the Modena factory.[32]
Since early 2002, Maserati once again entered theUnited States market,[33] which has quickly become its largest market worldwide. The company has also re-entered the racing arena with their Trofeo and, in December 2003, the MC12 (formerly known as the MCC), which was developed according to FIA GT regulations and has since competed with great success in the world FIA GT championship, winning the teams championship three consecutive times from 2005 to 2007. The MC12 has also been raced in various national GT championship as well as in the American Le Mans series. TheMaserati MC12 is based on theFerrari Enzo sports car;[34] 50 street-legal homologation models (roadsters and coupés) have been sold.
The Maserati and Alfa Romeo Group under FIAT Group
The Maserati andAlfa Romeo group, underFIAT Group, started in 2005, when Maserati was split off from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo.[35][36] On 9 June 2005, the 20,000th Maserati, a Quattroporte V, left the factory.[37] In the second quarter of 2007, Maserati made profit for the first time in 17 years underFIAT ownership.[38]
On January 22, 2010, FIAT announced that it had created a new partnership/brand group for Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Abarth. The group was led by Harald J. Wester, the current CEO of Maserati.Sergio Marchionne stated that "[the] purpose of bringing the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands under the same leadership is to emphasize and leverage the value of the shared qualities of the three brands in terms of their sporting characteristics and performance."[39] Abarth stayed under Wester's leadership until 2013, leaving Maserati and Alfa Romeo in the brand group, led by Wester.[40] Although Maserati and Alfa Romeo are in a brand group, Alfa Romeo is structured under FCA Italy S.p.A., which itself is structured under FCA, whereas Maserati is structured solely under FCA. In addition, in an interview with Wester in 2015, he clarified that his "role at Maserati is different from that in the Alfa Romeo as the latter is better integrated into the FIAT Group" and that "the new Alfa car won't share any parts with the current Maserati model. I'm not planning any technical merging of these two makes."[41]
On May 6, 2014, Maserati confirmed production of theMaserati Levante SUV and theMaserati Alfieri.However, theMaserati Alfieri concept, which received great critical and commercial success, never came to production. This model was supposed to replace theMaserati GranTurismo, but this production change was cancelled due to the success of the GranTurismo, which underwent improvements and updates until 2019.
Along with their expansion, Maserati started their re-entrance into the high-performance car field, in order to compete with brands such asMercedes-AMG,BMW M,Porsche,Jaguar, and in certain cases,Ferrari. This was done by introducing Maserati models that have high power output engines, higher performance components, and better handling. The top-of-the-line variants of the Quattroporte VI, Ghibli, and Levante have 570 PS (419 kW; 562 hp) V8 engines with all-wheel drive, in order to better compete with their rival offerings.[42][43]
The 2014 Maserati lineup, as shown at the 100th Year Anniversary inAutoworld Brussels. From left to right: Maserati GranCabrio Sport, Maserati Ghibli III and Maserati Quattroporte VI
Maserati sales in 2013 was 15,400 units, which is up from just over 6,000 units worldwide in 2012 (2013 included the release of the new Quattroporte and Ghibli towards the end of the year, and thus the first year to fully represent the sales inclusive of these models is 2014).[44] In May, 2014, Maserati sold a company record of over 3,000 cars worldwide, causing them to increase production of the Ghibli and Quattroporte.[45] For that same month in the United States, Maserati sold 1,114 vehicles, which is up 406.19% over the same month in the previous year in the United States.[46] Maserati's best month of sales in the United States was September 2014, with 1,318 units sold.[47] The month in 2014 where the increase on sales for the same month of the previous year was the highest was May, with a volume increase of 406.19%.[47] The sales target for 2018 was 75,000 units worldwide.[44]
2014 marked a historic record of 13,411 total units sold in North America for the year, a 169% increase versus 2013, boasting the highest-ever overall sales year for Maserati North America, Inc.[48] Worldwide, in 2014 Maserati sold about 36,500 cars, a 136% increase over 2013.[49] Harald J. Wester stated that Maserati would not surpass the 70,000 sales per year mark, and that Maserati would maintain its current position in the higher end of the luxury sports car market, rather than expanding downmarket and making vehicles smaller and less expensive than the Ghibli and Levante (such as those similar to the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class), as other FCA brands, specifically Alfa Romeo, are in those market spaces.[41]
Since 2009,Marco Tencone was the head designer of Maserati cars, although, in late 2015, he was announced as remaining in executive positions at Lancia and FIAT only.[50]
In 2014,Fiat S.p.A. merged with American automakerChrysler to formFiat Chrysler Automobiles. Under FCA, new models were released that met with excellent critical and commercial success, but above all, sales, such as theMaserati Levante, Maserati's first SUV. Furthermore, theMaserati Ghibli andMaserati Quattroporte also confirmed excellent sales. TheMaserati GranTurismo was produced until 2019, confirming its huge success for the brand. Furthermore, in 2020, a year marred by theCOVID-19 pandemic, a new sports car, theMaserati MC20, was released, which achieved great critical and commercial success. The Maserati range consolidated the brand's profitability and image and prestige.
Subsequently, in 2021, FCA merged with the FrenchPSA Group to formStellantis, reuniting Maserati with Citroën.Under Stellantis, a new SUV will be released starting in 2022 alongside the Maserati Levante, theMaserati Grecale, smaller in size than the Levante, which achieves good critical and sales success. In 2023, production of theMaserati Ghibli andMaserati Quattroporte was halted, while the newMaserati GranTurismo was released also with the new electric motor called Folgore. In 2024, the GranCabrio, an open-top variant based on the GranTurismo, was released, while the production ofMaserati Levante was halted.However, starting in 2024, uncertainties surrounding the transition from combustion engines to electric ones and in 2025, uncertainties due to the application of tariffs leaded to a weakening of both production and sales for the entireStellantis group and consequently also for Maserati.The inefficiencies of Stellantis's commercial strategy in 2024, which resulted in a drastic loss of both production and sales and consequently market share, led to the resignation of Stellantis CEOCarlos Tavares and a renewal or redefinition of the positions of all the group's corporate managers, and led to a period of great uncertainty within Maserati. In 2025, the new Stellantis CEO,Antonio Filosa, supported by Santo Ficili[51], the CEO of Maserati, relaunched the brand through a commercial policy aimed at building customer loyalty, drawing on the brand's glorious history in races[52] such as theMille Miglia[53] and in vehicle customization through the Officine Fuoriserie program.[54]In 2025, Maserati unveiled at theGoodwood Festival of Speed theMaserati MCPura based on the previousMaserati MC20, but with minor styling changes, including redesigned front and rear fascias and slightly modified driver and passenger seats. It is expected to begin production in 2026 and will replace the MC20. As for the MC20, the MCPura is also available in the Cielo version, an open-top variant. Furthermore, the customization program developed by Officine Fuoriserie also continues for the MCPura.
On 17 March 2022,chief executive officer Davide Grasso announced that Maserati will produce anelectric version of all of its models by 2025.[55] CEO also announced the plans to phase out all of its internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030.[55] All Maserati EVs will wear theFolgore name (that means "lightning" inItalian).[56]
The Maserati MC20 is a 2-door, mid-engined sports car that debuted in September 2020. The car features a carbon fibre monocoque and a 3-litre V6 engine producing 630 horsepower.[62]
The Maserati Grecale is a front-engine, five-door, five passenger compact luxury crossover SUV. Grecale shares the company's Giorgio platform with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the fifth generation Jeep Grand Cherokee. Available engines include 300 or 330 hpmild hybrid inline-four and a 530 hp V6Nettuno engine for the Trofeo specification.[63]
The Maserati GranTurismo is agrand tourer introduced in 2007. The GranTurismo has a 4.7-litre V8, rated at 460 PS (338 kW; 454 hp) in Sport trim and for the MC Stradale. A convertible (GranCabrio) version is also available in standard, Sport, and MC models. The final production year for the Maserati GranTurismo was scheduled to be 2014, and its position would be succeeded byMaserati Alfieri.[44] Production continued until 2019, with final example called Zéda rolled off the line. The current 2nd generation GranTurismo was revealed online in 2022 and production commenced in April 2023. It comes with either a 3-litre V6 engine, shared with the MC20, albeit detuned to 483 and 542 hp for the Modena and Trofeo trims respectively, or as an electrified version with 3 motors producing 761 hp under the Folgore trim.[64]
Alfieri Maserati at the 1922Coppa FlorioAMaserati Tipo 26 at Circuito di Bologna on 19 June 1927.TheMaserati MC12 was the dominant car in the category from its full-season debut in 2005, clinching three drivers championships and five teams championships from 2005 to 2009. It would later earn the drivers and teams title in the2010 FIA GT1 World Championship
TheMaserati brothers were among the pioneers of motorsport, having participated in numerous races in the early 1920s.
In 1922, the Maserati brothers were appointed to manage the racing activities of the Turin-basedDiatto company, withAlfieri Maserati as their lead driver. However, after just three years, due to debt, the Piedmontese manufacturer withdrew from racing.
The first Maserati-branded car was the 1926Tipo 26, a racing car derived from the Diatto 30 Sport, equipped with a new 1.5-liter inline-eight engine producing 120 hp. It made its racing debut at the1926 Targa Florio, taking a class victory and ninth place overall.
In 1926, Mario Maserati, the only brother who had chosen an artistic career over a racing career, designed the famous Trident logo, inspired by theFountain of Neptune inBologna.
In the following years, Maserati established itself in motor racing, achieving significant successes such as the 1928 Coppa dell'Etna and its first historic international victory in 1929 at theTripoli Grand Prix, with theMaserati Tipo V4 16-cylinder driven by Borzacchini, who set a new world speed record in theCremona 10 km race at 247.933 km/h. However, in 1932,Alfieri Maserati died due to injuries sustained in a car accident five years earlier, andErnesto Maserati abandoned his racing career to oversee the technical side of the company alongside Ettore, while Bindo, the second-born of the Maserati brothers, became president.
In 1937, Maserati was acquired by Modena-based entrepreneurAdolfo Orsi, who in 1939 moved the headquarters from Bologna to Modena, where they remain today. The three brothers remained with the company under Orsi's direction for another 10 years in the engineering department.Adolfo Orsi moved the production of Maserati cars from Bologna to Modena in 1940, close to his steelworks and his spark plug factory.
Since the early 1950s, Maserati has participated in numerous competitions through its sports division Maserati Corse, initially competing in Formula Grand Prix, then inFormula 1, where it won twoFormula One World Drivers' Championship, but also inEndurance races until the end of the 1960s. Only in 2004 did Maserati return to compete in an official championship, specifically in theFIA GT Championship with theMaserati MC12, developed based closely on theFerrari Enzo.
^During the1957 Mille Miglia, near the town ofGuidizzolo, a 4.2-litre Ferrari travelling at 250 kilometres per hour (160 mph) blew a tire and crashed into the roadside crowd, killing the driver –Alfonso de Portago, the co-driver, and ten spectators, including five children. In response,Enzo Ferrari was charged with manslaughter in a lengthy criminal prosecution that was finally dismissed in 1961.
^Gepi, orSocietà per le Gestioni e Partecipazioni Industriali, was a holding company owned bystate enterprises, whose intended purpose was to assume control of privately owned companies in difficulty and to resell them once restructured. De Tomaso had carried out similar recovery operations with aid from Gepi in the previous years, notably for theBenelli andMoto Guzzimotorcycle companies—which at the time he controlled.
^Johansson, Claes, ed. (22 August 1991). "Allt om bilen: PS" [All about cars: PS].Teknikens Värld (in Swedish). Vol. 43, no. 16. Stockholm, Sweden: Specialtidningsförlaget AB. p. 17.
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