Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Alfieri, Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto would certainly be proud of their latest offspring. The four Maserati brothers (who are no longer of this world) set up their first shop in 1914 in Bologna, Italy. On the famous Piazza del Nettuno was a statue of Neptune, God of the sea, holding a massive trident which the Maseratis used to symbolize their corporate namesake.
From Indianapolis to the Targa Florio to Formula 1
In the early years, the Maserati brothers developed race cars for various customers. In 1926, they built the first automobile bearing their name. That car enjoyed instant success, winning the Targa Florio, a gruelling endurance race on Sicily's tortuous roads.
Then came many other triumphs on the track, the most prestigious having been the Indy 500, won by Wilbur en Shaw in 1939. One year later, the same driver successfully defended his title behind the wheel of the same car (a Tipo 8CTF with a 3-liter engine). Unfortunately, racing glory wasn't enough to make ends meet and, faced with growing financial difficulties, the brothers sold their company to the Orsi family, although they committed to keep working for Maserati until 1947. That year, they moved to Modena and established the Officine Specializzate per la Costruzione di Automobili (OSCA).
The Maserati brand maintained its operations and, in 1947, the first road car was introduced. A decade later, Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio became the king of Formula 1 with his Maserati 250F. The manufacturer then unveiled the 3500 GT powered by a 3.5-liter 6-cylinder inline engine. In 1959, a V8 from the 450 S track car found its way under the hood of the new 5000 GT. It was later followed by the Sebring, Mistral and Quattroporte (four doors), the fastest sedan in the world back then.
The misery of foster families
In 1968, the Orsi family sold Maserati to Citroën, but the French automaker was no longer interested after the commercial failure of the Maserati-powered Citroën SM. Thus began a succession of foster families for the Italian brand, including Chrysler in 1983. Fiat later took over and, in 1997, decided to merge Maserati with long-time foe Ferrari while committing to preserve their respective philosophies and personalities. The marriage proved to be successful and the ensuing reorganization gave birth to the 1998 Maserati 3200 GT. The new Quattroporte was launched in 2003, sporting a sexy, Pininfarina-designed bodywork and a Ferrari-sourced V8.
Alfieri, Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto would certainly be proud of their latest offspring. The four Maserati brothers (who are no longer of this world) set up their first shop in 1914 in Bologna, Italy. On the famous Piazza del Nettuno was a statue of Neptune, God of the sea, holding a massive trident which the Maseratis used to symbolize their corporate namesake.
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| Maserati's logo represents Neptune's trident. |
From Indianapolis to the Targa Florio to Formula 1
In the early years, the Maserati brothers developed race cars for various customers. In 1926, they built the first automobile bearing their name. That car enjoyed instant success, winning the Targa Florio, a gruelling endurance race on Sicily's tortuous roads.
Then came many other triumphs on the track, the most prestigious having been the Indy 500, won by Wilbur en Shaw in 1939. One year later, the same driver successfully defended his title behind the wheel of the same car (a Tipo 8CTF with a 3-liter engine). Unfortunately, racing glory wasn't enough to make ends meet and, faced with growing financial difficulties, the brothers sold their company to the Orsi family, although they committed to keep working for Maserati until 1947. That year, they moved to Modena and established the Officine Specializzate per la Costruzione di Automobili (OSCA).
The Maserati brand maintained its operations and, in 1947, the first road car was introduced. A decade later, Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio became the king of Formula 1 with his Maserati 250F. The manufacturer then unveiled the 3500 GT powered by a 3.5-liter 6-cylinder inline engine. In 1959, a V8 from the 450 S track car found its way under the hood of the new 5000 GT. It was later followed by the Sebring, Mistral and Quattroporte (four doors), the fastest sedan in the world back then.
The misery of foster families
In 1968, the Orsi family sold Maserati to Citroën, but the French automaker was no longer interested after the commercial failure of the Maserati-powered Citroën SM. Thus began a succession of foster families for the Italian brand, including Chrysler in 1983. Fiat later took over and, in 1997, decided to merge Maserati with long-time foe Ferrari while committing to preserve their respective philosophies and personalities. The marriage proved to be successful and the ensuing reorganization gave birth to the 1998 Maserati 3200 GT. The new Quattroporte was launched in 2003, sporting a sexy, Pininfarina-designed bodywork and a Ferrari-sourced V8.
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| Pininfarina, who designed the bodywork of the Quattroporte, has won many prestigious awards. |