Author: Michael Buckley

Publishing House: E. T. A. I (Editions Techniques Pour l’Automobile et l’Industrie)

Publication Date: January 2012

In the fabulous world of Italian sports cars, the Maserati name appeared long before that of its rivalsFerrari and Lamborghini. Yet the brand has inspired few in-depth books, and the history of road-goingMaseratis is shrouded in an aura of mystery. The first Maserati racing cars were produced in 1922, but it wasn’t until the Orsi family bought the firm in the 1930s that the brand began to focus on Grand Touring cars. Thus, Maserati GTs first appeared in a confidential manner in the 1950s. They had littleto do with the founders of Maserati, who had left the company to create the Osca brand. The involvement in competition, in Formula 1 and in Sport, helped to develop Maserati’s image, but alsobrought it close to financial collapse. The rebirth came in the form of a new six-cylinder road car, the 3500 GT, which formed the basis of a large family of sports cars: it marked the beginning of the golden age of Alfieri-designed Maserati Grand Tourers. A whole series of classic V8s, including the famousGhibli, would follow. Maserati explored a new path with the Quattroporte – the world’s first four-doorsupercar – and, after Citroën took over the brand in the late 1960s, took a more high-tech route withthe mid-engined Bora, capable of 275 km/h. During the De Tomaso period, production increased but at the expense of quality, and by the time Fiat took over Maserati in the 1990s, its reputation was at itsworst. But today, the Trident brand has regained its standing.