Maserati
Encyclopedia
Maserati is an Italian
luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna
. The company's headquarters is now in Modena
, and its emblem is a trident
. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A.
since 1993. Inside the Fiat Group, Maserati was initially associated with Ferrari S.p.A.
, but more recently it has become part of the sports car group including Alfa Romeo
.
The Maserati brothers, Alfieri
, Bindo
, Carlo
, Ettore
, and Ernesto
were all involved with automobiles from the beginning of the 20th century. Alfieri, Bindo and Ernesto built 2-litre Grand Prix cars for Diatto
. 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 1926 Targa Florio
. Maserati began making race cars with 4, 6, 8 and 16 cylinders (two straight-eights mounted parallel to one another). Another Maserati brother, Mario, an artist, is believed to have devised the company's trident
emblem, based on one the Fontana del Nettuno, Bologna. Alfieri Maserati died in 1932, but three other brothers, Bindo, Ernesto and Ettore, kept the firm going, building cars that won races.
family, who in 1940 relocated the company headquarters to their hometown of Modena
, 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
and Mercedes
. In back-to-back wins in 1939 and 1940, a Maserati 8CTF won the Indianapolis 500
, the only Italian manufacturer ever to do so.
The war then intervened, Maserati abandoning cars to produce components for the Italian war effort. During this time, Maserati worked in fierce competition to construct a V16 towncar for Benito Mussolini
before Ferry Porsche of Volkswagen
built one for Adolf Hitler
. This failed, and the plans were scrapped. Once peace was restored, Maserati returned to making cars; the Maserati A6
series did well in the post-war racing scene.
Key people joined the Maserati team. Alberto Massimino
, an old Fiat engineer, with both Alfa Romeo and Ferrari experiences oversaw the design of all racing models for the next ten years. With him joined engineers Giulio Alfieri
, Vittorio Bellentani
, and Gioacchino 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 form O.S.C.A.
. This new team at Maserati worked on several projects: the 4CLT, the A6
series, the 8CLT, and, pivotally for the future success of the company, the A6GCM
.
The famous Argentinian
driver Juan-Manuel Fangio raced for Maserati for a number of years in the 1950s, producing a number of stunning victories including winning the world championship in 1957 in the Maserati 250F
alongside Toulo de Graffenried
, Louis Chiron
, Prince Bira
, Enrico Platé
, and a few others. Other racing projects in the 1950s were the 200S
, 300S
(with several famous pilots, among them Benoit Musy
), 350S
, and 450S
, followed in 1961 by the famous Tipo 61.
Maserati had retired from factory racing participation because of the Guidizzolo tragedyduring the 1957 Mille Miglia
, though they continued to build cars for privateer
s. After 1957, Maserati became more and more focused on road cars, and chief engineer Giulio Alfieri
built the 6-cylinder 3500
2+2 coupé, which featured an aluminum body over Carrozzeria Touring
's superleggera
structure, a design also used for the small-volume V8-powered 5000. Next came the Vignale
-bodied Sebring
, launched in 1962, the Mistral
Coupé in 1963 and Spider in 1964, both designed by Pietro Frua
, and also in 1963, the company's first four-door, the Quattroporte
, designed by Frua as well. The two-seat Ghibli
coupé was launched in 1967, followed by a convertible in 1969.
In 1968, Maserati was taken over by the French car manufacturer, Citroën
. Adolfo Orsi remained the nominal president, but Maserati changed a great deal. New models were launched, and built in much greater numbers than before. Citroën borrowed Maserati expertise and engines for the Citroën SM
and other vehicles, and Maseratis also incorporated Citroën technology, particularly in hydraulics.
New models included the Maserati Bora
, the first mass-produced mid-engined
Maserati, in 1971, and the Maserati Merak
and Maserati Khamsin
soon afterwards; the Maserati Quattroporte II, which shared some parts with Citroën SM
, never came into production, although seven were made to special order. The 1973 oil crisis
, however, put the brakes on this ambitious expansion when the demand for fuel-hungry sports cars shrank. Citroën went bankrupt in 1974 and on 23 May 1975, the new controlling group PSA Peugeot Citroën
declared that Maserati was also in administration. Propped up by Italian government funds (GEPI, Societa di Gestioni e Partecipazioni Industriali dello Stato Italiano), the company was kept in business.
The Maserati engine and its associated gearbox have been used in other vehicles such as Special Rally prepared Citroën DS, as used by Bob Neyret in Bandama Rally or in the Ligier
JS 2.
motorcycle
company, which he controlled, to buy Maserati from Citroën and install him as its head. Beginning in 1976 new models were introduced, including the Maserati Kyalami
and later the Maserati Quattroporte III in 1979.
The 1980s saw the company largely abandoning the mid-engined sports car in favour of squarely styled, front-engined
, rear-drive coupes
, cheaper than before but with aggressive performance, like the Maserati Biturbo
.The Maserati Biturbo engine was fitted in a large number of models, all sharing key components. These included a short two door coupe, the Maserati Karif
, and a cabriolet, the Spyder
, designed by Zagato
. The last version of the Maserati Biturbo was called Maserati Racing
. It has been a transitional model in which several features to be found on the Ghibli II and the Shamal were tested. Two new coupes, the Maserati Shamal
and Maserati Ghibli II
, were released in 1990 and 1992, respectively.
The company also worked loosely with Chrysler, now headed by de Tomaso's friend Lee Iacocca
. Chrysler purchased part of Maserati and the two jointly produced a car, the Chrysler TC by Maserati.
There were also two further projects:
. Substantial investments were made in Maserati, and it has since undergone something of a renaissance.
In 1998, a new chapter began in Maserati's history when the company launched the 3200 GT
. This two-door coupé is powered by a 3.2 L twin-turbocharged V8 which produces 370 hp (276 kW); the car does 0–60 mph in 5.5 seconds. Its top speed is 285 km/h (177 mph). It was replaced by the Maserati Spyder
and Coupé
in the 2002 model year, which in turn were replaced by the GranTurismo
and GranCabrio.
sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rival Ferrari
(Ferrari being itself a sister company to Fiat Auto under the Fiat Group
umbrella). In 1999 Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division. A new factory was built, replacing the existing 1940s-vintage facility. Ferrari is credited for bringing Maserati back into business, after many lackluster years of Maserati teetering on the brink of bankruptcy
.
More recently, Maserati discussed an agreement with Volkswagen
for the German company to share its Audi
division's Quattro all-wheel-drive technology (originally meant for the still-born Maserati Kubang
sport utility vehicle
concept) for Maserati's current Quattroporte platform. This idea has since been abandoned because Volkswagen owns two of Ferrari
's direct rivals, Lamborghini
and Bugatti
.
Meanwhile two new models have been shown to the public: the MC12
road supersports and successful GT racer with a Ferrari Enzo–derived chassis and engine. And the Quattroporte, a high luxury saloon with the 4.2l V8 engine. Maserati is nowadays back in the business, very successfully selling on a global basis.
In 2001 Ferrari decided to throw away all the old tooling and installed high-tech devices in the Modena factory, making it one of the most advanced in the world.
Since early 2002 Maseratis are once again being sold in the United States
market, which has quickly become for Maserati the largest market worldwide. The company has also re-entered the racing arena with their Trofeo and, in December 2003, the Maserati 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. The MC12 is based on the Enzo Ferrari
sports car; 50 street-legal homologation models (roadsters and coupes) have been sold for about US$
700,000 each.
Maserati Quattroporte
(Italian for "four-door"), a sporting
-luxury four-door saloon. Introduced in 2004 and facelifted in 2009. Quattroporte S, featuring the same 4.7L V8 as the Maserati GranTurismo S was introduced also in 2009.
Maserati GranTurismo
A 4.2 litre V8 Grand tourer introduced in 2007 has 405 PS in standard from and year later introduced GranTurismo S version has 4.7 litre and 440 PS.
Maserati GranCabrio
A convertible version of the GranTurismo S Automatic introduced in September 2009 in Frankfurt Motor Show.
Maserati Kubang
A Jeep Grand Cherokee
-based SUV originally introduced in September 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and again in 2011 as a 2013 model. Production will be at Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly
in Detroit.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. The company's headquarters is now in Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, and its emblem is a trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A.
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
since 1993. Inside the Fiat Group, Maserati was initially associated with Ferrari S.p.A.
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
, but more recently it has become part of the sports car group including Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
.
History
- See Maserati BrothersMaserati BrothersThe Maserati Brothers were involved with automobiles from the beginning of the 20th century. All were born to Rodolfo Maserati and his wife Carolina in Voghera, Lombardy, Italy. Rodolfo was a railway worker from Piacenza, driving a heavy Krupp locomotive, and married Carolina Losi...
The Maserati brothers, Alfieri
Alfieri Maserati
Alfieri Maserati was an Italian automotive engineer, known for establishing and leading the Maserati racing car manufacturer with the other Maserati Brothers....
, Bindo
Bindo Maserati
Bindo Maserati was an Italianautomotive engineer and businessman, known as the manager of Maserati and one of the Maserati Brothers.Born in Voghera, he was a mechanic at Isotta-Fraschini...
, Carlo
Carlo Maserati
Carlo Maserati was an Italian bicycle and automotive engineer, the eldest of the Maserati Brothers.His engineering career started in a bicycle factory in Affori, near Milan, where he developed a one-cylinder internal combustion engine for motorized bicycles...
, Ettore
Ettore Maserati
Ettore Maserati was an Italian automotive engineer, one of five brothers who founded the Maserati firm in Bologna 1914. He was born in Voghera.His oldest brother Carlo Maserati brought him to the Junior car manufacturer in 1908...
, and Ernesto
Ernesto Maserati
Ernesto Maserati was an Italian automotive engineer and racer, with Maserati of Modena since its inception in Bologna on 14 December 1914, together with his brothers Alfieri Maserati , Ettore Maserati, Bindo Maserati and others.Ernesto led the workshop during World War I, as his brothers joined...
were all involved with automobiles from the beginning of the 20th century. Alfieri, Bindo and Ernesto built 2-litre Grand Prix cars for Diatto
Diatto
Diatto was an Italian car maker founded in 1905 in Turin but its history started 175 years ago.1835-The year the company is founded.- In 1835, in Turin, on the banks of the river Po, Guglielmo Diatto founds a workshop for the construction of carriages for nobility.- The Diatto “Manifattura di...
. 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 1926 Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
. Maserati began making race cars with 4, 6, 8 and 16 cylinders (two straight-eights mounted parallel to one another). Another Maserati brother, Mario, an artist, is believed to have devised the company's trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
emblem, based on one the Fontana del Nettuno, Bologna. Alfieri Maserati died in 1932, but three other brothers, Bindo, Ernesto and Ettore, kept the firm going, building cars that won races.
Orsi ownership
In 1937, the remaining Maserati brothers sold their shares in the company to the Adolfo OrsiAdolfo Orsi
Adolfo Orsi was an Italian industrialist, known for owning the Maserati automobile maker.Coming from a poor family from San Lazzaro, near Modena, he lost his father in 1899. Later he created a successful business in the scrap iron, steel mill and farm equipment manufacturing area, employing...
family, who in 1940 relocated the company headquarters to their hometown of Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, 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
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
and Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
. In back-to-back wins in 1939 and 1940, a Maserati 8CTF won the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, the only Italian manufacturer ever to do so.
The war then intervened, Maserati abandoning cars to produce components for the Italian war effort. During this time, Maserati worked in fierce competition to construct a V16 towncar for Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
before Ferry Porsche of Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
built one for Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. This failed, and the plans were scrapped. Once peace was restored, Maserati returned to making cars; the Maserati A6
Maserati A6
Maserati A6 were various cars made by Maserati of Italy, named for the Alfieri brothers and for the straight-six engine....
series did well in the post-war racing scene.
Key people joined the Maserati team. Alberto Massimino
Alberto Massimino
Alberto Massimino was an Italian automotive engineer.Born in Turin, he studied mechanical engineering in Switzerland and worked for FIAT , where he followed Vittorio Jano who had left for Alfa Romeo. The 1500 cc, 12-cylinder 806/504 was driven by Pietro Bordino in the Gran Premio di Milano...
, an old Fiat engineer, with both Alfa Romeo and Ferrari experiences oversaw the design of all racing models for the next ten years. With him joined engineers Giulio Alfieri
Giulio Alfieri
Giulio Alfieri was an Italian automobile engineer, affiliated with Maserati in Modena, Italy since 1953, where he was central to the development of racing and production cars in the 1950s and 1960s.Alfieri was born in Parma...
, Vittorio Bellentani
Vittorio Bellentani
Vittorio Bellentani was an Italian automobile engineer and racing driver.He studied in Germany at University of Freiburg before joining Enzo Ferrari in 1940, where he first worked on the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 .He then worked for Maserati , developing the Maserati A6 , and Maserati 250F, that...
, and Gioacchino Colombo
Gioacchino Colombo
Gioacchino Colombo was an Italian automobile engine designer.Colombo was born in Legnano. He began work as an apprentice to Vittorio Jano at Alfa Romeo. In 1937, Colombo designed the 158 engine for the Alfetta and caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari. Ferrari asked Colombo to design a small V12...
. 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 form O.S.C.A.
O.S.C.A.
Officine Specializzate Costruzioni Automobili - Fratelli Maserati SpA was an Italian brand of sports car automobiles, usually abbreviated to O.S.C.A., OSCA or Osca.- History :...
. This new team at Maserati worked on several projects: the 4CLT, the A6
Maserati A6
Maserati A6 were various cars made by Maserati of Italy, named for the Alfieri brothers and for the straight-six engine....
series, the 8CLT, and, pivotally for the future success of the company, the A6GCM
Maserati A6GCM
The Maserati A6GCM is a single seater racing car from the Italian manufacturer Maserati. Only 12 cars were built between 1951 and 1953.-Introduction:...
.
The famous Argentinian
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
driver Juan-Manuel Fangio raced for Maserati for a number of years in the 1950s, producing a number of stunning victories including winning the world championship in 1957 in the Maserati 250F
Maserati 250F
The Maserati 250F was a racing car made by Maserati of Italy used in '2.5 litre' Formula One racing between January 1954 and November 1960. Twenty-six examples were made.-Mechanical details:...
alongside Toulo de Graffenried
Toulo de Graffenried
Baron Emmanuel 'Toulo' de Graffenried was a Swiss motor racing driver. He participated in 23 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on May 13, 1950, and scored a total of 9 championship points...
, Louis Chiron
Louis Chiron
Louis Alexandre Chiron was a Grand Prix driver.-Career:As a teenager, Louis Chiron fell in love with cars and racing. He learned to drive at a young age and joined the Grand Prix circuit after World War I where he had been requisitioned from the artillery section to serve as a chauffeur...
, Prince Bira
Prince Bira
12th, 1956 Melbourne, Star 19th, 1960 Rome, Star 22nd, 1964 Tokio, Dragon 21st, 1972 Munich, TempestPrince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh better known as Prince Bira of Siam , or by his nom de course B...
, Enrico Platé
Enrico Platé
Enrico Platé was a motor racing driver and team manager. Although born in Italy, Platé raced, and latterly ran his racing team Scuderia Enrico Platé, under Swiss nationality. He began his career as a mechanic, but swiftly took to racing cars in addition to repairing them...
, and a few others. Other racing projects in the 1950s were the 200S
Maserati 200S
Maserati 200S were twenty-eight racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, to take over for the aging Maserati A6 GCS racing variants.The Tipo 52 development started in 1952, led by Giulio Alfieri. The car had a 1994.3 cc inline-four cylinder light-alloy engine, dual OHV per cylinder and DOHC...
, 300S
Maserati 300S
The Maserati 300S was a racing car produced by Maserati of Italy between 1955-58, which competed in the FIA's World Sportscar Championship. Twenty eight examples were produced....
(with several famous pilots, among them Benoit Musy
Benoit Musy
Benoît Nicolas Musy was a Swiss Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and race car driver.- Biography :Musy was born in Fribourg, Switzerland, the son of president Jean-Marie Musy...
), 350S
Maserati 350S
Maserati 350S were three racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, built by Giulio Alfieri, aluminum body design by Medardo Fantuzzi, both Maserati engineers....
, and 450S
Maserati 450S
Maserati 450S were nine racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, and used in FIA's endurance World Sportscar Championship racing....
, followed in 1961 by the famous Tipo 61.
Maserati had retired from factory racing participation because of the Guidizzolo tragedyduring the 1957 Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
, though they continued to build cars for privateer
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
s. After 1957, Maserati became more and more focused on road cars, and chief engineer Giulio Alfieri
Giulio Alfieri
Giulio Alfieri was an Italian automobile engineer, affiliated with Maserati in Modena, Italy since 1953, where he was central to the development of racing and production cars in the 1950s and 1960s.Alfieri was born in Parma...
built the 6-cylinder 3500
Maserati 3500
Maserati 3500 was a 2-door coupé and convertible made by Maserati of Italy. It was the company's first attempt at the Gran Turismo market and large-volume production.- History :...
2+2 coupé, which featured an aluminum body over Carrozzeria Touring
Carrozzeria Touring
Carrozzeria Touring is an automobile coachbuilder established on March 25, 1926 in Milan, Italy by Felice Bianchi Anderloni and Gaetano Ponzoni...
's superleggera
Superleggera
Superleggera is an automobile chassis construction technology developed by Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring. The company was located just north of Milan, near Alfa Romeo, Italian Citroen, and the former Isotta-Fraschini plant...
structure, a design also used for the small-volume V8-powered 5000. Next came the Vignale
Vignale
Vignale was an Italian automobile coachbuilder company. Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale was established in 1948 at Via Cigliano, Turin by Alfredo Vignale in Grugliasco, near Turin ....
-bodied Sebring
Maserati Sebring
Maserati Sebring was a 2-door coupé and convertible made by Maserati 1962–69. Based on the Maserati 3500, the Sebring was aimed at the American Gran Turismo market and nicknamed after Maserati's 1957 racing victory at the 12 Hour race.-Series I:...
, launched in 1962, the Mistral
Maserati Mistral
The Maserati Mistral , named after a cold northerly wind of southern France, was the successor to the iconic 3500 GT, it was also the first in a series of classic Maseratis to be given the name of a wind. It was offered both in Coupe and Spyder form...
Coupé in 1963 and Spider in 1964, both designed by Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua
Pietro Frua was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...
, and also in 1963, the company's first four-door, the Quattroporte
Maserati Quattroporte
The Maserati Quattroporte is a luxury four-door saloon made by Maserati in Italy. The name translated from Italian literally means "four doors". There have been five generations of the car, each separated by a period of roughly five years....
, designed by Frua as well. The two-seat Ghibli
Maserati Ghibli
The Maserati Ghibli is a Gran Turismo car produced by Italian manufacturer Maserati in two generations: first from 1966–73, and again as the Maserati Ghibli II from 1992–97.- Ghibli I :...
coupé was launched in 1967, followed by a convertible in 1969.
Citroën ownership
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
. Adolfo Orsi remained the nominal president, but Maserati changed a great deal. New models were launched, and built in much greater numbers than before. Citroën borrowed Maserati expertise and engines for the Citroën SM
Citroën SM
The Citroën SM is a high-performance coupé produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1970 to 1975. The SM placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, trailing its stablemate Citroën GS, and won the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year award in the U.S. in 1972.-History:In 1961,...
and other vehicles, and Maseratis also incorporated Citroën technology, particularly in hydraulics.
New models included the Maserati Bora
Maserati Bora
The Maserati Bora is a Maserati two-seater coupe powered by a V8 engine mounted amidships. Produced from 1971 to 1978, it had a top speed of .-History:...
, the first mass-produced mid-engined
Mid-engine design
A mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine between the rear and front axles. Another term for this is mid-ship.-Benefits:The mid-engine layout is typically chosen for its relatively favorable weight distribution...
Maserati, in 1971, and the Maserati Merak
Maserati Merak
The Maserati Merak was an Italian sports car introduced in 1972, essentially a junior version of the Maserati Bora. It substituted an all new Maserati designed quad-cam V-6 motor for the Bora's larger V-8, resulting not only in a lower cost, but room for a small backseat and better handling due to...
and Maserati Khamsin
Maserati Khamsin
The Maserati Khamsin was a sports car introduced as a Bertone prototype in 1972 at the Turin Auto Show. In 1973 it was put on display at the Paris Motor Show, where it was badged as a Maserati...
soon afterwards; the Maserati Quattroporte II, which shared some parts with Citroën SM
Citroën SM
The Citroën SM is a high-performance coupé produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1970 to 1975. The SM placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, trailing its stablemate Citroën GS, and won the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year award in the U.S. in 1972.-History:In 1961,...
, never came into production, although seven were made to special order. The 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, however, put the brakes on this ambitious expansion when the demand for fuel-hungry sports cars shrank. Citroën went bankrupt in 1974 and on 23 May 1975, the new controlling group PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....
declared that Maserati was also in administration. Propped up by Italian government funds (GEPI, Societa di Gestioni e Partecipazioni Industriali dello Stato Italiano), the company was kept in business.
The Maserati engine and its associated gearbox have been used in other vehicles such as Special Rally prepared Citroën DS, as used by Bob Neyret in Bandama Rally or in the Ligier
Ligier
For the related Formula One team, see Equipe LigierLigier is a French automobile maker created by former racing driver and rugby player Guy Ligier.-History:...
JS 2.
De Tomaso
In 1975 the company was taken over by Alessandro de Tomaso, an Argentinian former racing driver, who became managing director. De Tomaso, with aid from GEPI, had arranged for the BenelliBenelli (motorcycles)
Benelli is an Italian Motorcycle manufacturer owned by Chinese company Qianjiang Group. It once manufactured shotguns, although this part of the business is now a separate company.-Early history:...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
company, which he controlled, to buy Maserati from Citroën and install him as its head. Beginning in 1976 new models were introduced, including the Maserati Kyalami
Maserati Kyalami
The Maserati Kyalami is an automobile which was produced by Maserati in Italy from 1976 to 1983.Named after the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa, it was a new model rushed into production after Alessandro de Tomaso took helm of the company...
and later the Maserati Quattroporte III in 1979.
The 1980s saw the company largely abandoning the mid-engined sports car in favour of squarely styled, front-engined
Front-engine design
A front-mounted engine describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the vehicle passenger compartment.Historically, this designation was used regardless of whether or not the entire engine was behind the front axle line...
, rear-drive coupes
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
, cheaper than before but with aggressive performance, like the Maserati Biturbo
Maserati Biturbo
The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo is a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior.The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, an engineer from the De...
.The Maserati Biturbo engine was fitted in a large number of models, all sharing key components. These included a short two door coupe, the Maserati Karif
Maserati Karif
The Maserati Karif is a luxury coupé produced by Maserati between 1988 and 1992. It was designed to be luxurious but also sporty and agile to allow the driver to "feel like a racing driver again or for the first time". The Karif uses the same shortened chassis as the Zagato-bodied Maserati Spyder...
, and a cabriolet, the Spyder
Maserati Biturbo
The Maserati Biturbo is a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981. The Biturbo is a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior.The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, an engineer from the De...
, designed by Zagato
Zagato
Zagato is a design consultancy and engineering services company situated just outside Milan, Italy.The company's premises occupy an area of , of which are covered....
. The last version of the Maserati Biturbo was called Maserati Racing
Maserati Racing
The Maserati Racing is based on a sports car introduced by Maserati in 1981, the Biturbo. The Biturbo was a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé featuring a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers of somewhat smaller dimensions than the BMW 3 series....
. It has been a transitional model in which several features to be found on the Ghibli II and the Shamal were tested. Two new coupes, the Maserati Shamal
Maserati Shamal
The Maserati Shamal is a compact, two-door coupé introduced by Italian automaker Maserati on December 17, 1989. It is named after shamal, a hot summer wind that blows in large areas of Mesopotamia. The Shamal was designed by Marcello Gandini, who is famous for designing the Lamborghini Countach and...
and Maserati Ghibli II
Maserati Ghibli
The Maserati Ghibli is a Gran Turismo car produced by Italian manufacturer Maserati in two generations: first from 1966–73, and again as the Maserati Ghibli II from 1992–97.- Ghibli I :...
, were released in 1990 and 1992, respectively.
The company also worked loosely with Chrysler, now headed by de Tomaso's friend Lee Iacocca
Lee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
. Chrysler purchased part of Maserati and the two jointly produced a car, the Chrysler TC by Maserati.
There were also two further projects:
- the Chubasco a canceled V8 mid-engine sports car.
- the Maserati BarchettaMaserati BarchettaThe Maserati Barchetta was a mid-engined, two-door, two-seat sports car, like the 350 and 450S, that was designed by Carlo Gaino of the "Synthesis Design", an Italian design house....
a small open top mid engine sports car, designed by Synthesis design (Carlo Gaino); 17 examples were produced.
Fiat ownership
1993 saw the company acquired by FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
. Substantial investments were made in Maserati, and it has since undergone something of a renaissance.
In 1998, a new chapter began in Maserati's history when the company launched the 3200 GT
Maserati 3200 GT
The Maserati 3200 GT is an automobile produced by Maserati from 1998 to 2001. The luxury coupé was styled by Italdesign, whose founder and head Giorgetto Giugiaro previously designed, among others, the Ghibli, Bora and Merak....
. This two-door coupé is powered by a 3.2 L twin-turbocharged V8 which produces 370 hp (276 kW); the car does 0–60 mph in 5.5 seconds. Its top speed is 285 km/h (177 mph). It was replaced by the Maserati Spyder
Maserati Coupe
The Maserati Coupé and Spyder are grand tourers produced by Italian automaker Maserati from 2001 to 2007. They have now been replaced by the GranTurismo. The two nameplates refer to the four-seater coupé and two-seater roadster versions, respectively. Both models were based on the 3200 GT, ...
and Coupé
Maserati Coupe
The Maserati Coupé and Spyder are grand tourers produced by Italian automaker Maserati from 2001 to 2007. They have now been replaced by the GranTurismo. The two nameplates refer to the four-seater coupé and two-seater roadster versions, respectively. Both models were based on the 3200 GT, ...
in the 2002 model year, which in turn were replaced by the GranTurismo
Maserati GranTurismo
The Maserati GranTurismo is a two-door 2+2 coupé produced by Maserati, it shares the platform of the Maserati Quattroporte V.-GranTurismo :...
and GranCabrio.
Ferrari
In July 1997, Fiat AutoFiat Automobiles
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automaker which produces Fiat branded cars, and is part of Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.. This is a subsiadiary of Fiat S.p.A., the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy...
sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rival Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
(Ferrari being itself a sister company to Fiat Auto under the Fiat Group
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
umbrella). In 1999 Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division. A new factory was built, replacing the existing 1940s-vintage facility. Ferrari is credited for bringing Maserati back into business, after many lackluster years of Maserati teetering on the brink of bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
.
More recently, Maserati discussed an agreement with Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
for the German company to share its Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
division's Quattro all-wheel-drive technology (originally meant for the still-born Maserati Kubang
Maserati Kubang
The Maserati Kubang is a crossover SUV concept from Maserati which was officially presented at the 2011 Frankfurt car show.The vehicle is based on the platform of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but is equipped with a typical Maserati body with a prominent grille, front fender vents and LED headlights...
sport utility vehicle
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
concept) for Maserati's current Quattroporte platform. This idea has since been abandoned because Volkswagen owns two of Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
's direct rivals, Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
and Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
.
Meanwhile two new models have been shown to the public: the MC12
Maserati MC12
The Maserati MC12 is a two-seater sports car produced by Italian car maker Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 30 cars produced...
road supersports and successful GT racer with a Ferrari Enzo–derived chassis and engine. And the Quattroporte, a high luxury saloon with the 4.2l V8 engine. Maserati is nowadays back in the business, very successfully selling on a global basis.
In 2001 Ferrari decided to throw away all the old tooling and installed high-tech devices in the Modena factory, making it one of the most advanced in the world.
Since early 2002 Maseratis are once again being sold in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
market, which has quickly become for Maserati the largest market worldwide. The company has also re-entered the racing arena with their Trofeo and, in December 2003, the Maserati MC12
Maserati MC12
The Maserati MC12 is a two-seater sports car produced by Italian car maker Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 30 cars produced...
(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. The MC12 is based on the Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari (car)
The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide ceramic composite...
sports car; 50 street-legal homologation models (roadsters and coupes) have been sold for about US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
700,000 each.
Partnered with Alfa Romeo
In 2005 Maserati were split off from Ferrari and merged with Alfa Romeo under Fiat Auto. Maserati sold 2,006 cars in the United States in 2005, 2,108 in 2006, and 2,540 in 2007. In the second quarter of 2007 Maserati made profit for the first time in 17 years under Fiat Group ownership.Current models
| Quattroporte Maserati Quattroporte The Maserati Quattroporte is a luxury four-door saloon made by Maserati in Italy. The name translated from Italian literally means "four doors". There have been five generations of the car, each separated by a period of roughly five years.... |
GranTurismo Maserati GranTurismo The Maserati GranTurismo is a two-door 2+2 coupé produced by Maserati, it shares the platform of the Maserati Quattroporte V.-GranTurismo :... |
GranCabrio |
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Maserati Quattroporte
(Italian for "four-door"), a sporting
Sporting
Sporting may refer to:*Sport, recreational games and play.It may also refer to a sporting club:*Sporting Clube de Portugal, a sports club from Lisbon, Portugal.*Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, a sports club from Beirut, Lebanon.*A.O...
-luxury four-door saloon. Introduced in 2004 and facelifted in 2009. Quattroporte S, featuring the same 4.7L V8 as the Maserati GranTurismo S was introduced also in 2009.
Maserati GranTurismo
A 4.2 litre V8 Grand tourer introduced in 2007 has 405 PS in standard from and year later introduced GranTurismo S version has 4.7 litre and 440 PS.
Maserati GranCabrio
A convertible version of the GranTurismo S Automatic introduced in September 2009 in Frankfurt Motor Show.
Future models
Maserati Kubang
A Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Mid-size SUV produced by the Jeep division of Chrysler. While some other SUVs were manufactured with body on frame construction, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always used a unibody chassis.- Development :...
-based SUV originally introduced in September 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and again in 2011 as a 2013 model. Production will be at Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly
Jefferson North Assembly
Jefferson North Assembly is a Chrysler automobile assembly factory in Detroit, Michigan. Located on East Jefferson Avenue 6 mi from downtown, the factory opened in 1991 as a major commitment to the downtown Detroit area by Chrysler, and was expanded in 1999 bringing its area to...
in Detroit.
Motorsport
Maserati developed fifteen GranTurismo MC racecars, homologated for the European Cup and National Endurance Series, one of which will be raced by GT motorsport organization Cool Victory in Dubai in January, 2010.See also
- Riverside International Automotive MuseumRiverside International Automotive MuseumThe Riverside International Automotive Museum, or RIAM, is a non-profit corporation, located in Riverside, California, dedicated to; "Preserving the memory of California's rich motorsports heritage"...
- Maserati (motorcycle)Maserati (motorcycle)Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati S.p.A. was an Italian manufacturer of motoringcomponents , as well as mopeds and motorcycles. It was part of Adolfo Orsis large...