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August 15- August 22,2004 |
Dream Car Maker Still Inspires
Legendary Italian luxury Maserati has strong design past and present with Ferrari owners
By Mark Curtis
Originally Published: 2004-07-18
None of us need a $125,000 sports car, but that doesn't stop some of us from wanting one. Italian luxury car maker Maserati has been fuelling this desire for almost 80 years, and with the prestigious brand's return to the North American market two years ago, the legendary Italian car may become an increasingly familiar sight on local streets. Toronto car dealer Remo Ferri opened his second Maserati and Ferrari showroom in the city last month.
The Maserati models of the 1950s and 60s were part of the Italian wave of car designs that embraced a sculpted modern look and subsequently influenced the entire car industry. As befits its reputation as a solid road performer, the Maserati brand is rooted in racing. The Maserati brothers of Bologna - seven in all - were involved in bicycle and car manufacturing in the early 20th century, but it was the race car driving Alfieri Maserati who established a family business in 1914. The first all-Maserati made vehicle was the Tipo, produced in 1926. The company's famous trident logo is said to have been inspired by a statue of the Roman god Neptune in Bologna. Alfieri's brothers eventually sold the company following his death and in 1937 new owners moved facilities to Viale Ciro Menotti, Modena, where the car company is still located. In 1939, after years of success on the European racing circuit, Maserati became the first Italian manufacturer to have one of its cars win the famous Indianapolis 500. American driver Wilbur Shaw was behind the wheel that year and their partnership yielded a repeat win in 1940. Maserati entered a new era seven years later when the company introduced its first road model.
Maserati has consistently worked with some of Italy's leading car designers. The well-respected Pietro Frua created the 3500 GT in 1957 and the Maserati Mistral in 1965. Both designs demonstrated the car firm's interest in combining motoring performance with visual elegance. Giorgetto Giugiaro's 1966 Ghibli was clean-lined and well received. The now-legendary designer of the original Volkswagen Golf continues to collaborate with the Modena car manufacturer. Maserati's 2004 Coupé and Spyder models are products of Giugiaro's Italdesign studio in Turin. In September, Maserati will introduce its Pininfarina-designed Quattroporte to the North American market.
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