Maserati History – Auto Story

La Maserati he had a hard life: in his own 100 years life died and resurrected several times, like a phoenix, and gained stability for only twenty years thanks to Fiat... Let's find out together story House of the Trident, created exclusively for the production of racing cars, and later became a symbol supercar "made in Italy".

Maserati, history

La story the Emilian brand officially begins on December 1, 1914, when the three brothers Maserati (Alfieri II, Ernesto ed to be rude) – already active in the mechanical sector – founded Bologna workshop specializing in engine processing Isotta Fraschini e Diatto... During World War I, Alfieri patented an innovative spark plug, and at the end of the conflict, he focused on the world of racing by installing an engine. Hispanic-Suiza on Isotta Fraschini. On this car, he, together with his brother Ernesto, won Susa-Moncenis from 1921.

In 1922, the Turin brand Diatto he offered the Maserati brothers the leadership of the brand's sports activities, and Alfieri the role of official driver, but three years later the Piedmontese manufacturer withdrew from racing due to debts. Thanks to the financial support of the Marquis Diego de Sterlich Maseratis managed to acquire ten Diatto 30 Sport chassis.

First victories

First Maserati Always - Type 26 1926 is nothing but evolution Diatto GP 8C turbo equipped engine 1.5 eight-cylinder in-line 120 hp In the same year, Mario - the fifth brother of Maserati and the only one without a passion for mechanics - created the legendary Trident logo, inspired by the logo on the fountain Neptune in Piazza Maggiore a Bologna.

In 1927, during the race in Sicily (Messina Cup), Alfieri is the victim of a horrific accident in which he loses a kidney. Next year comes the first major victory - Etna Cup - thanks to Bacon Borzaccini... A driver from Umbria sits down in 1929 in Cremona behind the wheel of one V4 equipped engine with 16 cylinders, world speed record at the start of 10 km and in 1930 wins the first international success Trident al Tripoli GP.

Death of Alfieri

in 1932 Alfieri Maserati dies after surgery, and Ernesto quits his pilot's career to take over the management of the company: he focuses on the technical part with Ettore and appoints his fourth brother Bindo (remembers Isotta Fraschini) President. The following year comes the first victory - in France with Giuseppe Campari - in one of Great trials (the most important races before Formula 1) and Tazio Nuvolari (leaving Ferrari after an altercation with Enzo over the fact that the latter did not want him to become the owner of 50% of Cavallino shares) win the Belgian Grand Prix after starting with the latter position. on the 8CM changed.

They were bears

1937 is the year that Maserati was bought by a Modena businessman. Adolfo Orsi, which uses the brand logo to promote its other activities. Bindo, Ernesto and Ettore, free from managerial burden, share tasks within the company: the first deals with the commercial part, the second with design, and the third with the factory. candles... In the same year Giulio Severi conquer Targa Florio from 6 cm: Sicilian race won three more times in a row by the Emilian Company with Giovanni Rocco and in two cases with Luigi Villoresi.

Indianapolis wins

In 1939, Orsi moved Maserati in hometown - Modena - in the territory belonging to him, and in the same year 8CTF (3.0 eight-cylinder engine with two compressors and an oil tank that acts as the center cross member of the chassis) - the first car developed under the new management - wins (for the first time for an Italian car) Indianapolis 500 with a driver from the USA Wilbur Shaw... The combination was confirmed in 1940: no other tricolor engine was able to win the prestigious Yankee race.

The Second World War

With the outbreak of World War II, the production of racing cars was temporarily stopped to facilitate the production of candles and products for the army. At the end of the conflict, Adolfo Orsi loses interest in racing, but the three Maserati brothers continue to maintain their "racing" dream thanks to some off-road vehicles hidden in Milan during the conflict. Meanwhile across the Atlantic Ocean Louis Nash wins two editions of the legendary uphill race Pikes Peak (1946 and 1947) driving a Trident car.

Start of serial production

La A6 GCS from 1947 - abbreviation for Alfieri, 6 cylinders (engine 2.0 l. Maserati developed by brothers Bindo, Ernesto and Ettore before leaving the company (which wants to focus on making models) to found OSCA. The first Modena car available to the general public is A6 1500: presented at the Geneva Motor Show of the same year, it is designed Pininfarina and collect one engine 1.5 in-line six-cylinder.

However, sporting successes continue to arrive: in 1948, the House of the Trident returns to win one of the Great trials – Monte Carlo with Giuseppe Farina and 4CLT and Silverstone with Villoresi and 4CLT / 1948 - and next year Swiss Toulo de Graffenried wins again at the British circuit.

50-ies

The 50s started off badly for Maserati due to increasingly violent clashes between Adolfo Orsi and his staff: the foundries are even occupied by the cooperative. Despite this, the manufacturer from Modena managed to take part in the first world championship in 1950. F1 its history and gets the first podium in the second race of the season when a driver from Monaco Louis Chiron the home Grand Prix ends in third position.

In 1952, the cooperative operating the foundries in Modena was liquidated and the unions themselves asked Orsi to return and run the company. He was hired by the best driver of those years - an Argentinean. Juan Manuel Fangio - which, however, did not debut until 1953 due to an accident in F2 (fractured cervical vertebrae) that caused him to miss the entire season.

First win Maserati in F1 arrives at the 1953 Italian Grand Prix thanks to Fangio and his team A6 GCM... In the same year, Orsi, under pressure from the husbands of his sisters, is forced to share the management of his companies among various family members, leaving this to himself and his son. Lobster control of workshops (machines and machine tools).

La 250F

La 250Fintended for participation in F1 world 1954 and equipped with engine 2.5 240 hp it is still considered one of the best single-seater cars of all time. Fangio has a contract with Mercedes but while waiting for the German car to be ready, he asks (and gets) the opportunity to participate in the first two Grand Prix of the year (Argentina and Belgium) in a Trident car: he wins both and becomes world champion at the end of the season.

In 1956, the Briton was the absolute hero of Modenese racing. Sterling Moss: touches the victory at the World Championships in Monte Carlo and Monza and together with the Argentine. Carlos Menditegi conquers Buenos Aires 300S the brand's first victory in a race in the World Championship for Sports Prototypes.

Legendary 1957

1957 - the best year in history Maserati: Fangio becomes F1 world champion for the fifth and final time in his career with four wins (Argentina, Monte Carlo, France and Germany) and two runners-up in seven Grand Prix. In the same year, the first large-scale Trident car was released: 3500 GT, the model that officially transforms the Modenese brand into a full-fledged car manufacturer.

Crisis

From stars to rags: 1958 Adolfo Orsi found itself in crisis due to the failure of the Argentine government to pay for a large shipment of milling machines. He sells several personal estates, sells a machine tool plant to a foreign company, and gets a regime controlled management... He pays all debtors, but is forced to close the racing department: he still manages to get all of his employees elsewhere, even with sworn rivals Ferrari.

60-ies

The 60s opened with the latest success in World Sports Prototypes of a. Maserati: and Type 61 under the command of the USA Comrades who rises to the top step of the podium 1000 km from the Nürburgring since 1961 thanks to the Yankees duet in the Masten Grigory e Lloyd Kasner... In the same year 3500 GTI, the first Italian language since engine ad injection.

1963 is the year when Mistral (the last Trident car powered by the legendary six-cylinder engine borrowed from the 250F) and above all, Quattroporte: what was the fastest sedan in the world at the time, was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show and was powered by a powerful 4.1 V8 engine with 260 hp.Flagman Emilian reached a top speed of 230 km / h.

The last triumph Maserati engine in F1 dates back to 1967 when the Mexican Pedro Rodriguez wins the South African Grand Prix driving one cooper... In the same year Ghibli, the first Modena car developed by Giorgetto Giugiaro: there will be success.

The era of Citroën

In 1968 60% of Maserati shares passed to Citroën: Orsi remains President Emeritus and Omar serves on the Board of Directors responsible for the commercial sector. The French company uses Modenese engines to build models such as the SM, while the Trident brand acquires some of the technology from a transalpine manufacturer such as hydropneumatic suspension.

Three years later - simultaneously with the launch Bora (One disconnected a central engine born to steal customers from Lamborghini Miura) - family Orsi definitely comes out of Maserati but in 1973 - due to the oil crisis - the family Michelin , owner of Citroën, sells the French brand Peugeot  and the new owners decide to liquidate the legendary sports brand from Emilia..

L'era de Tomaso

Thanks to public money from Talk (Industrial Management and Investment Company) Argentine entrepreneur Alejandro de Tomaso acquires a significant share of Maserati shares: pays off debts of the company and invests in new models such as the third generation Quattroporte (1979, Giugiaro design) and Biturbo (1981), a two-door sedan/coupe noted for its affordability but questionable reliability due to reduced design time. Car - assembled in Milan in factories Innocenti – achieves incredible success, but negatively affects the brand image.

The turning point of Fiat

in 1993 Maserati goes to the Fiat group, which four years later sells 50% of the company's shares Ferrari. The first Trident car built under the new management is The Trident. 3200 GT Designed by Giugiaro, it was introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show, a year before the full transition of the Modenese brand to Cavallino.

In 2001, Emilian returned to the US market with Spydershown at the Frankfurt Motor Show: the first Maserati ever to install Speed with paddles on the steering wheel, it has a line similar to the 3200 GT, but features more traditional taillights, a redesigned chassis (shorter wheelbase), engine 4.2 Ferrari V8 and powertrain PPC (behind in a block with a differential).

Back to racing and product news

2003 is an important year for Maserati: fifth generation Quattroporte (introduced in Frankfurt) is the first Trident designed by Pininfarina half a century later and conquers numerous clients. On the other hand, in 2004 we are witnessing an official return to racing (47 years later) with MC12: Vehicle equipped with a 6.0 V12 engine and monocoque fiber chassis. carbon, participate in the championship FIA GT and wins the first victory at the German circuit Oschersleben with Finnish Mika Salo and with our Andrea Bertolini.

Between 2005 and 2009 there will be four pilot titles (three for the duo consisting of Bertolini and the German. Michael Bartels and one for ours Thomas Biaggi), two titles of constructors (2005 and 2007, when Gran Turismo harnessed Pininfarina) and five championships in a row for the team Vitafon... In 2010, the FIA ​​GT series changed its name to GT1 World but the results remain the same: World Cup triumph for Bartels and Bertolini and inter-team dominance for Vitaphone.

Range Maserati richer in 2013 with two new flagships: the sixth generation Quattroporte (presented in Detroit) and its younger sister Ghibli, now in its third series (for the first time with rear doors) and is built on the same shortened floor.