Maserati S.p.A. is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914, in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena.

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).Piazza Maggiore's Neptune and his trident

The trident logo of the Maserati car company, designed by Mario Maserati, is based on the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna's Piazza Maggiore. In 1920, one of the Maserati brothers used this symbol in the logo at the suggestion of family friend Marquis Diego de Sterlich.

short history

- In 1937, the remaining Maserati brothers sold their shares in the company to the Adolfo Orsi family, who, in 1940, relocated the company headquarters to their home town of Modena, where it remains to this day. 

- The second world war then intervened and Maserati abandoned car making to produce components for the Italian war effort. 

- Maserati retired from factory racing participation because of the Guidizzolo tragedy during the 1957 Mille Miglia, though they continued to build cars for privateers.

- The 1957 3500 GT marked a turning point in the marque's history, as its first ground-up grand tourer design and first series-produced car.

- In 1968, Maserati was taken over by Citroën. Adolfo Orsi remained the nominal president, but Maserati was controlled by its new owner. 

- During the 1973 oil crisis Maserati put the brakes on the ambitious expansion of; demand for fuel-hungry sports cars and grand tourers shrank drastically. 

- On 8 August 1975, an agreement was signed at the Ministry of Industry in Rome, and property of Maserati passed from Citroën to Italian state-owned holding company GEPI and Alejandro de Tomaso, 

- The 1980s saw the company largely abandoning the mid-engine sports car in favour of a compact front-engine, rear-drive coupé, the Biturbo.

 - In December 1989 , FIAT entered in Maserati's history. Maserati and Innocenti were separated and came under Fiat control.

- In July 1997, FIAT sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rival Ferrari (Ferrari itself being owned by FIAT).

- The Maserati and Alfa Romeo group, under FIAT Group, started in 2005, when Maserati was split off from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo.

- In 2013 Maserati started their re-entrance into the high-performance car field, in order to compete with brands such as Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, Porsche, Jaguar, and in certain cases, Ferrari.

a6

1947-1950   A6 1500

1950-1951  A6G 2000 Pinin Farina

1953-1955   A6GCS/53

1954-1956   A6G/54

Maserati A6 were a series of grand tourers, racing sports cars and single seaters made by Maserati of Italy between 1947 and 1956. They were named for Alfieri Maserati (one of the Maserati brothers, founders of Maserati) and for their straight-six engine.

The 1.5-litre straight-six was named A6 TR (Testa Riportata for its detachable cylinder head), and was based on the pre-war Maserati 6CM; 65 bhp. It first appeared in the A6 Sport or Tipo 6CS/46, a barchetta prototype, developed by Ernesto Maserati and Alberto Massimino. This became the A6 1500 Pinin Farina-designed two-door berlinetta, first shown at the 1947 Salon International de l'Auto in Geneva (59 made) and the spider shown at the 1948 Salone dell'automobile di Torino (2 made).

A 2-litre straight-six (120 bhp) was used in the A6 GCS two-seater, «G» denoting Ghisa, cast iron block, and «CS» denoting Corsa & Sports. Also called monofaro, the 580 kg single-seater and cycle-winged racing version first appeared at Modena 1947 by Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari, and won the 1948 Italian Championship by Giovanni Bracco. Fifteen cars were made 1947-1953, of these being two-seaters (630 kg).

The A6G were a series of two-door coupe and spyders by Zagato, Pinin Farina, Pietro Frua, Ghia, Bertone, Carrozzeria Allemano and Vignale. These had alloy engine blocks.

The acronyms identifying each model are interpreted as follows:

  • A6: the name of the series: A for Alfieri (Maserati), 6 for six cylinders.
  • G: «Ghisa», cast iron, the engine block material.
  • CS: «Corsa Sport», for racing sports car.
  • CM: «Corsa Monoposto», for single seater racing car.

«1500» or «2000» indicate the rounded up total engine displacement in cubic centimetres; while suffixes such as «53» denote the year of the type's introduction.

3500gt

1957-1964

In the early 1950s Maserati had achieved racing success and international visibility, thanks to cars such as the A6GCM; its 2-litre, twin cam inline-six engine had already been enlarged to three litre capacity on the Maserati 300S. Chief engineer Giulio Alfieri felt the next step was to design an all-new 3.5-litre engine; the resulting long-stroke six, designed foremost for endurance racing on the Maserati 350S, was ready in 1955. In the meantime Maserati's first forays into the grand tourer market, the 1947 A6 1500, 1951 A6G 2000 and 1954 A6G/54, had proven that the business was feasible; but the A6 road cars were still built in just a dozen examples a year—hardly series production. A different approach was needed to build fully accomplished grand tourers.

5000gt

1959-1966

In an attempt to revive sales, Omer Orisi, the son of then Maserati owner Adolf Orisi mailed sales brochures of the 3500 GT and the 450S to prospective wealthy buyers. One brochure was also mailed to the Shah of Iran who scheduled a meeting with Maserati management in late 1958. After taking a test drive in a 3500 GT, the Shah requested Giulio Alfieri to make a road car combining the usability of the 3500 GT with the power of the 450S and offered to fund the development and build costs.

Initially, Bertone was chosen as the coach builder for the body but Carrozzeria Touring was ultimately chosen at the behest of Orisi. The coach builder was given instructions to make the car look distinct from the 3500 GT it was based on. Chief designer Carlo Anderloni used the Persian Baroque architecture as inspiration for the unique grille design and the interior design. In 1960, the engine was modified following increase in demand: the displacement increased to 4,940 cc and delivered 340 bhp.

sebring

1962-1969

The Series I (Tipo AM 101/S) was shown at Salon International de l'Auto 1962 and again at the Salone dell'automobile di Torino in 1963. Employing all but the Maserati 3500's coachwork, it could reach 137 mph (220 km/h) and 0–100 km/h in 8.5 seconds on 185x16 Pirelli Cinturato tyres. A Borg-Warner automatic transmission was available as an option, a first for Italian automobiles.When leaving the factory it originally fitted Pirelli Cinturato 205VR15 tyres (CN72). A total of 348 Series I Sebrings were built between 1962 and 1965. The engine was updated in 1963, gaining 15PS for a total of 235 PS. The 3700 engine first appeared in 1964, although only a handful of Series I cars were thus equipped.

In 1965, the modified Series II (Tipo AM 101/10) was introduced. It had lightly redesigned headlamps, modernized bumpers, new turn signals in front, and new side grilles replacing the lower extraction vents used hitherto. It took minor design cues from the contemporary Quattroporte. At the rear, aside from the squared off bumpers, the taillights were now mounted horizontally rather than vertically and the bootlid opening was narrowed somewhat. The Series II rode on larger 205x15 Pirelli Cinturatos. A run of 247 units were made from 1964 until 1968. 

mistral

1963-1970

convertible

The Maserati Mistral (Tipo AM109) is a 2-seat gran turismo produced by Italian car manufacturer Maserati between 1963 and 1970. The successor to the 3500 GT, it was styled by Frua and bodied by Maggiora of Turin. A total of 828 coupés and 125 Spyders were built.

Named after a cold northerly wind of southern France, it was also the first in a series of classic Maseratis to be given the name of a wind. The Mistral was succeeded by the Ghibli gran turismo, which overlapped production from 1967 on. The Mistral is the last model from the Casa del Tridente (“House of the Trident”) to have the company's renowned twin-spark, double overhead cam straight six engine. Fitted to the Maserati 250F Grand Prix cars, this engine won eight Grand Prix between 1954 and 1960 and the F1 World Championship in 1957 driven by Juan Manuel Fangio. Three engine were fitted to the Mistral, displacing 3500, 3700 and 4000 cc and developing 235 bhp, 245 bhp and 265 bhp, respectively. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h for both the 3.7- and 4.0-liter engines was around or just under 7 seconds, and top speed approximately 225 km/h.

The mistral is also often confused with the very similar looking but larger and more powerful Frua designed AC Frua.

In 1968, Maserati was taken over by Citroën. Adolfo Orsi remained the nominal president, but Maserati was controlled by its new owner. The relationship started as a joint venture, made public in January 1968, in which Maserati would design and manufacture an engine for Citroën's upcoming flagship called SM. Launched in 1970, the SM was a four-seat front-wheel-drive coupé, powered by a Maserati Tipo C114 2.7-litre 90° V6 engine; this engine and its gearbox had been used in other vehicles, such as rally-prepared DSs used by Bob Neyret in Bandama Rally, and in the Ligier JS2.

The Bora is the first mid-engine Maserati road legal automobile

With secure financial backing, new models were launched and built in much greater numbers than years prior. Citroën borrowed Maserati's expertise and engines for the SM and other vehicles, and Maserati incorporated Citroën's technology, particularly in hydraulics. Engineer Giulio Alfieri was key to many of the ambitious designs of this period.

The first new arrival was the 1969 Indy—a Vignale-bodied four-seater GT with a traditional V8 drivetrain, 1,100 units of the Indy were made.

Citroën never developed a 4-door version of the SM - instead Maserati developed the Quattroporte II, which shared most of its mechanical parts with the SM, including the mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout, and six headlight arrangement.

After the 1973 oilcrisis  in May 1975, a press release from Citroën management abruptly announced Maserati had been put into liquidation. The workforce immediately picketed the factory, but production was not halted. An Italian buyer had showed up, and the name of Alejandro de Tomaso was put forth for the first time.

quattroporte I

1963-1969

Announced in its home market in May 1957 the XK150 bore a family resemblance to the XK120 and XK140 but was radically revised. Most visibly, a one-piece windscreen replaced the split screen, and the wing line carried higher and more streamlined at the doors. The XK150's dashboard came trimmed in leather, with walnut optional on all models. On the early drophead coupés, the aluminium centre dash panel, which was discontinued after June 1958, had an X pattern engraving similar to the early 3.8 E-Type.

The 3.4 litre DOHC straight-6 XK engine was similar to the XK140's, but a new "B" type cylinder head raised power to 180 SAE bhp at 5750 rpm. In 1960 the 220 hp 3.8 litre engine fitted in the full-sized luxury Mark IX saloon since October 1958 became available. It was tuned to produce up to 265 hp  in S models and propel an XK150 to 217 km/h and from 0–100 km/h in around 7.0 seconds. 

Production ended in October 1960 with 9382 vehicles, including 2,265 roadsters, 4,445 fixed head coupés and 2,672 drophead coupés. The E-Type replacement was announced in the middle of March 1961.

quattroporte II

1976-1978

The second generation of the Quattroporte, named Maserati Quattroporte II (AM 123), made its world premièrein October 1974. The car had Bertone bodywork, penned by Marcello Gandini. The 1973 oil crisis combined with the collapse of the Citroën/Maserati relationship, made Maserati unable to gain EEC approval for the car. Most of the cars built were sold in the Middle East and in Spain, where such type of approval was not necessary. The front-wheel drive layout and the modest 3.0-litre V6 powerplant based on the Citroën SM engine did not attract customers. Its 210 PS  at 5,500 rpm power output was barely enough to propel the 1,600 kg  car to 200 km/h.

The production total amounted to no more than 13 cars. While the prototype was built in 1974, the succeeding twelve cars were built to order between 1976 and 1978. The nearly stillborn Quattroporte II project was costly for the small company, and the firm reached four billion Lira in debt by the end of 1978.

quattroporte III

1979-1990

The third generation of the Maserati Quattroporte (Tipo AM 330) was developed under the Alejandro de Tomaso-GEPI ownership. After the brief parenthesis of the Citroën-era front-wheel drive Quattroporte II, the third generation went back to the classic formula of rear-wheel drive and a large Maserati V8 engine. The exterior design was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro. De Tomaso, who disliked Citroën, removed all of the influence of the French marque from the car. The quad-cam V8 engines built from scratch for the Kyalami were used as well as other mechanical parts.

Initially badging reading "4PORTE" was used, but this was changed in 1981 to ones spelling out "Quattroporte." Two versions of the V8 engine were available: a 4.9 L version generating a maximum power output of 280 PS and a smaller built-to-order 4.1 L engine generating 255 PS which was phased out in 1981.

The Quattroporte III utilised an all-steel unibody structure. The chassis was related to that of the Kyalami, in turn derived from the De Tomaso Longchamp and therefore ultimately related to the De Tomaso Deauville luxury saloon.

quattroporte IV

1994-2001

The fourth generation of the Quattroporte (Tipo AM337) was manufactured from 1994 to 2001 and was the first car to be produced under the Fiat ownership after Alejandro de Tomaso sold his entire holding to the Italian marque in 1993. It was built on an evolved and stretched version of the Biturbo saloon's architecture, and used the twin-turbocharged V6 and later the new AM578 V8 engine from the Shamal flagship grand tourer. For this reason, the car retained very compact exterior dimensions, and is smaller than any of its predecessors and successors. As the designer's signature angular rear wheel arches gave away, the wedge-shaped aerodynamic (Cd=0.31) body was penned by Marcello Gandini.

As local taxation strongly penalised cars over two-litre in displacement, Italian buyers were offered a 2.0 L version, which developed a little more power (287 PS) but less torque than the 2.8-litre version; on the home market, the 2.8 was not offered until a year after its introduction. The cabin was fully upholstered in Connolly leather and trimmed in elm burl wood veneer. Weight was also reduced by at least 300 kg as compared to the Quattroporte III primarily due to the compact Biturbo underpinnings and by the use of a compact powerplant.

quattroporte V

2003-2012

The fifth generation of the Quattroporte (Tipo M139) debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show on 9 September 2003.

Built on an entirely new platform named the M139, it was 50 cm longer than its predecessor and sat on a 40 cm  longer wheelbase. The same architecture would later underpin the GranTurismo and GranCabrio coupés and convertibles.

Initially, the Quattroporte was powered by an evolution of the naturally aspirated dry sump 4.2-litre V8 engine, as used in the Maserati Coupé, with an improved power output of 400 PS  and new black plastic inlet manifold instead of an aluminium cast one. Due to its greater weight compared to the Coupé and Spyder, the 0–100 km/h  acceleration time for the Quattroporte is 5.2 seconds and the top speed is measured at 275 km/h. Over 5,000 cars were built in 2006.

quattroporte VI

2012-

The current and sixth-generation of the Quattroporte was introduced in early 2013. With a 3,171 mm  wheelbase it is a considerably larger vehicle than any of its predecessors, to set itself apart from the smaller Ghibli, which shares its underpinnings. Engine choice includes twin-turbocharged V6 and V8 petrol engines, as well as a turbodiesel V6. The new Quattroporte was designed at a special Maserati-only department within the Fiat Group Centro Stile design centre, under the guidance of ex-Pininfarina designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti.[citation needed] Drivetrains, platform, suspension, and body elements such as the front doors[70] are common to the Quattroporte and the smaller Ghibli saloon, which sits on a 173 mm (6.8 in) shorter wheelbase.

The Quattroporte is offered with range of two petrol engines. The Quattroporte GTS features a variant of the F154 engine platform shared with the Ferrari 488, the Portofino and other Ferrari models. The engine is a 3.8-litre 90° twin-turbocharged V8, generating a maximum power output of 530 PS.

mexico

1966-1972

The Maserati Mexico's design derived from a 2+2 prototype bodywork by Virginio Vairo shown on the Vignale stand at the October 1965 Salone di Torino and built upon a 4.9-litre 5000 GT chassis, rebodied after it had been damaged. As the car after the show was sold to Mexican president Adolfo López Mateos, the model became known as the Mexico. By coincidence, John Surtees won the Mexican Grand Prix on a Cooper-Maserati T81 the following year. Vignale's prototype was so well received that Maserati immediately made plans to put a version into production.

Originally powered by a 4.7-litre 90° V8 fed by four twin-choke 38 DCNL5 Weber carburetors that was rated at 290 hp, the car managed to turn out a top speed between 240–250 km/h. In 1969, however, contrary to Maserati tradition, the Mexico was also made available with a smaller, 4.2-litre V8 engine.

Apart from the smaller engine option the Mexico underwent few changes during its production life span. Its luxurious interior included a rich leather seating for four adults, electric windows, wooden dashboard, iodine headlights and air conditioning as standard. 485 Mexicos were produced, 175 equipped with the 4.7-litre engine and 305 with the 4.2-litre engine.

ghibli

1967-1973

1969 Ghibli Spyder

Maserati Ghibli is the name of three different cars produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati: the AM115, a V8 grand tourer from 1967 to 1973; the AM336, a V6 twin-turbocharged coupé from 1992 to 1998; and the M157, an executive saloon from 2013 onwards.

Ghibli is the Libyan Arabic name for the hot dry south-westerly wind of the Libyan desert.

The Ghibli was first unveiled as a 2-seater concept car at the November 1966 Turin Motor Show. Its steel body, characterized by a low, shark-shaped nose, was designed by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro, then working at Ghia. The car featured pop-up headlamps, leather front sport seats and alloy wheels. Two rear seats consisting of nothing more than a cushion without a backrest were added to the production model, allowing the Ghibli to be marketed as a 2-door 2+2 fastback coupé. Deliveries started in March 1967.

The car was powered by a front placed quad-cam 4,719 cc  dry sump V8 engine mated to a five-speed ZF manual transmission, with a three-speed automatic transmission being optional. The engine had a power output of 310 PS. It had a 0-100 km/h time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h.

ghibli

1992-1998

The Ghibli was launched at the 62nd Turin Motor Show in April 1992. The Ghibli was powered by updated 24-valve twin-turbocharged engines which had seen use on the Biturbo range: a 2.0-litre V6 coupled to a six-speed manual transmission for the Italian market, and a 2.8-litre V6 for export, at first coupled with a 5-speed manual, then from 1995 with the 6-speed manual. A 4-speed automatic was optional. The coupé was built for luxury as well as performance, and its interior featured Connolly leather upholstery and burr elm trim.

Two sport versions were introduced in 1995. The first was the Ghibli Kit Sportivo, whose namesake handling kit included wider tyres on OZ "Futura III" split-rim wheels, specific springs, dampers and anti-roll bars. The second was the limited edition Ghibli Cup, which brought some features of the Open Cup racer into a road-going model; it debuted at the December 1995 Bologna Motor Show. It has a 2.0 L  engine rated at 330 PS.

ghibli

2013-present

The current third generation of the Ghibli (Tipo M157) was unveiled at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show. The Ghibli is offered with three different 3.0-litre V6 engines: a twin-turbocharged 330 PS or 410 PS  petrol and a 275 PS turbodiesel, making the Ghibli the first Maserati production car to be powered by a diesel engine. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on all models; all wheel drive is available with the most powerful V6, although not in right hand drive markets.

The Ghibli marks Maserati's comeback in the mid-size luxury car segment after two decades of absence, since the last of the Biturbo family saloons went out of production in 1994; it is a key model in Maserati's plan of reaching a production target of 50,000 units by 2015, expanding its lineup to cover all segments in the luxury car market. Assembly of the Ghibli takes place alongside that of the Quattroporte VI at the new Giovanni Agnelli Plant in Grugliasco near Turin, Italy. On September 24, 2019, the 100,000th Ghibli rolled off the production line as announced by Maserati.

A face lifted Maserati Ghibli and hybrid version was unveiled online on 16 July 2020. In a world’s first, the hybrid version of the Ghibli features a 2.0L turbocharged 4 cylinder petrol engines, with a 48 volt electric supercharger "e-Booster" and supported by a battery. The battery is mounted in the rear of the car, which Maserati claims benefits the weight distribution. 

indy

1969-1975

The Indy was conceived as an alternative to the Ghibli offering a V8 engine and room for four people; it effectively replaced both the ageing six-cylinder 2+2 Maserati Sebring—which descended from the 1957 3500 GT— and the first generation Quattroporte. Two coachbuilders showed their proposals at the November 1968 Salone dell'automobile di Torino, both based on a Maserati 4.2-litre chassis. On Ghia's stand there was the Simùn, a 2+2 berlinetta designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro; on Carrozzeria Vignale's, a sleek 4-seater fastback penned by the internal technical office led by Virginio Vairo and Elio Mainardi. Both coachbuilders had already an established relationship with Maserati, as Vignale had been responsible for the 3500 GT Spyder, Mexico and Sebring, while Giugiaro had recently penned the Ghibli at Ghia.

At its launch in 1969 the Indy was offered with a 4.2-litre V8 engine. From 1970 a 4.7-litre Indy 4700 was offered alongside the 4200; the same year some interior updates were introduced, including seats with retractable headrests and a new dashboard. In 1972, Maserati added the Indy 4900 to the range, equipped with the new 4.9-litre V8.

Production of the Indy ended in 1975. In total 1,104 were produced, 440 of them were Indy 4200s, 364 were Indy 4700s and 300 were Indy 4900s.

bora

1971-1978

Shortly after Citroën took a controlling interest in Maserati in 1968, the concept of a mid-engined two-seat sports car was proposed. Lamborghini and De Tomaso already had the Miura and Mangusta, whilst Ferrari were known to be developing their own mid-engined contender. Initially known as Tipo 117 and later the Bora, the Maserati project got underway in October 1968 and a prototype was on the road by mid-1969. Shown in its final form at the Geneva Salon in March 1971, deliveries began before the end of the year. Maserati struggled after being bought by De Tomaso in 1975, and the Bora was discontinued after the 1978 model year. 564 Boras were produced in total, of which 275 were fitted with 4.9 L engines and the other 289 were fitted with 4.7 L engines.

Initially two V8 engines were offered, a high-revving 4,7l and a higher torque 4.9 L; a US smog-qualified 4.9-litre engine was used (a stroked version of the 4.7), starting from the 1973 model year. Eventually, production switched to only using a more powerful version of the 4.9-litre engine rated at 324 PS.

merak

1972-1983

The Maserati Merak (Tipo AM122) is a mid-engined 2+2 sports car produced between 1972 and 1983. The Merak was closely related to the Maserati Bora, sharing part of its structure and body panels, but was powered by a 3.0 L V6 in place of the latter's 4.7 L V8. The extra cabin space gained by fitting a smaller and more compact powertrain was used to carve out a second row of seats—suitable for children or very small adults—making the Merak not just a less expensive alternative to the Bora but also a 2+2.

Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign was commissioned to transform the Bora into the Merak. Unlike its bigger sister the Merak doesn't have a full glass fastback, but rather a cabin ending abruptly with a vertical rear window and a flat, horizontal engine cover pierced by four series of ventilation slats. Giugiaro completed the vehicle's silhouette by adding open flying buttresses, visually extending the roofline to the tail.

The main competitors of the Merak were the similarly Italian, mid-engine, 3-litre and 2+2 Dino 308 GT4 and Lamborghini Urraco. However unlike its transverse V8-engined rivals the Merak used a more compact V6, that could therefore be mounted longitudinally.

The original Merak's three-litre engine was rated at 190 PS and had a top speed of over 240 km/h.

boomerang

1972

The Maserati Boomerang was a concept car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. It was first revealed at the Turin Motor Show in 1971 as a non-functional model, but by the time of the 1972 Geneva Auto Show the company had developed it into a commercially launched Maserati Bora.

The Boomerang was registered as a road car, but it was intended as a one-off show car. It was shown in dozens of places, and after the 1974 car show in Barcelona it was sold to a private individual. In 1990, it was shown at the Bagatelle Concours in Paris, 1993 Concorso Italiano, Carmel (Calf.) and Pebble Beach, with a new owner and some restoration work having been done. It made an appearance again in 2000 at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, and Pebble Beach - 50th Anniversary -, 2012 "BEST OF SHOW", May, Monte Carlo, Monaco, 2013 "BEST OF SHOW", October, Knokke, Belgium, 2014 "Paris Motor Show".

The design of the Boomerang would resonate through Giugiaro's future designs for many years. Its sharp angles and wedge shape could be easily recognised in the 1973 Audi Asso di Picche concept, 1973 VW Passat Mk1, 1974 VW Golf Mk1, 1976 Lotus Esprit and Medici II show car, 1979 Lancia Delta and Maserati Quattroporte III, as well as the 1976 designed and 1981 launched DeLorean.

Powered by a 4.7L V8 engine producing 310 hp and 460 N⋅m driving the rear wheels, 5-speed manual transmission and having a fully decked out interior, it has a unique dashboard layout where the steering wheel and gauge cluster are part of a single console that emerges from the dash, and the steering wheel rotates around the stationary gauges.

khamsin

1974-1982

The Khamsin was introduced on the Bertone stand at the November 1972 Turin Auto Show as a concept car. Designed by Marcello Gandini, it was Bertone's first work for Maserati. Its design highlight was a clear rear section which housed the tail lights along with a sharp, angular design in contrast to its predecessor. In March 1973, the production model was shown at the Paris Motor Show. Regular production of the vehicle started only a year later, in 1974.

The Khamsin was developed under Citroën's ownership for a clientele that demanded a front-engined grand tourer on the lines of the previous Ghibli, a more conventional proposition than the mid-engined Bora.

In 1977 a mild facelift added three horizontal slats on the Khamsin's nose to aid cooling. Inside, it brought a restyled dashboard and a new padded steering wheel.

Despite the many improvements over its predecessor, the Khamsin did not replicate its success, partly due to the ongoing fuel crisis that reduced demand for cars with large displacement engines. Production ended in 1982, with 435 vehicles made, 155 of which had been exported to the United States - barely a third of the Ghibli's production total of 1,295. The front-mid mounted engine gave the car a 50/50 weight distribution; it was pushed so far back towards the firewall that the full size spare tyre could be stored beneath the radiator in front of it, thus freeing up space in the boot. Apart from the adoption of Bosch electronic ignition, Maserati's 4.9 L  DOHC, 16-valve V8 engine was carried over from the Ghibli SS and delivered 330 PS.

On 8 August 1975, an agreement was signed at the Ministry of Industry in Rome, and property of Maserati passed from Citroën to Italian state-owned holding company GEPI and Alejandro de Tomaso, an Argentinian industrialist and former racing driver, became president and CEO. As of December 1979, GEPI's quota amounted to 88.75% of Maserati, the remaining 11.25% stake was being controlled by de Tomaso through a holding company which grouped his automotive interests in Maserati and Innocenti.

Beginning in 1976, new models were introduced, sharing their underpinnings—but not their engines—with De Tomaso cars; first came the Kyalami grand tourer, derived from the De Tomaso Longchamp, restyled by Frua and powered by Maserati's own V8. Following the Kyalami was the Giugiaro-designed Quattroporte III based on the De Tomaso Deauville, which was introduced in 1976 and put on sale in 1979.

The Bora's sales dwindled down; the Khamsin was discontinued between 1982 and 1983. Progressively stripped of its Citroën-derived parts, the Merak continued to sell over one hundred units a year, until 1982.

During 1984, Chrysler bought a 5% share in Maserati. Following an agreement between De Tomaso's friend and Chrysler head Lee Iacocca, a joint venture was signed. Maserati would go on to produce a car for export to the American market, the Chrysler TC by Maserati, with Chrysler-sourced engines. 

 kyalami

1976-1983

The Maserati Kyalami (Tipo AM129) is a four-seat GT coupé produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati from 1976 to 1983. The car was named after the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in South Africa where a Maserati-powered Cooper T81 had won the 1967 South African Grand Prix. The Kyalami was the first new model developed under the Alejandro de Tomaso ownership. It was derived from, and mechanically virtually identical (except for some body panels) to the Longchamp, a three-box grand tourer made by De Tomaso Automobili.

When De Tomaso acquired Maserati after the demise of Citroën in 1975,  Pietro Frua was commissioned by De Tomaso to undertake the restyling of the Tom Tjaarda-designed Longchamp, to give the new car a distinctive Maserati feel. The edgy lines of the Longchamp were softened and the headlamps were replaced by quad round units. The car was also lowered, lengthened and widened in order to give the car a more sporty character. This move was disdained by purists and this showed in the form of declining interest in the car. The Kyalami was initially powered by a 265 PS 4.2 litre V8 engine. Starting in 1978, an enlarged version of the engine, displacing 4.9-litres and rated at 280 PS, was also available. Both engines were coupled with a ZF five-speed manual transmission. Most Kyalamis built received the manual transmission.

A convertible prototype was built by Carrozzeria Frua but was rejected by Maserati. Nonetheless, a few customers demanded such a variant and an independent German tuning company began offering a conversion to the convertible bodystyle. At least two cars have been known to be converted. Both of these employed the 4.2 litre engine.[

biturbo

1981-1994 

The Maserati Biturbo is a family of executive grand tourers produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati between 1981 and 1994. The original Biturbo was a two-door, four-seater notchback coupé (of somewhat smaller dimensions than the BMW 3 Series of the time) featuring, as the name implies, a two-litre V6 engine with two turbochargers and a luxurious interior. The car was designed by Pierangelo Andreani, Chief of Centro Stile Maserati up to 1981, somewhat influenced by the design of the then recent Quattroporte III (penned by Italdesign Giugiaro).

All Maserati models introduced from the Biturbo's inception in 1981 until 1997 were based on the original Biturbo architecture, including the later grand tourers like the Shamal and Ghibli II. The Barchetta, while of a different layout entirely, used an ultimate version of the Biturbo V6 engine. The Biturbo was initially a strong seller and brought Italian prestige to a wide audience, with sales of about 40,000 units. Sales figures fell in subsequent years, as the Biturbo developed a reputation for poor quality and reliability.

Between 1987 and 1989, a facelift designed by Marcello Gandini was phased in, which helped to soften the sharp bodylines present on the original design. These changes first found their way onto the 1987 430. In 1991, the entire lineup was restyled for a second time, again by the hand of Marcello Gandini; the design features introduced with the Shamal were spread to the other models.

The Maserati Biturbo was the first production car to use a twin-turbocharged engine. It is also the first production car engine with three valves per cylinder, although it was later upgraded to 4 valves per cylinder.

Biturbo

Biturbo E

Biturbo S

Biturbo ES

Biturbo II

Biturbo S2.5

Biturbo E II 2.5

Biturbo S II

Biturbo i

Biturbo Si

Biturbo Si black

Biturbo Si 2.5

2.24v

222

222 e

222 se

2.24 v II

222 sr

222 4v

racing

1981-1985

1983-1985

1983-1986

1984-1985

1985-1987

1984-1988

1985-1987

1985-1986

1986-1990

1986-1988

1986-1988

1987-1991

1988-1992

1988-1990

1988-1990

1990-1991

1991-1993

1991-1993

1991-1994

1991-1992

1996cc

2491cc

1996cc

2491cc

1996cc

2491cc

2491cc

1996cc

1996cc

1996cc

1996cc

2491cc

1996cc

1996cc

2790cc

2790cc

1996cc

2790cc

2790cc

1996cc

180ps

185ps

205ps

205ps

180ps

196ps

185ps

210ps

188ps

220ps

220ps

188ps

245ps

220ps

250ps

250ps

240ps

225ps

279ps

285ps

shamal

1990-1996

The Maserati Shamal (Tipo AM339) is a two-door grand touring coupé produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati from 1990 to 1996. In keeping with an established Maserati tradition, it is named after a wind: shamal (Arabic for ‘north’), a hot summer wind that blows in large areas of Mesopotamia, particularly in the large plain between the Tigris and Euphrates.

With its newly developed twin-turbocharged V8, the Shamal was Maserati's flagship grand tourer, topping the lineup of V6-engined Biturbo coupés in both performance and price.  It was the last model announced under the De Tomaso ownership: in January 1990, half of debt-plagued Maserati was acquired by Fiat S.p.A..

The Shamal was designed in collaboration by Marcello Gandini and Maserati's own Styling department. A debt ridden Maserati was not able to develop an entirely new car, and accordingly the Shamal shows its Biturbo heritage in the doors, interior, and basic bodyshell, which were carried over from the Biturbo. It sits on the shorter 2.4-meter wheelbase, as also used by the Biturbo Spyder and Karif.

The Shamal was powered by a 3,217 cc V8 engine, with two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank, and four valves per cylinder. It was essentially the existing Biturbo V6 with an extra bank of cylinders added. It was twin-turbocharged. The engine put out 326 PS at 6,000 rpm. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed Getrag G560 manual transmission which was the same as BMW installed in their 850CSi of the same era. The manufacturer claimed a top speed of 270 km/h.

In October 1989, De Tomaso bought the remaining, state owned GEPI quota. In December, FIAT entered in Maserati's history.

On 19 May 1993, 17 years after having rescued it from liquidation, Alejandro De Tomaso sold his 51% stake in Maserati to FIAT, which became the sole owner.

Over two decades after the ill-fated Chrysler TC by Maserati during Chrysler's brief ownership stake in Maserati, the two companies became interconnected again when FIAT purchased majority control of Chrysler in 2011 as a result of Chrysler's bankruptcy.

In July 1997, FIAT sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rival Ferrari (Ferrari itself being owned by FIAT). In 1999, Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division. A new factory was built, replacing the existing 1940s-era facility. The steps taken by the new parent company resulted in the improved Quattroporte Evoluzione which was introduced in March 1998.

The Maserati and Alfa Romeo group, under FIAT Group, started in 2005, when Maserati was split off from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo. On 9 June 2005, the 20,000th Maserati, a Quattroporte V, left the factory. In the second quarter of 2007, Maserati made profit for the first time in 17 years under FIAT ownership.

3500gt

1998-2002

The Maserati 3200 GT (Tipo 338) is a four-seater grand tourer produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati from 1998 to 2002, replacing the Shamal as the flagship grand tourer of the marque. The luxury coupé was designed by Italdesign, whose founder and head Giorgetto Giugiaro previously designed, among others, the Ghibli, Bora and Merak. Interior design was commissioned to Enrico Fumia and completed by 1995. 4,795 cars were produced before it was replaced by the Maserati Coupé.

Maserati initially wanted to name the car "Mistral" but after discovering that Volkswagen owned the copyrights to the name, decided to name the car 3200 GT. Its name honoured the 3500 GT, the company's first series production grand tourer. Sold mainly in Europe, the 3200 GT was powered by the twin-turbocharged, 32-valve, dual overhead cam 3.2-litre V8 engine featured in the Quattroporte Evoluzione, rated at 370 PS.

The tail-lights consisted of LEDs arranged in the shape of a boomerang. The outer layer of the 'boomerang' provided the brake light, with the inner layer providing the directional indicator. This was the world's first car with LED taillights.

In 1999, an automatic transmission equipped model of the 3200 GT became available, either referred to as 3200 GT Automatica or 3200 GTA.

mc12

2004-2005

The Maserati MC12 (Tipo M144S) is a limited production 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 25 cars produced. A further 25 were produced in 2005, making a total of 50 cars available for customers. With the addition of 12 cars produced for racing, only a total of 62 of these cars were ever produced.

Maserati designed and built the car on the chassis of the Enzo Ferrari, but the final car is much larger and has a lower drag coefficient. The MC12 is longer, wider and taller and has a sharper nose and smoother curves than the Enzo Ferrari, which has quicker acceleration, shorter braking distance, and a higher top speed. The top speed of the Maserati MC12 is 330 kilometres per hour  whereas the top speed of the Enzo Ferrari is 350 kilometres per hour.

The MC12 was developed to signal Maserati's return to racing after 37 years. The road version was produced to homologate the race version. One requirement for participation in the FIA GT is the production of at least 25 road cars. Three GT1 race cars were entered into the FIA GT with great success. Maserati began racing the MC12 in the FIA GT toward the end of the 2004 season, winning the race held at the Zhuhai International Circuit. The racing MC12s were entered into the American Le Mans Series races in 2005 but exceeded the size restrictions and consequently paid weight penalties due to excess range.

birdcage

2005

The Maserati Birdcage 75th is a functional concept car designed and developed by a Pininfarina design team led by Lowie Vermeersch, including Jason Castriota and Giuseppe Randazzo under the direction of Ken Okuyama. It was first introduced at the 2005 Geneva Auto Show. It was named to honor the classic Maserati Birdcage race cars of the 1960s and Pininfarina's 75th anniversary. The Birdcage was the result of a collaboration between Maserati, Pininfarina and Motorola to showcase their technical expertise. The car was completed in just 2 months, following a fast pace design phase using 3D renderings.

The Birdcage 75th is built on the carbon fiber chassis of a Maserati MC12 GT1 race car and shares many components, most notably the engine. The Birdcage 75th is powered by the Ferrari/Maserati F140 V12 engine from the MC12 and the Enzo, mid mounted at 65 degrees. The engine is rated at 710 PS.

The Birdcage also lacks doors; instead, a bubble canopy composed of much of the front bodywork can be raised, in a similar manner to the Bond Bug, Ferrari Modulo and Saab's 2006 Aero X concept car.

granturismo/grancabrio I

2007-2019 

The Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio (Tipo M145) are a series of a grand tourers produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Maserati from 2007 to 2019. They succeeded the 2-door V8 grand tourers offered by the company, the Maserati Coupé, and Spyder. The model was initially equipped with a 4.2-litre  V8 engine developed in conjunction with Ferrari. The GranTurismo platform was derived from Maserati M139 platform of Maserati Quattroporte V, with double-wishbone front and rear suspension. The grand tourer emphasizes comfort in harmony with speed and driver-enjoyment.

The GranTurismo set a record for the most quickly developed car in the auto industry, going from design to production stage in just nine months. The reason being that Ferrari, after selling off Maserati to the Fiat Chrysler Group, took the designs of the proposed replacement of the Maserati Coupé and after some modifications, launched it as the Ferrari California.

A total of 28.805 GranTurismos and 11,715 units of the convertible were produced. The final production example of the GranTurismo, called Zéda, was presented painted in a gradient of blue, black and white colours.

Replacing both the GranTurismo S and S Automatic, the Granturismo Sport was unveiled in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. The revised 4.7L engine is rated at 460 PS.

The GranCabrio  is a convertible version of the GranTurismo S Automatic, equipped with a canvas folding roof. The GranCabrio retains the four seat configuration of the GranTurismo coupé, and is thus Maserati's first ever four-seater convertible.

The GranCabrio was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, with production beginning in 2010. It is built in the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory. European sales were to begin in February 2010, with the United States receiving its first cars a month later. Planned sales for 2010 were 2100 units, of which two-thirds were intended to go stateside.

GranTurismo                                     2007–2019      285 km/h 

GranTurismo S                                 2008–2012      295 km/h

GranTurismo S Automatic        2009–20125     295 km/h

GranCabrio                                        2010–2019      283 km/h

GranCabrio Sport                          2011–2019       285 km/h

GranTurismo MC Stradale       2011–2019       303 km/h

GranTurismo Sport                       2012–2019       301 km/h

GranTurismo Sport (aut)            2012–2019      300 km/h

granturismo/grancabrio II

The second-generation of the Maserati GranTurismo grand tourer was revealed online in October 2022. Three models: the base Modena, the Trofeo, and the battery electric Folgore are available.

Due to the usage of lightweight materials such as aluminium and magnesium, ICE models weigh 1795 kg, which is relatively light for a two-row, all-wheel drive sports car. Maserati states the car is made up of 65 per cent alloy. All models utilise a double wishbone suspension at the front, with a multi-link setup at the rear. Air suspension with adaptive damping is standard.

Petrol models use a 2992 cm3 (3.0L) Nettuno engine with 490 PS or 550 PS, while the Folgore has 3x electric motors each producing 400 hp. Petrol models use an 8-speed automatic transmission while the Folgore uses a single-speed.

In 2024 Maserati added an open-top variant based on the GanTurismo, the GranCabrio. Initially offered only as a 550 PS Trofeo or a 761 PS fully-electric Folgore, both with AWD.

alfieri

2014

The Maserati Alfieri is a grand tourer from the Italian car manufacturer Maserati. It was shown as a concept car at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.

The car is named after Alfieri Maserati (1887–1932), one of the five Maserati Brothers, and marks the 100 year anniversary of the carmaker, which was established in 1914 at Bologna. It was developed at the Centro Stile Maserati in Turin. The chief designer was Marco Tencone, while the exterior chief designer was Giovanni Ribotta. The project was managed by Lorenzo Ramaciotti, who has been the director of Centro Stile since 2007 and in 2014 was the head of Fiat-Chrysler Global Design.

The Alfieri uses design elements of the Maserati A6 GCS/54 designed by Pininfarina in 1954. It is based on the chassis of the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale with a shorter wheelbase of 24 cm, equipped with a locking transaxle and Ferrari-derived 4.7-litre V8 engine rated at 460 hp and 520 N⋅m at 4750 rpm.

Due to the Stellantis merger that incorporated FCA in 2021, production is yet to commence.

levante

2017-present

The Levante initially featured Ferrari's 3.0L V6 engine, in two states of tune. A diesel model is also offered, which served as the only engine offering for right hand drive markets from 2016 to the end of 2017, until the official announcement and deployment of gasoline RHD models in the middle of 2017, starting with the Levante S and subsequently the base Levante sometime in 2018. Levante has a drag coefficient of Cd=0.33.

By 2018, a 560 horsepower V8 will be added. Subsequently, two V8 models were announced in 2018: the 590 horsepower Trofeo, followed by the 550 horsepower GTS. The Levante gains an eight speed ZF automatic transmission from the sixth generation Maserati Quattroporte.

The vehicle's drivetrain is four-wheel-drive only, and like other Maserati models (Quattroporte and Ghibli in both rear and all wheel drive), comes standard with a rear limited-slip differential. The Levante also features Maserati Touch Control with a full color 210 mm TFT touchscreen display, as well as a reconfigurable TFT gauge cluster with full color.

Levante                 2,979 cc V6 twin turbo 350 PS 251 km/h

Levante S             2,979 cc  V6 twin turbo 430 PS 264 km/h

Levante GTS       3,799 cc  V8 twin turbo 530 PS 291 km/h

Levante Trofeo  3,799 cc V8 twin turbo 580 PS 300km/h

mc20

2020-present

The Maserati MC20 (Maserati Corse 2020) is an upcoming two-seater, mid-engined sports car that will be produced by Italian car manufacturer Maserati and was originally scheduled to debut in May 2020. Maserati announced a racing variant to be also offered. The Maserati Innovation Lab was responsible for the development of the new car and an electric option will also be produced. Maserati is also testing a fully electric powertrain. The new sports car will be produced at the Maserati Modena plant that is undergoing necessary modernization. The new car's logo appeared on a Maserati-sponsored Multi 70 trimaran's mainsail that was due to race in the RORC Caribbean 600. The debut along with brand redesign was rescheduled for September 2020 in Modena.

On 1 July 2020, Maserati announced a six-cylinder engine for the MC20. The engine was described as a 90-degree, 2,992 cc  V6 with a dry sump, twin-spark and pre-chamber ignition system. It also has dual turbochargers and fuel injectors. The 220 kg Nettuno engine can produce 630 PS  at 7,500 rpm and 730 N⋅m  of torque from 3,000 to 5,500 rpm. It redlines at 8000 rpm.

In May 2022, Maserati unveiled the MC20 Cielo, an open-top variant of the MC20. It features the same 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 and styling but adds on the two-piece foldable hard-top that has an electrochromic glass roof. The roof system weighs an additional 65 kg (143 lb), and the folding and unfolding of the roof sequence takes only 12 seconds.

grecale

2023-present

The Maserati Grecale (Tipo M182) is a front-engine, five-door, five passenger compact luxury crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by the Maserati subdivision of Stellantis, entering production at the company's Cassino Plant in March 2022. Internally designated model M182, the Grecale shares the company's Giorgio platform with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the fifth generation Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The nameplate Grecale derives from the Mediterranean wind, Gregale.

The Grecale will be available with 300 or 330 PS mild hybrid inline-four powertrains and a 530 PS V6 engine for the Trofeo specification.

A full electric version, to be called Folgore, has been announced. It will be equipped with a 105 kWh battery and is projected to go on sale in 2023 as a 2024 model. The Folgore features dual motors that each produce  283 PS, adding up to 566 PS altogether.

mcxtrema

MCXtrema is a radically exclusive club. A track-only 740-CV Maserati racer, an uncompromised expression of performance. The MCXtrema takes mechanics and design to daring, new heights. Beware of the most powerful Maserati racing beast.

Maserati has unveiled a new take on its really rather impressive V6-engined supercar. Formerly known as Project24, the MCXtrema does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s the most extreme thing that Maserati could come up with using the bones of the MC20, and the 62 examples that are set to be built can only be used on track.

The 3.0-litre Nettuno V6 now has new turbos, a new intake and a different exhaust system for a total of 730bhp. All that power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox and limited slip diff, and the MCXtrema only weighs around 1,300kg thanks to a liberal use of carbon fibre and the fact that there’s only one seat as standard in the race-spec cockpit.

2023

Throughout its history, the Italian auto manufacturer Maserati has participated in various forms of motorsports including Formula One, sportscar racing and touring car racing, both as a works team and through private entrants.

One of the first Maseratis the Tipo 26 driven by Alfieri Maserati with Guerino Bertocchi acting as riding mechanic won the Targa Florio 1,500 cc class in 1926, finishing in ninth place in overall. Maserati was very successful in pre-war Grand Prix racing using a variety of cars with 4, 6, 8 and 16 cylinders (two straight-eights mounted parallel to one another). Other notable pre-war successes include winning the Indianapolis 500 twice (1939 and 1940), both times with Wilbur Shaw at the wheel of a 8CTF.

4clt

Maserati participated in Formula One motor racing during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Its works Formula One programme was broadly successful, providing a total of 9 Grand Prix wins for the factory team. In addition, Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1957 World Championship of Drivers with a Maserati 250F.

Maserati designed two Formula One cars: the Maserati 4CLT and the Maserati 250F, and the pre-World War II Maserati 4CL was also used with some success. In addition, the Maserati A6GCM, designed as a Formula Two car, was also used in F1. Due to financial difficulties in the late 1950s the team had to withdraw from Formula One in 1958 despite the 250F still being successful. Privateers continued to use the 250F until 1960.

In the 1960s, Maserati supplied engines to British Formula One team Cooper. The most successful car of that collaboration was the Cooper-Maserati T81, which had a Maserati V12 engine. It won the 1966 Mexican Grand Prix and the 1967 South African Grand Prix, driven by John Surtees and Pedro Rodríguez respectively.

250f

The 250F principally used the SSG 220 bhp (@ 7400 rpm) 2.5-litre Maserati A6 straight-six engine, ribbed 13.4" drum brakes, wishbone independent front suspension, a De Dion tube axle, Borrani 16" & 17" wheels and Pirelli Stella Bianca tyres. It was built by Gioacchino Colombo, Vittorio Bellentani and Alberto Massimino; the tubular work was by Valerio Colotti.

A streamlined version with bodywork which partially enclosed the wheels (similar to the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 "Typ Monza") was used in the 1956 French Grand Prix.

The 250F first raced in the 1954 Argentine Grand Prix where Juan Manuel Fangio won the first of his two victories before he left for the new Mercedes-Benz team. Fangio won the 1954 Drivers' World Championship, with points gained with both Maserati and Mercedes-Benz; Stirling Moss raced his own privately owned 250F for the full 1954 season. Prince Bira was another notable privateer favouring the 250F.

cooper maserati T81

The Cooper T81 was one of the last Formula One racing cars produced by the Cooper Car Company. It was designed ahead of the 1966 World Championship season to operate within the new 3 litre engine regulations that came into effect that year. In place of the 1.5-litre Coventry Climax used under the previous formula, the T81 was powered by Maserati Tipo 9 2.5-litre V12 engines which had been bored out to 3.0-litres. These were supplied by the Chipstead Group, Maserati's UK distributors, who had taken control of Cooper the previous April.

osca

O.S.C.A. (Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili—Fratelli Maserati S.p.A.) was an Italian manufacturer of racing and sports cars established 1947 in San Lazzaro di Savena, Bologna, by the Maserati brothers, and closed down in 1967. Its name is usually abbreviated to OSCA or Osca.

O.S.C.A. was founded in 1947 by Ernesto Maserati (engineering manager) and his two brothers Ettore, and Bindo (operations managers) who had all left Maserati after their ten-year contract with Adolfo Orsi terminated. Ten years earlier, in 1937, the remaining Maserati brothers had sold their shares in the company to the Orsi family, who, in 1940, had relocated the company headquarters to their hometown of Modena, where it remains to this day.

The O.S.C.A. factory was located in San Lazzaro di Savena outside Bologna, where Maserati were originally made 1926 to 1940. Their basic business goal was to develop an automobile to compete in the popular Italian 1100 cc racing class.

mt4

1947-1954

Their first model was the MT4, Maserati Tipo 4, constructed from tubular steel frame, clothed in aluminum, and powered by a four-cylinder engine. The first few MT4 models were powered by an engine that displaced 1090cc; subsequent examples had larger 1340cc, 1450cc and 1490cc units. The 1450cc unit was introduced in 1953 and the 1490cc twin-spark engine in 1954.

The MT4's were constructed as rolling chassis and were left to custom coachbuilders to create the bodies. As such, specifications varied greatly from vehicle to vehicle. The very first MT4 was given a cycle fender body and dubbed 'Siluro.' It was driven in its inaugural race by Franco Carnacchia at the 1948 Pescara Grand Prix. Luigi Villoresi drove it in its second outing where he emerged victorious beating the larger competition and claiming its first GP victory.

s187

1956-1958

Ahead of the 1956 season, the Maserati brothers developed a new OSCA competition car for the under 750cc class, which was particularly popular in Italy. Following Ferrari's naming practice, it was dubbed the S187 in reference to the new engine's unitary displacement. OSCA's smallest engine yet. Like the larger OSCA engines, the new S187 'four' was equipped with twin overhead camshafts and a pair of twin-choke Webers. It produced an impressive 70 bhp.

Beautifully engineered, the S187, also sometimes referred to as the S750, was quick straight out of the box. Among the first successes was a class win in the 1956 Mille Miglia with Ovidio Capelli behind the wheel. This victory was repeated in 1957 and that year, an S187 also won its class in the Sebring 12 Hours.

1600gt

1960-1963

The Maserati brothers decided to enter the Gran Turismo market with a sports car equipped with a tubular chassis derived from their racing Sport ‘barchetta’ using an engine evolved from Fiat’s to OSCA’S design. To dress the GT car, the Maserati brothers turned to several coachbuilders: Touring, Boneschi, Fissore and Zagato, which each presented proposals at the Turin Shows in 1960 and 1961. Zagato was chosen to construct coupé bodywork on the majority of the chassis (98 out of 127) following a design by Ercole Spada, who was only 23 years old at the time.

The OSCA Zagatos were offered in four variants: 1600 GT with a Weber 28-26 DCLD3 carburettor; 1600 GT2 with two Weber 38 DCOE carburettors; 1600 GTV with two Weber 42/45 DCO3 carburettors; and 1600 GTS with two Weber 42/45 carburettors DCO3 and double ignition. 

 In 1963 OSCA had produced 98 1600 GT Zagatos, at which point Meccanica Verghera acquired the brand and ceased production of the model.

1600sp

1963

One of the last competition cars produced by OSCA was the 1600 SP. This was essentially a sports-prototype that used the twin-overhead camshaft 1600cc engine.

The 1600 SP was first presented at the Turin Motorshow with a dramatic coupe body and tubular-steel chassis. The twin-spark engine was good for nearly 140 bhp. Dubbed the 1600 SP, for Sperimentale or Experimental.

The new racer was intended to debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which explains the slippery shape with low-drag, Kamm tail. Unfortunately the economic reality once again caught up with the Maserati brothers. Just as the first 1600 SP was completed they were forced to sell their business to Count Augusta of motorcycle fame. He was not so much interested in the OSCA cars but more in the engineering capabilities of the Maserati brothers. So their attention was quickly diverted to other projects.

The sole 1600 SP was retained by Ernesto Maserati until the late 1960s when he presented it to his son Dr. Ing. Alfieri Maserati as a gift.

From 1951 to 1962, automobiles or engines made by O.S.C.A. also were entered in some Formula One and Formula Two events although they mainly built small sports cars of which some were designed by Pietro Frua. In the World Sportscar Championship OSCA ranked 10th (1953), 4th (1954), 6th (1957), 5th (1958) and 4th (1961).

In 1963 the brothers sold the company to Count Domenico Agusta, owner of MV Agusta, They did design work for Agusta until 1966. One of their final designs was a desmodromic four-cylinder engine. O.S.C.A. ended operations in 1967.

prince Bira

In addition to building complete cars, the Maseratis also constructed (engine) parts for others. One of the biggest clients was French racing car manufacturer Amedee Gordini. In the 1910s the Italian born engineer had learned his trade during an apprenticeship at Isotta Fraschini under Alfieri Maserati. In 1950 he suggested the construction of a V12 engined Formula 1 designed by the Maseratis and financed by the French Simca company. The brothers jumped at the opportunity and even when Gordini withdrew his support, they continued with the project.

Despite these promising figures, the Maseratis managed to find only one customer for their new engine; legendary privateer racer Prince Bira. In addition to Bira's engines, another two V12 engines had been constructed. To let them not go to waste, the brothers started building a Formula 1 chassis of their own.

1951 tipo g4500

OSCA's first Formula 1 car debuted at home, in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The dark red racer was entered for former Maserati Works driver Franco Rol. In a field of 22 cars, he qualified 18th and eventually finished ninth and last. 

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