Grandeur on four wheels. For more than 100 years, one of the oldest surviving sports car manufacturers has been exciting lovers of classy horsepower with superb driving pleasure. While the first models of the Italian luxury brand with the trident in the logo were not parti cularly glamorous, they were as swift as an arrow. On the race track at home, the highly motorised speedsters broke one speed record after another. Today the goal is to create the perfect blend of luxury and sportiness and Maserati has managed to do so with flying colours.
The curves of this sleek Italian sports car are irresistible. It features exquisite materials, not to mention top class innovative technology – proving that nothing but the best finds its way into a Maserati. Beyond comparison: driving a customised Maserati that has been hand-crafted right down to the last detail. Putting your own personal stamp on your luxury vehicle, this enhances the driving pleasure immensely. The Maserati model range now consists of four series. On the very day of the 100th anniversary of the brand, the company expanded its portfolio with an important series: with the Ghibli, Maserati is now in the premium business saloon segment for the first time. A racy GT sports car, luxury sports saloon, or fascinating convertible, whichever model you choose, you are guaranteed incomparable HP pleasure.
From the track to the road
The Maserati brothers certainly didn’t have to worry about fuel prices when they started their company Società Officine Alfieri Maserati in Bologna 1914. And back then, the 25-year old Alfieri Mase rati could not have imagined that he would create a legendary car brand along with his brothers, Bindo, Ettore, Ernesto and Mario. Alfieri could turn his hand to anything; he was an excellent racer and a top-class designer with vision. It was certainly a major event for everyone when the first complete Maserati, the Tipo 26, was produced in 1926; a successful sports car that featured the trident logo on the grille for the first time. The distinctive trademark was designed by Mario Maserati, taking his inspiration from Neptune’s fountain in Bologna’s Piazza del Nettuno. Rather untypically, the artist of the family wasn’t particularly interested in cars, but he was into design. It was the start of a long success story with two wins at the Indianapolis 500, nine Formula 1 triumphs and victory at the Formula 1 World Championship in 1957. In 1947, Maserati, now relocated to Modena, produced the first road car, the A6 GranTurismo. With the Quattroporte launched in 1963, the brand established a new vehicle segment: the sports saloon, to which the company has remained faithful even today.
The new generation of vehicles by Maserati feature the highest industrial quality standards and a wealth of new techno – logies. Driving a Maserati has become even more dynamic, more comfortable and economical, due to a large extent to twin-turbo engines, diesel engines, and Q4 all-wheel drive technology.
Expressive: Ghibli
The expressive design of the Maserati Ghibli is a pleasant contrast to the host of competitors, with all the drive options clearly showing that Maserati has its roots in motorsport. The optional Q4 fourwheel drive system with its tailored steering plus the diesel alternative available for the first time from Maserati, guarantee road capability and cost-effectiveness that you wouldn’t have expected from Maserati until a few years ago.
Luxurious sports appeal: Quattroporte
The Maserati Quattroporte has been a byword for the successful blend of luxury and sportiness for 50 years and the chic flagship has landed over 50 international awards since its launch. And the sixth Quattroporte generation is also causing a stir. The representative 5.26 metre long sports saloon is also available on request with highly efficient diesel drive or with intelligent four-wheel drive technology.
Italian elegance: GranTurismo
The epitome of the large travel sports car: the Maserati GranTurismo. The coupé is a real feast for the eyes with its lines designed by top designer Pininfarina. Italian elegance and consistent sports appeal par excellence. A large V8 vacuum engine delivers the distinctive Maserati sound and the sports car is not only sleek and beautiful but also spacious, an absolute rarity in GT vehicles.
A beautiful convertible: GranCabrio
The Maserati GranCabrio promises sheer driving pleasure. The brand’s first fourseater convertible has a fully automatic, multi-layer fabric roof and is an absolute beauty whether the top is up or down. Here too the elegant design is down to Pininfarina. However, the GranCabrio is not just chic, with its powerful V8 vacuum engine, this dream convertible with at least 450 horsepower, can certainly eat up the road. One hundred years of history is something Maserati can be proud of and not only proud of what was, but what is and what is yet to come. With an all-time high sales record and huge worldwide demand, the company is now in a better position than ever before. The exceptional growth is mainly down to the two sports saloons Ghibli and Quattroporte and the new diesel engines and the intelligent allwheel drive system Q4 seem to be boosting the sales figures. You don’t need to look into a crystal ball to see that the future will probably be rosy as well. The new models from the House of Maserati are more than promising. 2015 will see the premiere of the first Maserati SUV, the Levante, followed in 2016 by the stunning sports coupé Alfieri and with a drop-top version following in 2017 to delight lovers of elegant sports vehicles. The Maserati myth lives on and here’s to the next 100 years of elegant power. www.maserati.com
Text: Petra Dietz
Photos: © Maserati