A History of the Maserati Brand

Maserati has a long and rich history that fascinates both car enthusiasts and those who love the brand. The Maserati story begins with a modest family and a passion for speed and has grown into one of the leading luxury car brands today. The company is based in Modena, Italy and is known for its racing, sports, and Grand Touring cars.

The Beginning of Maserati

In December of 1914, Officine Alfieri Maserati SA was founded in Bologna, Italy by brothers Alfieri, Ettore, and Ernesto Maserati. Their first major product was spark plugs. The Maserati emblem itself is modeled after the trident held by the Neptune statue in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore. It was designed in 1920 by the 4th Maserati brother, Mario Maserati.

In 1926, Alfieri, Ernesto, and Ettore worked on Maserati’s first original creation- the Tipo 26. In September 1929, race car driver Borzacchini sets the new Class C world record at the wheel of a Maserati, flying 10 kilometers at more than 246 km/h. The record stands for nearly 10 years.

In 1932, Alfieri died and a younger Maserati brother, Bindo joined the company. Just a few years later in 1937, the brothers sold the company to Adolfo Orsi but continued to work with the business for several years after. In 1939, the official company headquarters moved from Bologna to Modena, Italy. In May of that year, Maserati celebrated a win at the Indianapolis 500 with driver Wilbur Shaw at the wheel of the 8CTF.

WWII and Beyond

During WWII, Maserati had concentrated manufacturing spark plugs and batteries for delivery vehicles and planes. Post-war, the A6 1500, which was designed by Alfieri Maserati, was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in 1947. The car was named after Alfieri Maserati and the numbers of cylinders in the engine. The A6 was the first Maserati to be designed for daily driving.

At this time, Maserati also expanded the product line to include sports cars and grand touring (GT) vehicles, as well. The first Maserati GT was the A6, which was a huge success after its production in 1958.

At the Turin Motor Show in 1963, Maserati presented the first Quattroporte (four-door), which introduced an entirely new category to the marketplace: the luxury sports sedan. The first Quattroporte entered production in 1964. It was equipped with a 4-liter, V8 engine, capable of 260hp. It was fitted with either a five-speed manual transmission or three-speed automatic transmission.

In 1967, the original Maserati Ghibli was offered. The Ghibli was first unveiled as a 2-seater concept car at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. It was powered by a 4.7L, V8 engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission or a 3 speed automatic.

maserati of newport beach

A New Future

In 1993, Maserati was purchased by Fiat, who then turned the management of the Maserati brand over to long-time rival Ferrari, who was also controlled by Fiat at the time. Their new partnership outshined their rivalry as both brands continued to grow.

Ten years later, Maserati returned triumphantly to the American market with the 2002 Spider, a convertible that was based on the 1998 3200 GT coupe that had previously been available in Europe. In 2007, Maserati unveiled the world premiere of the newly Pininfarina-designed GranTurismo at the Geneva Motor Show. The new GT would be larger than previous models and was followed by a Spyder and a hardtop convertible shortly after.

Throughout Maserati’s long history, they have maintained comfort, reliability, and the integrity of designing for the driver in all of us. They started with designing spark plugs and other engine components and grew into a company recognized around the world with almost 10 cars and variants in its lineup. At Maserati of Newport Beach, CA we proudly provide access to the Maserati legacy to drivers in Orange County, the Greater Los Angeles Area, and Parts of San Diego County. In addition to communities surrounding Newport Beach we regularly help customers from Irvine, Mission Viejo, Torrance, Oceanside, and Carlsbad.