Maserati is among the most well-known Italian automotive manufacturers. Recognized with a signature Trident emblem design, Maserati continues to supply vehicles that characteristic a hanging exterior design, loud engine soundtracks, and premium luxurious. Whereas Maserati might not get as a lot consideration as fellow Italian unique automakers, Ferrari and Lamborghini, it produces among the world’s most fascinating vehicles, together with the most recent GranTurismo coupe. Maserati has additionally elevated its presence within the luxurious SUV phase with the likes of the Levante and Grecale. Our checklist of lesser-known information about Maserati contains the Italian marque’s motorsport accomplishments, details about its historical past, particular options about sure fashions it has produced, and locations you wouldn’t anticipate to come across a Maserati.
1 Maserati Began By Making Spark Plugs, Not Automobiles
Maserati started as a producer of elements – particularly spark plugs. The founding brothers of the corporate – Alfieri, Ettore, and Ernesto Maserati – have been enlisted by the Italian Authorities as a part of the First World Conflict efforts to develop extra environment friendly spark plugs for plane engines. The Maserati-produced spark plugs allowed for higher efficiency and reliability for Italian plane. The corporate then moved to use their expertise and manufacturing abilities to provide spark plugs for motorized vehicle engines, which made their debut in considered one of Maserati’s first ever sports activities vehicles, the Tipo 26. Even when the Second World Conflict compelled manufacturing of vehicles to be halted whereas the manufacturing traces and labor have been redirected but once more to assist the warfare effort, Maserati resumed specializing in producing vehicles from 1939 onwards.
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The upcoming Quattroporte will shrink and take its place.
2 The Ghibli Was Introduced In A SuperBowl Business
The present era Maserati Ghibli was introduced for the US market in a way that may assure many Individuals would have their eyes paying consideration – particularly when many people and households have been watching the Tremendous Bowl XLVIII in 2014. The Ghibli’s Tremendous Bowl XLVII business, often called ‘Strike’, was the primary time a Maserati was marketed in the US by way of a mass media outlet, like tv commercials.
The M157-generation Maserati Ghibli debuted for the 2014 mannequin yr, reviving a nameplate from Maserati’s historical past that had not been used because the Nineteen Nineties. The launch of the brand new Ghibli sedan was a serious stepping stone for Maserati, which aimed to extend its market presence throughout the US market and supply a extra accessible entry level into Trident possession. Their efforts resulted within the Ghibli sedan, which aimed to supply competitors for different compact govt sedans just like the BMW 3 Collection and Audi A4.
2024 Maserati Ghibli Modena Ultima This autumn
Engines
3.0L turbocharged V6
Energy
424 hp
Transmission
8-Velocity Computerized
0-60 mph
4.4 seconds
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3 Famed Japanese Streetwear Model Collaborated With Maserati
Hypebeasts, fashionistas, and Italian efficiency vehicles – all of them appear to go collectively. That’s precisely what Maserati did in 2021, teaming up with Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara and his streetwear model, Fragment Design, to provide an attire line and a Maserati automotive that mirrored Hiroshi’s ‘rebellious spirit’ evoked by merchandise bearing the Fragment Design title.
In automobile type, their efforts resulted within the Ghibli Operanera and Operabianca Particular Version fashions, every primarily based on the Ghibli sedan. Completed in both shiny/opaque black or shiny white paint, these variants of the Ghibli additionally characteristic premium mixture leather-based/Alcantara interiors, Fragment exterior badging, and 20-inch matte black wheels. Prospects might additionally mix this particular version sedan with Fragment Design x Maserati branded hoodies, t-shirts, and different vogue equipment.
Whether or not it is cruising by way of the streets of Tokyo’s vogue capital, Harajuku, or within the environment of ‘La Dolce Vita’ alongside the Italian shoreline, these distinctive Ghibli sedans are pure eye sweet.
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The voguish Maserati is being made obtainable in restricted numbers.
4 A Maserati Was The Villain’s Chosen Automotive In A James Bond Movie
With regards to the selection of vehicles amongst villains, antagonists, or ‘unhealthy guys’ in films, photographs of a Jaguar or Land Rover are sometimes evoked, particularly in British cinema. However in the newest James Bond movie (and the final look of Daniel Craig because the MI5 spy), No Time to Die, a Maserati seems as one of many villains’ modes of transport. In a scene when Bond finds himself beneath assault by assassins in southern Italy, the assassins nook Bond in none aside from a fourth-generation Maserati Quattroporte, making an attempt to run him down on a bridge. This iteration of the Quattroporte sedan was designed by Marcello Gandini – the identical designer who penned the unique Lamborghini Countach.
5 The First Manufacturing Automotive With A Twin-Turbocharged Engine Was A Maserati
The very first reported manufacturing automotive to make the most of an engine that includes two turbochargers occurred to be a Maserati – particularly, the Maserati Biturbo and Spyder, made between the 1981 and 1994 mannequin years. This Maserati mannequin that debuted through the model’s De Tomaso possession period was obtainable as both a two-door coupe or a convertible. Below the hood, these featured a twin-turbocharged 90-degree V6 engine, constructed from aluminum. Initially launched with carburetors, the engine was upgraded to characteristic gas injection expertise.
6 The Maserati Khamsin GT Inherited Citroën’s Hydraulic Experience
For a interval between the Nineteen Sixties-70s, Maserati was beneath French possession, particularly French automotive model Citroën. Given the distinctive quirkiness and experimental part the French automotive business was notorious for, small examples of those ended up making their approach into Maserati vehicles throughout their possession. One such case was the Maserati Khamsin, a two-door GT made between 1974 and 1982.
Together with a hanging physique penned by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini, the Khamsin integrated a number of purposes of refined hydraulic applied sciences from Citroën’s engineering division. The Khamsin featured high-pressure hydraulically-powered steering, clutch, pop-up headlights, and a hydraulic-powered brake system. The hydraulic-driven methods even prolonged to elements like the motive force’s seat controls. Name it over-sophisticated, or considered one of many examples of risk-taking French experimentation, however Citroën was making an attempt to point out what they have been able to. In any case, this was the identical French automotive model that pioneered hydropneumatic suspension methods, which enabled their vehicles to have one of the crucial snug rides reported in a manufacturing automobile.
7 Maserati’s Modena Manufacturing Facility Did not Solely Produce Maseratis
Maserati’s manufacturing facility in Modena, Italy has produced numerous Maserati vehicles for the previous 80 years. However given Maserati is at present beneath the Stellantis model umbrella that features different carmakers like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, and Jeep, some non-Maserati vehicles have additionally been assembled at current Maserati manufacturing services. One instance is the Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe and Spider. Throughout its manufacturing run from the 2014 to 2020 mannequin years, each variations of Alfa’s mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, light-weight sports activities automotive have been produced on the Modena Maserati S.P.A plant. Whereas the Alfas have been produced in a workshop onsite separate from Maserati fashions, each Maseratis and the Alfa Romeo 4Cs have been reviewed in the identical remaining ‘testing/ending’ inspection areas within the Modena plant.
8 Maserati Entered The World Of Collectible Watches
Luxurious objects and Italian manufacturers are a typical crossbreed, so it’s not a shock that Maserati additionally has watch fanatics in thoughts. Particularly, by releasing a number of timepieces developed in collaboration with luxurious jewellery/watch manufacturers, corresponding to Bvlgari, to dream up timepieces impressed by Maserati automobiles. The Italian carmaker even has its personal unbiased Maserati Watches model. Those that have a watch for collectible timepieces can now purchase sports activities watches displaying options or designs with numerous influences from the identical vehicles carrying the Trident badge. These watches completely complement the naturally-aspirated Maserati V8 in your life, we wish to suppose.
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These timepieces are design and engineering masterpieces, very like the vehicles that impressed them.
9 Maserati Additionally Makes Excessive-Finish Luxurious Boats
From the most recent MC20 supercar to fashionable classics just like the GranTurismo MC Stradale, the Maserati badge could be very iconic on highway automobiles. However do you know Maserati can now be discovered on high-performance watercraft? Maserati now includes a new line of electric-powered luxurious boats, developed in collaboration with Vita Energy. Often known as the ‘Tridente’, that is an all-electric luxurious boat that intends to showcase Maserati’s electrification energy that may lengthen to boats in addition to their automotive lineup. Measuring round 34 ft in size, the Tridente boat options two electrical motors that produce 600 horsepower in complete. The design of the boat itself additionally takes inspiration from Maserati’s sports activities vehicles, that includes a light-weight hull constructed from carbon fiber for added effectivity and minimal weight, made with the help of American boatmaker, Hodgdon Yachts.
10 One Of System One’s First Champions Drove A Maserati To Victory
One of many first postwar System One champions, Juan Manuel Fangio, drove a Maserati to victory. The famed Argentinian racing automotive driver piloted a pink Maserati 250F throughout his profession, which noticed him take victory at a number of races – together with the 1954 Argentinian Grand Prix and the 1957 German, Monaco, and French Grand Prixes. Along with reaching victory on the 1957 German Grand Prix, Fangio, piloting the Maserati, additionally achieved a then-new lap document on the internet hosting monitor, the Nürburgring. One other System One driver on the time, Sir Stirling Moss, was even quoted as saying that the Maserati 250F was “probably the greatest System One vehicles” he ever skilled.