Maserati 110 years at Autoworld

Autoworld Museum, Brussels, Belgium

Until February 23, 2025

Maserati history

Autoworld Brussels celebrates 110 years of Maserati with a major exhibition covering the history of the brand with the Trident. Maserati has had a chaotic history but has always retained an important aura among sports car enthusiasts. This is due to its many successes in competition, and several generations of iconic Grand Touring cars. Maserati was founded in 1904 in Bologna by Alfieri Maserati and his brothers, who had a passion for mechanics. Initially, Maserati improved existing mechanics and helped design racing cars for other companies. In 1926, Maserati presented its first Grand Prix racing car. But financial problems led the brothers to sell the company in 1937 to Adolfo Orsi, an Italian industrialist who moved the company to Modena.

The Orsi family would remain Maserati owners for almost 30 years, and this period was undoubtedly one of the company’s finest years, in both sports and touring car terms. Citroen bought Maserati in 1968, but faced with its own financial problems, sold it a few years later. A complicated period followed, with several owners struggling to restore Maserati to its former glory, until the company was bought by FIAT in 1987. There were still a few difficult periods, as the right balance had to be found with Ferrari, but in recent years Maserati has regained a more coherent positioning and returned to competition.

The exhibition

With the support of Maserati, Maserati Classiche (Maserati branch that appraises and certifies “historic” Maseratis), private collectors and museums (including the Panini Collection and Cadycars), the Autoworld Museum team has prepared an exceptional exhibition, a must-see for all fans of the marque with the Trident and, more broadly, all lovers of beautiful cars. In all, some 50 cars tell the Maserati story.

Post-war competition

Right from the entrance, the pop-up area is dedicated to some of Maserati’s sporting icons, such as the F1 250F, one of the most successful Maserati racing cars. In 1957, Fangio won his last World Championship title in a 250F. Another famous single-seater is the Tipo 420 “Eldorado”, the first appearance of a sponsor, in this case an Italian ice-cream brand, on a racing car. It is based on a reinforced 250F chassis, equipped with a V8 derived from the 450S sports model. The car was developed for a race between Europe and the USA and was driven by Stirling Moss at Monza. It also took part in the Indianapolis 500.

The Tipo 61 is a car in the Sport category, for endurance races, and is better known by its nickname of “Birdcage”, due to its chassis made of a lattice of thin tubes ensuring lightness and strength. Its bodywork is designed to minimize aerodynamic drag and provide downforce at the front. The Tipo 61 won numerous races in its class over the course of a busy career.

All date from the “Orsi” era, with the exception of the 1949 OSCA. Following the end of their cooperation contract with Orsi, the Maserati brothers set up the OSCA company. The 4CLT 48 V12 is a Maserati 4CLT chassis but equipped with a V12 developed by OSCA. This single-seater took part in numerous races, notably in the hands of Prince Bira, a famous gentleman driver, hence its Kingdom of Siam colors.

By the end of the 1950s, Maserati’s finances were at an all-time low, and the company decided to quit direct racing, but sold Sport Prototypes such as the Tipo 61 and 63 to private teams. It would not return to GT racing until the 2000s, with the 3200 and then the MC12.

Back to the racing tracks

The MC12 was Maserati’s first supercar, based on a Ferrari Enzo chassis. It was designed specifically for racing, and only around fifty road-going versions were built. The MC12 Corse on display was painted to celebrate the brand’s 100th anniversary and incorporates images retracing the Trident’s spectacular sporting history! After the MC12 supercar, Maserati presented the MC20, this time with an in-house engine, displayed alongside the MC12 Corse.

The rest of the exhibition is on the mezzanine, and along the way we come across some more recent specimens. The “Barchetta” dates back to 1992 and raced in a single-brand championship. The idea behind this pretty open prototype was to revive Maserati’s sporting image, but it didn’t really succeed. The GT2 took up the baton in competition, and the 2024 version is exhibited in both racing and “Stradale” versions, barely toned down but homologated for road use.

Pre-war racing

On the left-hand side of the mezzanine are 4 racing cars, 3 of them pre-war. During this period, Maserati was building only racing cars, sold to private teams to finance its official team. The 1928 Tipo 26M is one of the first Maseratis built, and the oldest still in existence. In other words, it’s a priceless, historic car. The 4th, an A6GCS, dates from 1947 and is the last car built under the direction of the Maserati brothers, before their contract ended and they left to create OSCA. Its distinguishing feature is the single headlight in the middle of the grille, hence the nickname “Monofaro”. The other 2 single-seaters were an 8CM (1934) with a turbocharged in-line 8-cylinder, and a 6CM (1937), a 1500cc in-line 6-cylinder with compressor, sold by Maserati to private racing teams.

Grand Touring

The rest of the mezzanine showcases the selection of Grand Touring cars produced by Maserati. The cars are arranged in chronological order, are all (except one, more on that later) in “concours” condition, and often have exceptional pedigrees. In fact, several have Maserati Classiche certification, awarded by the factory and guaranteeing the vehicle’s perfect origin and validated history. Logically, the first is the 1949 A6 1500 designed by Pininfarina and the first Maserati to be produced for the road in a very small series.

The A6G, A6G54 and A6GCS use the A6 chassis and the in-line 6-cylinder, 1.5-liter then 2-liter engine from racing models, a guarantee of performance and sportiness. All the great Italian coachbuilders – Allemano, Bertone, Fantuzzi, Frua, Ghia, Pininfarina, Vignale, Zagato, etc. – dressed A6s as coupes, berlinettas or spyder (convertible) models. With fewer than 140 units in all, it’s fair to say that the A6s are almost all different. In addition to the 1949 1500, the anniversary exhibition offers a fine sample of handcrafted production, with a low-slung Berlinetta, also by Pininfarina in 2 shades of blue, a Zagato Coupé or a Frua Spyder.

The advent of the 3500 GT

1957 marked a major turning point with the launch of the 3500 GT, the first mass-produced Maserati. The Maserati 3500 GT is a very elegant coupe, with balanced lines for a 4-seater coupe. Its aggressive chrome grille with floating trident, surrounded by 4 headlights, identifies it at first glance. It was the archetypal Grand Tourer of the late 1950s, a high-performance car with a sporty character, yet capable of covering long distances in comfortable conditions, and obviously very elegant.  The 3500 GT was an instant hit with royalty, film and song stars, and wealthy entrepreneurs… It was equipped with a 6-cylinder DOHC in-line engine, and the GTi coupe received Lucas fuel injection as early as 1960. Produced in over 2000 units, the 3500 GT and its derivatives saved Maserati and ensured the Modenese firm’s position in the large GT market.

The Spyder version designed by Vignale is rarer, and 2 examples are on display, one of the very first models with a slightly longer hood, and a version with hard top that was offered as an option. The Maserati 5000 GT was commissioned by the Shah of Iran, who wanted a more powerful and exclusive model. Only 34 units were produced, 21 of them with Allemano bodywork. With its 340 hp V8, the Maserati 5000 GT was the fastest production car of its time. The Sebring and Mistral follow, in very different styles. The Sebring takes up the general lines and architecture of the 3500 GT, while the Mistral is a sportier 2-seater coupe with a sleeker, more modern, more aerodynamic design by Pietro Frua.

The Mistral also exists as a spyder, obviously rarer. 2 coupes are displayed side by side, one in perfect condition certified by Maserati Classiche, the other awaiting restoration. The latter is the example presented at the 1968 Chicago Motor Show, making it a historic model for Maserati. Note that the Sebring and Mistral also inaugurate the naming of models with names of circuits where Maserati has shone, or with names of winds, 2 types of names that would later be taken up by the Modena firm until the early 1980s.

1966, the start of a new era

In 1966, Maserati launched 2 new models. The Mexico is a large 4-seat coupé, following in the footsteps of the 3500 GT and Sebring, in a style modernized by Vignale but faithful to the spirit of the line. The Ghibli (an Egyptian desert wind) is a sportier 2-seater coupe, beautifully designed by Giugiaro. With its low, flowing lines, long front hood, fastback rear end and V8 producing over 300 hp, the Ghibli is a direct rival to the Ferrari 365 GTB “Daytona” in both architecture and performance. 2 Ghibli Coupes are on display, one of the first examples produced with the 4.7l V8, and a very handsome midnight-blue SS coupe with the 335hp 4.9l V8.

The Ghibli was also available as a Spyder from 1967, again in direct competition with the Ferrari Daytona Spider. The soft top is stowed away under a body panel, giving the Ghibli Spyder extremely pure lines. Maserati produced just 125 Ghibli Spyders, about the same number as its Ferrari rival. Shortly afterwards came the Maserati Indy (for Indianapolis), a large 2+2 coupé designed to replace the Sebring with more modern fastback styling and to rival the Lamborghini Espada or Ferrari 365 GT 2+2.

The Citroen time

Despite the success of the Ghibli and Indy, Maserati’s financial situation remained tense, and the company came under Citroen control in 1968, with the aim of developing a new V6 engine for the future Citroen SM. The Orsi family remained shareholders for some time, before finally leaving the company. 3 models were produced during this period, including the Bora, the 1st road-going Maserati with a rear mid-engine, still the classic and robust Maserati 4.7l or 4.9l V8. The Bora, which competes directly with the Ferrari 512 BB, De Tomaso Pantera and Lamborghini Miura, is a very homogeneous GT. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Bora is distinguished by its stainless-steel roof.

In 1972, Maserati presented the Merak, derived from the Bora, but equipped with the V6 developed for the SM. Lighter than the Bora, and characterized by its side arches, it was intended to enable Maserati to broaden its customer base and target the Ferrari Dino and Porsche 911. High-performance and safe, the Merak was handicapped by reliability problems with the engine and gearbox, and the hydraulic solutions developed by Citroën. Citroën’s complicated financial situation also had an impact on Maserati, preventing the investments that would have made it possible to make this car more reliable and promote it, with just over 600 units produced.

The last model of this period is the Khamsin (another desert wind). Based on the Indy chassis, with 2+2 bodywork beautifully designed by Marcello Gandini (then at Bertone), luxurious and well-equipped, powered by the traditional 4.9-liter V8, the Khamsin had everything to become a benchmark Maserati GT. Unfortunately, Citroën’s bankruptcy led Maserati to a succession of owners lacking the necessary resources, and production came to a halt at just over 400 examples. Today, however, it is a highly sought-after model among Maserati enthusiasts. A Khamsin is on display in the autoworld collection, close to the anniversary exhibition, but its condition has not been judged sufficiently satisfactory to be included among its sisters.

The Bora, Merak and Khamsin can be considered to mark the end of the great Maserati GT period, at least until the 2000s, although one last GT coupe, the Kyalami (South African circuit), will be equipped with the emblematic V8, in the 4.2-liter version on display.

De Tomaso and Fiat

Between Citroën’s abandonment and Fiat’s takeover at the end of the 1980s, it will mainly be the Biturbo period and its numerous coupé, convertible and sedan variants. The exhibition features some examples of this production, including a 222 coupé (1989), a Zagato spyder (1994) and a Shamal coupé (1992), now equipped with a twin-turbo V8). The GT exhibition concludes with the Spyder GranSport, a member of the 3200 lineage that has revived Modena’s Grand Touring tradition, but without recapturing the aura of the legendary models.

The Quattroporte

Maserati may have been imaginative when it came to naming its GT coupes and spyders, but not its sedans, which are simply called “Quattroporte” (4 doors in Italian)! Maserati launched its first sedan in 1963, designed by Frua in the style of the 3500 GT, and powered by the in-house 4.2-liter V8. This was followed by the 4.5l and 4.7l V8s. It was the world’s fastest sedan of its day, combining sportiness, performance and luxury. It could be said to have initiated the category of sporty limousines that would later be found in German premium cars in particular. The model on display dates from 1964, and corresponds to the 1st series, with the 2nd series differentiated by its twin round headlamps.

In 1971, Maserati presented the prototype of the 2nd generation, still designed by Frua, but much more modern. The lines were elegant, with small “eyelids” partially covering the headlights, and still with the 4.7l V8. But since Maserati had meanwhile been acquired by Citroën, the project was abandoned, and only 2 cars were built, one of which is presented. Alongside is the official Quattroporte II, designed under Citroen’s supervision. The line designed by Gandini is very different (I personally have a clear preference for the Frua proposal), the engine is the V6 developed for the SM, it’s a front-wheel drive with hydropneumatic suspension.

The car is quite heavy, underpowered, and therefore less efficient than the 1st generation. Add to this Citroen’s difficulties and the oil crisis, and only 13 units of the Quattroporte II were produced. In 1979, under De Tomaso management, the Quattroporte III returned to the genes of the Maserati Quattroporte, with a sharp design by Giugiaro (based on the De Tomaso Deauville) and, above all, rear-wheel drive with the 4.2-liter V8 under the hood. More than 2,000 units will be produced over a ten-year period.

Alfieri Concept

The last model to be exhibited in this retrospective, the Alfieri concept was unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show to commemorate Maserati’s centenary. Named in honor of Alfieri Maserati, it reflects the brand’s sporting heritage. The Alfieri concept was acclaimed by the public and named “Concept Car of the Year 2014”, an award presented by an international jury of experts at the Geneva Automotive Design Night. Although the Alfieri remained a concept, it influenced the design of subsequent Maserati models.

Decoration

The Maserati 110 years exhibition is soberly decorated – the beauty of the cars on display is enough! In the competition area on the first floor, a large photo pays tribute to Alfieri Maserati, driver, engineer, visionary and the soul of Maserati, who sadly passed away too soon for the company. On the mezzanine, a large fresco covering the entire GT area recounts the history of Maserati, from its origins to the present day.

Near the pop-up competition area on the ground floor, a “110 Years Anniversary” Maserati Folgore symbolizes Maserati’s future, with this large 100% electric GT coupe.

Finally, several miniature display cases showcase all the Maseratis produced, including those not on show. There are also a number of Maserati motorcycles on display. They bear the name and the trident, but were not in fact manufactured by Maserati Automobiles, but by another branch of Maserati whose main activity was spark plugs and batteries. Naturally, the autoworld museum store has also taken on a Maserati theme, offering books and miniatures on the Modenese marque.

Conclusion

Autoworld has undoubtedly brought together an exceptional selection of racing and road models, paying a vibrant tribute to a brand that has had a roller-coaster history, but has always retained a fine image among connoisseurs. In parallel with this Maserati exhibition, another anniversary exhibition is dedicated to Jacky Ickx, who turns 80 on January 1, 2025.

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