A year-long celebration started yesterday to mark Maserati’s Centenary, a century lived in the name of sportsmanship, innovation and luxury. With the month of December, Maserati officially enters the hundredth year of its history. It does so in a period of unprecedented health and unparalleled growth. More than 23,000 orders to date worldwide are propelling Maserati into a new dimension. Today Maserati is amongst the fastest growing brands in the United States and a concrete reality in nearly 70 markets in the world, starting with China, Maserati’s second largest commercial reality.
A company that is one hundred years young, Maserati recently showcased its new brand look and marketing communication campaign at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Both are inspired by “The Absolute Opposite of Ordinary” concept, a testament to the company’s first 100 years and a guideline for the next century to come.
It is with great pride that Maserati introduces the Centennial Logo. Maserati’s world famous Trident was inspired from the sculptures of Italy itself, therefore it seemed fitting to sculpt a new image to represent our first 100 years of passion in car-making. The Maserati Centennial Logo is more medallion than graphic, living as a forged symbol of our racing heritage but, even more importantly, it is unique amongst other luxury brands. It serves as a constant reminder of our core belief that everything we build for the next 100 years, will always be—The Absolute Opposite of Ordinary.
Maserati was founded in Bologna, Italy, on December 1, 1914 and officially started operation on December 14, 1914. The nucleus of the company was then represented by Alfieri Maserati and two of his brothers, Ettore and Ernesto. They all had an interest in mechanics and a love for speed. Though predominantly engaged in technical and commercial matters of their new enterprise, they all, at one point, sat behind the steering wheel of their racing cars in the golden days of motor racing. A fourth brother, Bindo, joined the company when Alfieri died in 1932 and a fifth brother, Mario, is credited with designing the famed Maserati logo, taking inspiration from the Neptune fountain in the historic centre of Bologna.
Maserati produced its first car in 1926 – a race car named Tipo 26. It debuted with a victory in the 1926 Targa Florio, the first of an endless string of wins which include two editions of the Indianapolis 500, 9 wins in Formula One and the 1957 F1 World Championship. In 1947 Maserati stunned the world with its first passenger car, the A6 Grand Tourer and in 1963, with the first generation Quattroporte, Maserati gave the automotive market a car that didn’t exist previously – the world’s first sports luxury saloon.
In terms of product range, the Centenary could not have come at a better time, with models such as the brand-new Quattroporte and Ghibli drawing inspiration from a long tradition of successful automobiles which have each redefined Italian sports cars in terms of style and performance, as well as comfort and elegance – and are now taking the world by storm.
Maserati is planning a series of activities to celebrate its first 100 years as events will be organised in all major Maserati markets in the world. The zenith of the year-long activity will be the official Maserati gathering in Modena from September 19 to 21, 2014. An estimated 250 Maserati models will convene in Modena from all over the world. The three-day programme will include driving routes on scenic Italian roads tied to Maserati’s history and multiple sessions on racetrack. A full and detailed programme of the event will be released at a later date.
Also in the second half of 2014, Modena will play host to an extraordinary exhibition of some of the most evocative models in Maserati’s history. The Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari will show a special display of the many iconic Maserati models, including both passenger and race cars, all brought together because they hold special significance in the history of Maserati.
The first tangible sign of the celebration for Maserati’s 100 years is the official Centennial book, to be released in the first week of December and formally presented at the Maserati HQ showroom in Modena on Friday, December 6. “Maserati – A Century of History” has been written by four highly qualified authors and chronicles the Maserati century along three main themes: company history, model range and motor sports.
A dedicated Maserati Centennial website – www.maserati100.com – will keep Maserati friends, fans, clients and collectors informed of all the activities planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary. The dedicated website is online from yesterday, December 2.
As Maserati’s Centennial celebrations get underway, the special section to mark the occasion makes its debut on www.maserati.com. The section provides exhaustive details on the legendary Maserati marque, from its establishment in 1914 to the present day, while #Maserati100 is the official hashtag through which visitors can keep track of all the Centennial news, events and content. The new section will allow visitors to learn about Maserati’s history through a captivating voyage that takes in unforgettable cars, famous names, a timeline of the most important events, the biggest projects, the innovations and the many achievements in the world of racing. The content is enhanced with downloadable materials and users can even vote for their favourite Maserati of all time.
The Maserati Centennial year will officially end with a dedicated event on Sunday, December 14, 2014.
