12 reasons why we love Maserati: 100 years of the Trident

When Alfieri Maserati opened his first shop, three of his brothers joined immediately. Mario wasn’t a fan of engines, but he could draw. He based Maserati's famous Trident logo on the fountain of Neptune in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore.

Has there ever been a more beautiful race car? The Tipo 61 'Birdcage' brought space-age technology to motor racing, the tubular steel frame chassis making the car stronger and lighter. Unfortunately, the Birdcage wasn't very reliable - but it did manage to win the 1000km Nurburgring twice in 1960 and 1961.

The company’s first four-door saloon was built the Maserati way - and that was fast. The Quattroporte of 1966 was the fastest four-door at the time and even Enzo Ferrari sat up and took notice when Italy’s head of state visited the Maranello factory in one.

Maserati is the only Italian manufacturer to conquer the mighty Indy 500 raceway twice. The victorious car was the gorgeous 8CTF ‘Boyle Special’ back in 1939 and 1940.

Juan Manuel Fangio, legendary F1 driver, conquered the 1957 world championship in the Maserati 250F at the Nurburgring.

Have a look at this perfectly sculpted A6GCS. Isn’t she pretty? Only four of these were built and anyone who was lucky enough to go to 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed would have seen it in the metal. In fact, it was named ‘Best in show’ at the Cartier Style Et Luxe concours on the lawns of Goodwood House.

Maserati is Italian. We all know that Italians can be temperamental; unfortunately Maseratis of the 1980s were just that. The Biturbo was a car meant to bring lots of power, but due to multiple failures, it was selected as Time Magazine’s worst car of 1984.

The Maserati Ghibli is named after a Mediterranean wind famous for reaching hurricane speeds. Fitting for a fast super-saloon. Three other Maserati models are named after winds: the Bora, Mistral and Khamsin all sound somewhat more thrilling than a number-obsessed German alternative.

Maserati returned to motor racing with the MC12 GT1 in 2004 after a 37-year absence. Using the Ferrari Enzo as a basis was a great start. Making a limited production run of 50 roadgoing models priced at €600,000 and painted in the colours of the Tipo 61 Birdcage was even better.

Maserati paid homage to its creator by designing a promising concept called the Alfieri at the 2014 Geneva motor show. It’s at once modern, yet respects Maserati’s century-long heritage, echoing design elements from the A6GCS and the GranTurismo MC Stradale.

Mercedes, BMW and Audi have dominated the executive saloon segment for decades. Relief is on hand at your local Maser emporium, however: the latest Ghibli and Quattroporte are both dripping with Italian flair. You just know which you’d rather turn up to the golf club in, don’t you?

Maserati is constantly evolving. It exclusively built racing cars for its first 43 years, but has since switched into roadgoing performance cars, saloons and more. Now the company is gearing up to launch its first SUV. Should the brand head off road? Using its own all-wheel drive system and borrowing know-how from sister company Jeep, it looks like the Levante could do for Maserati what the Cayenne did to Porsche. Maserati is aiming to send sales soaring fivefold, and if it takes a 4x4 to make this happen and secure the future of the sporting Masers we know and cherish, who are we to complain?

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