Maserati celebrates its 111th anniversary ahead of the Year of the Trident, taking a look back at the Made in Italy legend on the motorsport stage.
This significant occasion not only honors a glorious past but also reaffirms a commitment to future excellence. All eyes are now on 2026, marking 100 years of the trident logo and Maserati’s first century in motorsport.
Amid the buzz around Maserati Meccanica Lirica and the revival of the GranTurismo and GranCabrio models at the historic Viale Ciro Menotti factory, Maserati celebrates 111 years since its founding—making it the longest-established brand in Italy’s Motor Valley.
Maserati, the Italian luxury sports car maker, is entering the Year of the Trident in 2026, celebrating 100 years of its iconic trident logo and marking a century since its debut in motorsports. In 1926, the Maserati Tipo 26, the first race car to bear the trident on its hood, competed in the Targa Florio and won its class.
The Made in Italy legend began a decade earlier. In 1926, Mr. Alfieri Maserati, along with his brothers Ettore and Ernesto, founded Ditta Alfieri Maserati at 1A Via de’ Pepoli in central Bologna. Official company registration records show operations began on 1 December 1926. The Maserati brothers shared a passion for engine mechanics and speed, often racing themselves.
Meanwhile, their elder brother Mario Maserati played a key role in designing the trident logo, inspired by the Neptune Fountain in Bologna’s city center. The youngest brother, Bindo Maserati, joined Officine Maserati in 1932 after Alfieri’s death. The first car to display the trident was the Tipo 26 race car, debuted at the 1926 Targa Florio, driven by Alfieri, winning the under-1.5-liter class.
This success marked the start of many victories, including back-to-back Indianapolis 500 wins in 1939 and 1940, four consecutive Targa Florio wins (1937–1940), nine Formula One race wins, and the 1957 world championship with Juan Manuel Fangio.
Later, Maserati achieved renewed success with the MC12, securing six FIA GT international titles between 2005 and 2010, representing a peak in GT racing with cars developed from production models. Since 2023, Maserati has competed again in GT2 racing, winning over 20 races worldwide.
In late 1939, the Orsi family acquired Maserati, beginning the company’s move to Modena. The factory on Viale Ciro Menotti officially opened on 1 January 1940 and remains Maserati’s headquarters today. In the 1950s, cooperation between the Maserati brothers and the brand ended.
Maserati launched its first production car, the A6 1500, followed by the 1963 introduction of the Quattroporte, which pioneered the luxury high-performance sedan segment. The brand experienced a brief period under Citroën (1968–1975), which introduced modern manufacturing processes. Later, under De Tomaso (1975–1993), Maserati created iconic cars and achieved peak sales with the Biturbo model.
Building on a strong industrial and historical foundation, Maserati made a leap forward starting in 2007 with the fifth-generation Quattroporte unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, followed by the GranTurismo at the Geneva Motor Show and the GranCabrio in 2009. The sixth-generation Quattroporte and Ghibli debuted in 2013, with the brand’s first SUV, the Levante, launching three years later.
In 2020, the Viale Ciro Menotti factory underwent major renovations to launch production of the MC20 supercar, adding an in-house paint shop and dedicated facilities for developing and assembling the Nettuno engine, fully designed and produced by Maserati. Two years later, the new Grecale SUV debuted, embodying the spirit of the GranTurismo by blending performance and elegance.
In 2023, Maserati introduced the GT2 Stradale, a supercar for the road that combines racing performance, elegance, and everyday drivability. The following year, the MCXtrema, a limited-run race car with only 62 units, was launched, powered by a special 730-horsepower V6 Nettuno engine.
In 2025, Maserati will mark a new historic chapter with three major events: the start of production of the MCPURA, embodying Maserati’s power and performance; the launch of BOTTEGAFUORISERIE, a creative collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Maserati; and the return of the GranTurismo and GranCabrio production to the Viale Ciro Menotti factory.
Mr. Santo Ficili, Maserati’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “I am deeply honored to celebrate Maserati’s 111th anniversary here in the city that feels like the home of the Trident brand, following our Maserati Meccanica Lirica events.”
He emphasized the exceptional knowledge, expertise, and craftsmanship cultivated in this region—a source of pride for over a century. These qualities have shaped Maserati’s unique vision of performance, design, and craftsmanship, truly reflecting Italian luxury.