Maserati

The Maserati brothers, Carlo, Bindo, Alfieri, Mario, Ettore and Ernesto, founded the Maserati automobile manufacturing company in 1914. Except for Mario, all of the Maserati brothers were involved in the design, engineering and construction of automobiles.

The company trademark, Neptune's trident, is derived from the statue of Neptune in Bologna, Italy.

Maserati Timeline

1914: The first headquarters of the Societa Anonima Alfieri Maserati was rented this year in Bologna, Italy by Alfieri Maserati.c

1926: The first all-Maserati car, the Tipo 26, is produced. It is also the first of Maserati's vehicles to have the trident badge.

1929: The Maserati V4 with a 16-cylinder engine debuts in

the Italian Grand Prix, setting a world Class C speed record.

1931: The 4CTR and the front-wheel-drive 8C 2500 debuts.

1932: Alfieri Maserati dies on March 3. Bindo, Ernesto and Ettore Maserati run the business in his place.

1936: The 6CM debuts.c

1937: The Maserati brothers sells their shares to the Orsi family in Modena, Italy, moving the company out of Bologna.

Late 1930s: Ernesto designs the 4CL and 8CL engines.

WWII: Maserati produces machine tools, electrical components, spark plugs and electric vehicles. They debut a new vehicle following the war, the A6 1500.

1948: The Maserati brothers step down as chief engineers.

1954: The 250F debuts and wins the Argentine Grand Prix.

1957: Maserati announces it is retiring from the racing circuit, though the company continues creating racing cars for private teams.

1958: The 3500 GT debuts.

1962: The Sebring debuts.

1963: The Quattroporte debuts as the first Maserati 4-door saloon.c

1968: Citroen buys out the Orsi family shares of Maserati, keeping Adolfo Orsi on as Honorary Chairman.

1971: The first mass-produced, mid-engined Maserati, the Bora, debuts at the Geneva Motor Show.

1973: Maserati goes into liquidation but avoids closure by handing control to GEPI - a government agency financing companies to save jobs.

1975: Most of Maserati's shares are acquired by the Benelli Company with former racing drive Alejandro De Tomaso stepping in as Managing Director.

1976: The Kyalami debuts.

1980s: The inexpensive Biturbo debuts as a coupe, 4-door saloon and spyder.