Overview & Reviews

Italian sports-car excitement doesn't have to come at super-steep prices. Maserati has made a name for itself as a maker of lust-worthy exotics that, though costly, are bargains relative to their stratospherically priced competition. Maserati cars currently come in a number of configurations that range from an open sports car to a spacious luxury sport sedan.

The company was founded in 1914 by six Maserati brothers: Carlo, Bindo, Alfieri, Mario, Ettore and Ernesto. Based in Bologna, Italy, the brothers were racing enthusiasts and planned to craft racecars for private use. Mario, an artist, was believed to have based the company's trident emblem on a statue of the mythological god Neptune found in a Bologna square.

Throughout the '20s and '30s, the Maserati brothers scored many wins around the globe in their custom-built racecars. In 1937, the surviving brothers sold their stake in the company to the Orsi family, who moved the company's headquarters to Modena. A couple of years later, one of the automaker's cars won the prestigious Indianapolis 500.

Postwar, Maserati continued to rack up impressive racing victories with cars like the famous Tipo 60 and 61 "Birdcage" models. The company didn't start building road cars until the A6 coupe, which was made from 1947-'57. With only 138 cars produced in that long span, most of Maserati's money came from its other products: spark plugs and car batteries. The Maserati 3500 GT, fitted with a double-overhead-cam inline six, debuted in the mid-1950s.

By the 1960s, the automaker had shifted its focus from racecars to road cars. The company rolled out sexy models like the Mistral Coupe and the Sebring. But it wasn't until 1966, with the introduction of the sleek Giugiaro-styled Ghibli, that Maserati fielded a truly powerful (330-horsepower V8) and sexy Italian sports car. In 1968, the marque was purchased by Citroën.

Throughout the 1970s, Maserati made the most of its partnership with Citroën, using some of that company's suspension and steering components in Maserati cars such as the V8 Bora and V6 Merak models. The decade's fuel crisis took its toll, though, wreaking havoc and killing demand for the sort of gas-guzzling sports cars that were Maserati's specialty. Citroën was driven into bankruptcy and Maserati was placed in liquidation. In 1975, the company was purchased by Alejandro de Tomaso, an Argentinean who had a previous life as a successful racecar driver. He quickly rolled out a new model, the Quattroporte III, a four-door luxury sedan.

The 1980s were an especially dark time for Maserati. Its main model for the U.S. market, the Biturbo, was bland and notoriously unreliable. In 1991, the company stopped importing cars into the U.S. Fiat bought Maserati in 1993 and variants of the Biturbo continued to be produced until the factory closed in 1997 for a total refurbishing. During this time, Ferrari bought 50 percent of Maserati and went on to acquire full control of the marque.

After the factory's rebirth, Maserati started production of a pair of world-class cars, the two-seat Spyder roadster and the four-seat Coupe. With powerful V8 engines, the availability of an F1-style gearbox, styling by Giugiaro and vastly improved build quality, the new Maserati cars were introduced to the U.S. market for 2002 and restored prestige to the Italian sports car company.

In 2005, Maserati was split from Ferrari but remained within the Fiat fold. That year also saw the reintroduction of the Quattroporte luxury sport sedan, which was followed a few years later by the voluptuous GranTurismo coupe and convertible. Today's Maseratis may lack the ultimate brand recognition of the marque's main rivals, but they hold the advantage of being considerably more affordable while still offering sexy Italian styling and impressive performance.

User Reviews:

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  Love this car - 2005 Maserati Coupe
  By Mrdc - February 28 - 7:20 pm

  Purchased this car in march of this year. Love the handling and look of the car the only con is fuel economy.

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  cambiocorsa - 2002 Maserati Coupe
  By dink - February 15 - 10:00 am

  What a great car. This automobile offers Ferrari performance with manageable power. It is great fun at 80 miles per hour and below. I do have a 360 and it is a lot of fun as it should be, but the Maserati is more driver friendly and the F1 (Cambiocorsa) transmission is the most fun you can have in a car. There is a lot of driver involvement and the fit and finish is second to none.

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  Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa - 2003 Maserati Spyder
  By Ernesto - February 10 - 10:00 am

  I find the car exciting. I own a Ferrari Testarossa too, and I enjoy both cars with equal enthusiasm, however I love the F1 gear shift. The car handle very well and I do not regret buying it. Good job Ferrari and Maserati.

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  If looks really were everything . . . - 2005 Maserati Quattroporte
  By Angry but Hopeful - February 7 - 10:23 am

  Gorgeous sedan over a sports car chassis. Ive owned it 20 days; its been in the shop 6 of those. Of 530 miles since delivery, 162 miles (31%) are repair-related (and that will increase because its at the dealer again). Im having horrible flashbacks to my gorgeous 92 Jaguar VandenPlas. Apparently the notion of competitive benchmarking isnt known in this company; it lacks some features that have been standard in other luxury cars for a decade. Im praying that the problems will cease because, when Ive been able to drive it, its a really fun car to drive--and I dont mind the head-turning effects, either! (Im old enough to know its the car, not me, causing the head- turning.)

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  Sweet - 2004 Maserati Coupe
  By Peter - January 25 - 11:40 am

  Once the driver grows into the car, passengers would rather be driven than try to drive it (If one is not in the mood to drive, the car can barely be driven; it simply says:"If you want to drive a Ford, drive a Ford, dont drive me!".) Its sound is peerless. The feeling of the climbing revs is better than the most exquisite foot massage. The interior is impeccably and tastefully finished. Although its a no-gadget car, it is not in the slightest utilitarian (as is the competition). It is the best value car of its class. The head mechanic says its a Ferrari at half the price (this engine is put into the F360, mfgd by Maserati) Sweet!

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  Wow! - 2006 Maserati Quattroporte
  By RAF - November 30 - 7:53 pm

  Unquestionably this is a car that makes driving more fun than I imagined it could be. It requires more involvement than most and rewards accordingly. Thus far, its reliability has been decidedly un-Italian, but everything else is decidedly so.

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  FAST AND FUN - 2003 Maserati Spyder
  By Marco Maserati - November 29 - 5:16 am

  The car is very exciting, from starting it up to parking it in your driveway. The look and feel of this vehicle is elegant yet very sporty. This car makes me feel great and the sound of this beast is awsome. This car does nothing but make me smile :) HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

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  Great car, when not in the shop - 2002 Maserati Coupe
  By carlcvw7 - November 13 - 5:40 am

  Ive had My Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa for two years and drive it daily to work 30 miles each way. It is an absolute pleasure to drive. I love the sound of the exhaust and the acceleartion is breathtaking, just dont floor it on wet pavement. In automatic mode the shifts are very clunky and need to be smoothed out. The paddle shifting in sport mode is a blast and is extremely fast at high rpm. Maserati needs more dealerships. Mine is two hours away and Im in an urban area. I have had a major failure of the cambio gearbox twice, requiring towing from the freeway (scary), and two weeks in the shop each time. I think one more will qualify my car for the lemon law. I love the car, though Id really hesitate to get another one, given the gearbox failures.

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  Factory Delivery was Wonderful! - 2002 Maserati Coupe
  By Glines - November 9 - 12:16 pm

  I bought the Coupe and took delivery at the Modena factory, a real treat! I have enjoyed the Coupe in every facet of driving both in Italy and the US. The 02 improved design and Marrinella produced 400 hp dry sump V8 have turned out to be a great combo, even after moving from a Ferrari! There has only been one draw back, that has been the terrible service and attitude from my dealer. They appearently have sold too many cars and neither have the capacity, customer service training, or ability to deal with this exotic or the other brands they handle.

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  Great Car - 2002 Maserati Spyder
  By JBerto - November 2 - 10:00 am

  Last car I droe was a 996 cabriolet, and it doesnt compare to this. Ive been a Porsche fan for my whole life, and have owned 3 overall, but would rather have my Maserati. My wife says its too aggressive, so Im the only one in he house who gets to drive it.I hop that the Quattroporte, the new sedan, is just as good; Id buy one fo my wife in a heartbeat.