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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  Maserati - 2003 Maserati Coupe
  By SLC - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Best car I ever owned. Ive had Mercedes, Ferraris, BMWs, etc, but none have given me the enjoyment my Maserate Coupe has.

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  Ghibli/Ferrari! - 2015 Maserati Ghibli
  By Jon Peterson - October 10 - 7:00 pm

  The car magazine guys are crazy . This is a great car. for the price of a 5 series or boring E class you get an all wheel drive Ferrari powered car and you can pre-pay for all service costs for 4 years for less than $2000.00. People complain about Chrysler parts ... but they dont call these same parts Chrysler when the see them in a Mercedes! (most modern Chrysler stuff is from when Mercedes owned them) Certified deals are out there making it an even better choice (5 year 100,000 mile certified warranty). When in Manual setting it STAYS in gear . When in Sport the engine sound is as good as it gets. Drama + head turning + Ferrari ... this car has a soul... go drive one! Ferrari engine built on a Mercedes/Chrysler block .. Italian style ... American electronics that work .. German 8 speed manu/matic transmission... what is not to like?

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  Italian exotic for less - 2003 Maserati Coupe
  By ital - September 26 - 10:00 am

  cambiocorsa transmission (F1 style paddleshift behind steering wheel) is a definite plus over the manual. Shifts are quick, but they need some getting used to (take off your foot from the accelarator whenever shifting), but once this is mastered, what a blast to drive. Ferrari engine & transmission, Brembus brakes, italian workmanship for a the price of a S500 - take it any day.

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  Midlife Crisis?? I dont think so! - 2004 Maserati Spyder
  By d blair - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Ok so I am a 55 year old man who has come to the point in my life when I can afford some of the nicer things in life. I know this might be sounding like a CRISIS Eulogy.. but let me tell you after a week of The John Barber Racing School and then the following week my felivery of my Masserati and there is nothing midlife about this baby. ABSOLUTELY the finest piece of Machinery That I have ever had the pleasure of driving.. From the onlookers to the behind the wheel guts of this bad boy and it all becomes perfectly clear when the Italians Do It Better slogan comes from... WOW!!

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  Sooo Pretty - 2005 Maserati Quattroporte
  By Chris M - May 7 - 2:26 pm

  This car is a gem. Its great to see a business class sedan done in such a sporty and elegant style. Elegant and sleek is the design. I fell in love with it when I first saw it.

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  06 Maserati Cambio Coupe - 2006 Maserati Coupe
  By arnold feldman - April 14 - 12:00 pm

  Only problem is that in the Northeast, low profile tires with original rims are a disaster: have blown 3 tires and two rims 9 (at 30 mph)!

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  "Poor mans" Ferarri - 2004 Maserati Spyder
  By zeeb - March 26 - 2:00 am

  For a sticker price of around $100,000 you can have all the thrills of a Ferarri. Giving up 2 or 3 tenths of a second in the 0-60 race saves you $50- 60,000. Trust me, you will never miss them. And with the money you save, you can buy a 4x4. (If you live in the north, youll need it. If you live in a warmer climate, youll probably spend it on gas).

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  Best. Car. Ever. - 2004 Maserati Spyder
  By alexthegreat - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Best. Car. Ever. Great looking, rides great and a ferrari engine. I love my car. Period.

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  King of its category - 2009 Maserati GranTurismo
  By Paul - January 26 - 1:23 am

  Driven BMW 645, 750, 545, Mercedes 550, Porsche Boxtser Spyder and many, many more. Rolled the 550 and Porsche immediately following a test drive of the S. Never regretted the move, the car is special and if having to respond constantly while driving what type of car this is Ill take that as cost of ownership. Wonderful ride each and every day on the road.

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  Cambiocorsa coupe 2004 - 2003 Maserati Coupe
  By hoopsking - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Very quick, Good torque, I got the Tubi exhaust it is great. Gas mileage is what they predict about 11 per. It gets a lot of stares and the girls like it.