Maserati; they were five brothers in Northern Italy who tuned up cars for sports racing, and also built some specials. They formed a partnership (one kept his day job ) and began to build cars in their own name between the two wars. Later they were corporatised; and later re-organised under govt. direction (because of politics in Italy). The original family are not involved.
I think Nuvolari drove sometimes for them; although he was usually an ALFA-Romeo driver. Famously, Juan Manuel Fangio drove Maserati s; and became World Driving Champion.
A pair of Maserati were sent to the U.S.A in 1938 to run in the race at Indianapolis for several years.
2006-10-06 19:24:34
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answer #2
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answered by fata minerva 3
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Maserati used to be owned by Ferrari, but Fiat is now the current owner.
2006-10-06 19:11:16
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answer #3
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answered by Rune 3
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New Maserati Cars
Maserati cars come in a number of configurations, ranging from an open sports car to a pair of grand touring coupes to a spacious luxury sport sedan. The Spyder is Maserati's convertible sports car. This year all Spyders come in "90th Anniversary" trim, meaning blue or silver paint, carbon-fiber cockpit accents, headrest fairings and 19-inch wheels. Of course, that's in addition to the 4.2-liter, 390-horsepower V8 engine and six-speed "Cambiocorsa" F1-style paddle-shifted gearbox which allow 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 176 mph.
The simply named Coupe and fancier GranSport are the four-seat GTs, which share their powertrains with the Spyder. The Coupe and GranSport offer a choice of either the Cambiocorsa or traditional six-speed manual transmissions. Essentially a fancier version of the Coupe, the GranSport offers even more pizzazz with a mesh grille, body sill extensions, 19-inch wheels and subtle spoilers front and rear. The GS also has 10 more horsepower, making total output 400 horses. Performance for the Coupe and GranSport is what one would expect of Maserati cars, virtually mirroring that of the Spyder.
Maserati's Quattroporte ("four-door") is the luxury sedan offered by Maserati USA, and uses the 4.2-liter (400 hp) V8 coupled to the Cambiocorsa gearbox. A generous 120.6-inch wheelbase means plenty of room for rear-seat passengers. Combining a luxurious cabin with sports car performance, the Quattroporte can run to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds and hit a top speed over 170 mph. With such a wide variety of offerings in the exotic segment, Maserati dealers have something for every well-healed enthusiast.
Select a Maserati model to get reviews and pricing
2005 Maserati Coupe: A compelling combination of performance and luxury at a "bargain" price -- at least in the world of exotic sport coupes. The Coupe... price with options
Future Maserati Cars:
For 2006 Maserati will offer its Quattroporte in two trims: the Executive GT and Sport GT. The Sport GT features a firmer suspension, more aggressive exhaust and a revised transmission that allows quicker gear changes. Brakes are also upgraded with cross-drilled rotors and stiffer calipers. Styling tweaks will include a carbon-fiber steering wheel, a black chrome grille and side intakes, and 20-inch wheels and tires. The Executive GT boosts the comfort level over standard Quattroporte sedans with its adjustable seats that feature heating, ventilation, and massage functions, along with its fold-down picnic trays in the rear, privacy curtains, an Alcantara headliner, and leather-trimmed steering wheel. The Executive GT can be distinguished from the outside by its chrome grille and unique 19-inch wheels and tires.
The History of Maserati
Started by five (of the six) Maserati brothers as a racing effort in the mid-1920s, Maserati didn't make road cars until the A6 coupe (1947-1957). With only 138 produced in that long span, most of Maserati's money was made from spark plugs and car batteries. On the racing circuits, Maserati bested rival Ferrari on many occasions. The 3500 GT, fitted with a double-overhead-cam inline six, debuted in the mid-1950s. 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 the 1970s, Maserati joined forces with French carmaker Citroen and used some of that company's suspension and steering components in a few Maserati cars such as the V8 Bora and V6 Merak models.
Ownership of Maserati then went to Alejandro de Tomaso, of Pantera sports car fame. The 1980s were an especially dark time for Maserati, the lineup consisting of the blandly styled and notoriously unreliable Biturbo coupe and sedan. 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. After the factory's rebirth, Maserati started production of a pair of world-class cars, the current Spyder two-seater and Coupe four-seater, later joined by the Quattroporte luxury sport sedan. With powerful V8 engines, the availability of an F1-style gearbox, styling by Giugiaro and vastly improved build quality, the new Maserati cars have restored prestige to this Italian sports car company.
2006-10-06 19:10:56
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answer #5
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answered by amalia372005 5
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