Maserati Milestone|
The Maserati brothers founded Officine Alfieri Maserati SA in Bologna, Italy, in 1914, but it was in 1922 when they began working in partnership with Diatto to produce the Tipo 26, that Maserati and the iconic trident symbol became known for its engineering prowess.
Then, in March 1947 – 75 years ago – Maserati launched its first production road car, the Tipo A6 (A for “Alfieri”, and 6 for its number of cylinders) at the Geneva Motor Show. Better known as the A6 1500 Gran Turismo, it was the forerunner of a class of car that had never been seen before.
Production of the Pininfarina-designed A6 1500 Gran Turismo continued until 1950, with a cosmetic update taking place in 1948. Pininfarina would also make further changes to the bodywork: the embossed trim was removed from the front fenders, and two rear seats were added to the cabin.
Despite only 58 units produced over four years, the A6 1500 was a milestone in Maserati history – not only did it influence the automotive landscape worldwide, but it also served as inspiration for successive generations of Maserati road cars – including its immediate successor, the revered 3500 GT.
The Mistral GT, designed by Frua, followed in 1963. It was the first in a series of classic Maseratis to be named after a wind, including its successor, the Giugiaro-penned Ghibli (1967), the Bertone-designed Khamsin and the Bora, Shamal, Merak and related Karif, styled by Gandini.
A turbulent period for Maserati followed, with ownership from the mid-seventies switching from Citroën to De Tomaso, then to Fiat, and finally to Ferrari in 1997. The latter opened a new chapter in Maserati’s history with the 1998 launch of the 3200 GT, powered by a V8 engine derived from the Shamal, and the GranTurismo in 2007.
It also led to a change in strategy, with the standard GT and Quattroporte models supplemented by a full-size SUV, the Levante, the MC20 supercar, and now the compact Grecale SUV, and a commitment to becoming the first luxury brand to offer a full-electric version of all Maserati models by 2025.
In line with this Folgore strategy, the GranTurismo will be the first in Maserati history to become fully electric. Thus, as the A6 1500 represents the beginning of the Maserati epic of road cars, the baton has now been passed to its spiritual successor to mark the brand’s entry into the world of full-electric vehicles.
Report by Ferdi de Vos | Images © Maserati