Maserati may have the most bizarre and complicated legacy in automotive history. Numerous owners, pitifully small yearly sales, iconic designers and vast racing success all have contributed to the more than 110-year-old Italian automaker’s pedigree.
Now the iconic carmaker is pursuing another challenge — autonomous driving in Italy. Maserati has introduced the MC20 Coupe and MC20 Cielo.
The former, featuring a robo-driver developed by Politecnico di Milano, Italy’s leading university of science and technology, set a record last November. It reached 177 mph in dense fog on the runway at Piacenza-San Damiano Air Base in Italy; the fastest speed yet achieved by an AI-driven production car without human intervention.
The MC20 Cielo, featuring an AI driver as part of the Artificial Intelligence Driving Autonomous project, also was developed by researchers at Politecnico di Milano. It was showcased earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and further develops the technology for real-world use.
“It’s reliable, it’s safe, it’s an excellent car,” says Sergio Savaresi, a professor at the university instrumental in the project. “Now, we are trying to bring our technology to the real urban cars.”
Behind the Trident
Maserati was founded in 1914 in Bologna, Italy, as the progression of a multibrother business whose legacy includes selling spark plugs and powering racing boats. The automaker’s success began in 1926 with the introduction of its first racing car. Maserati drivers won the Indy 500 in 1939 and 1940. Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina won the 1957 Formula 1 World Championship driving a Maserati.
Despite its success, Maserati also has been beset by financial woes and an enduring curse. Orsi, an Italian industrial family, purchased floundering Maserati in 1937. Under its new management, Maserati debuted the A6, its road car, in 1947. Gran touring cars followed.
Much has happened in the past nearly 80 years. Maserati has been owned by Ferrari, partnered with Alfa Romeo and was purchased by Stellantis in 2021. Its legacy also includes ownership by Citroen, Alessandro de Tomaso and Fiat. Last year Stellantis was rumored to announce the stoppage of Maserati vehicles, but the carmaker denied it.
Maserati’s entry into autonomous driving is the carmaker’s attempt to reclaim some of its prestigious past with vehicles for the future. The MC20 Coupe and MC20 Cielo are the automaker’s first in-house-built vehicles in 20 years.
“We hope to make Maserati Maserati again,” says Savaresi. “It’s not Ferrari anymore.”
The carmaker’s tumultuous tenure includes yearly sales of only 518 in 1998, and a monthly record for sales of more than 3,000 in May and 13,411 cars total in 2014, the manufacturer’s North American best.
Model Achievements
Known for its smooth, low-slung designs, a trademark of Italian designer and coachbuilder Pietro Frua, Maserati was the featured class at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and was showcased at various auto shows throughout Florida.
The Italian carmaker unofficially has one of the best car names in history: The Maserati Quattroporte was introduced in 1963, incorporating the brand’s coupe characteristics and sport style into a four-door sedan. The Quattroporte (four doors in English) is the manufacturer’s flagship. It’s best known for its greenhouse-like windows and protruding front grille with the Trident logo.
Eight years later, Maserati unveiled another of its most well-received cars, the Ghibli. Conceived by Giorgetto Giugiaro, a former Ghia designer, the Ghibli has a curvy tail end and shark-like nose. Long, low and wide, it’s only 46 inches tall.
The GranTurismo was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in 2007. It has Pininfarina lines with a streamlined body and is marketed as a two-door take on the Quattroporte sedan. The front grille has an oversized Trident logo, and buyers had six variations including one styled after the fashion house Fendi.
Like other high-end manufacturers, Maserati decided to join the sport utility vehicle market in 2016 with the Levante. The mid-size, five-door luxury crossover featured the brand’s signature features. But it couldn’t compete in the market segment with so many established vehicles. The Levante was discontinued in 2024 when some of its models reached $180,000.
The Cielo’s starting price is about $100,000 more than its defunct siblings. But the high-performance, outside-the-box race car still includes Maserati traditions. It has a chance for success beyond just performance records.
Facts & figures
Acceleration: 0-to-60 mph, 3.0 seconds
Airbags: 5
Gas mileage: 18 mpg (city), 15 mpg (hwy)
Horsepower: 621
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price:$276,995
Price as reviewed: Not available
Manufacturer’s website:maserati.com
Range: 238.5 miles (city); 397.5 (hwy)
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic with manual auto shifting
Warranty: Bumper-to-Bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Powertrain, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion, 4 years/50,000; Roadside Assistance, 4 years/50,000 miles
