Tag: MASERATI

The Maserati family had six brothers: Alfieri, Bindo, Carlo, Ettore, Ernesto and Mario. Mario devoted himself to art. Carlo began a successful career as a car racer, but in 1919 he died of tuberculosis. Alfieri, Bindo and Ernesto worked for the Isotta-Fraschini car company.

In 1914, Alfieri decided to open his own workshop near Bologna. Soon he was joined by two younger brothers, Bindo and Ernesto, and together they built a sports car with a two-liter engine.

In 1926, with financial support from Diato, the brothers founded the company “Maserati”. The company began producing cars with 4-, 6-, 8- and 16-cylinder engines.

One of the first Maserati, driven by Alfieri, won the Targa Florio in 1926. The artist Mario designed the company’s emblem – the trident. In 1932 Alfieri died, but the remaining three brothers – Bindo, Ettore and Ernesto – continued the company.

In 1937, the remaining brothers sold the Maserati company to the Orsi family, who in 1940 moved the company’s headquarters to their hometown of Modena, where it remains to this day.

The Orsi family staked on the production of exclusively sports cars. The brothers continued to work for the company, acting as engineers under a ten-year contract. In racing series, the team also often won, despite the involvement of German racing giants such as Audi or Mercedes.

In 1940, Maserati won Indianapolis.

During World War II, the company worked for the Italian army. At this time, Maserati competed to develop a V16 for Benito Mussolini with Ferdinand Porsche of Volkswagen, who built one for Adolf Hitler.

They failed in this attempt, and the plans were revised. As soon as the peace agreement was signed, Maserati returned to the production of the Maserati A6 series, and its participation in car racing.

At the end of the 10-year contract, the brothers left the company of the Orsi family and founded their own new company called O.S.C.A..