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Maserati is one of the most famous Italian car brands. Identified with a signature Trident emblem design, Maserati continues to offer cars that feature a striking exterior design, loud engine soundtracks, and premium luxury. While Maserati may not get as much attention as fellow Italian exotic automakers, Ferrari and Lamborghini, it produces some of the world’s most desirable cars, including the latest GranTurismo coupe. Maserati has also increased its presence in the luxury SUV segment with the likes of the Levante and Grecale. Our list of lesser-known facts about Maserati includes the Italian marque’s motorsport accomplishments, information about its history, special features about certain models it has produced, and places you would not expect to encounter a Maserati.

1 Maserati Started By Making Spark Plugs, Not Cars

Maserati began as a manufacturer of parts – specifically spark plugs. The founding brothers of the company – Alfieri, Ettore, and Ernesto Maserati – were enlisted by the Italian Government as part of the First World War efforts to develop more efficient spark plugs for aircraft engines. The Maserati-produced spark plugs allowed for greater performance and reliability for Italian aircraft. The company then moved to apply their technology and production skills to produce spark plugs for motor vehicle engines, which made their debut in one of Maserati’s first ever sports cars, the Tipo 26. Even when the Second World War forced production of cars to be halted while the production lines and labor were redirected yet again to support the war effort, Maserati resumed focusing on producing cars from 1939 onwards.

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2 The Ghibli Was Announced In A SuperBowl Commercial

The current generation Maserati Ghibli was announced for the US market in a manner that would guarantee many Americans would have their eyes paying attention – specifically when many individuals and households were watching the Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. The Ghibli’s Super Bowl XLVII commercial, known as ‘Strike’, was the first time a Maserati was marketed in the United States via a mass media outlet, like television commercials.

The M157-generation Maserati Ghibli debuted for the 2014 model year, reviving a nameplate from Maserati’s history that had not been used since the 1990s. The launch of the new Ghibli sedan was a major stepping stone for Maserati, which aimed to increase its market presence within the US market and offer a more accessible entry point into Trident ownership. Their efforts resulted in the Ghibli sedan, which aimed to provide competition for other compact executive sedans like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

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3 Famed Japanese Streetwear Brand Collaborated With Maserati

Hypebeasts, fashionistas, and Italian performance cars – they all seem to go together. That is exactly what Maserati did in 2021, teaming up with Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara and his streetwear brand, Fragment Design, to produce an apparel line and a Maserati car that reflected Hiroshi’s ‘rebellious spirit’ evoked by products bearing the Fragment Design name.

In vehicle form, their efforts resulted in the Ghibli Operanera and Operabianca Special Edition models, each based on the Ghibli sedan. Finished in either glossy/opaque black or glossy white paint, these variants of the Ghibli also feature premium combination leather/Alcantara interiors, Fragment exterior badging, and 20-inch matte black wheels. Customers could also combine this special edition sedan with Fragment Design x Maserati branded hoodies, t-shirts, and other fashion accessories.

Whether it’s cruising through the streets of Tokyo’s fashion capital, Harajuku, or in the surroundings of ‘La Dolce Vita’ along the Italian coastline, these unique Ghibli sedans are pure eye candy.

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4 A Maserati Was The Villain’s Chosen Car In A James Bond Film

When it comes to the choice of cars among villains, antagonists, or ‘bad guys’ in movies, images of a Jaguar or Land Rover are typically evoked, especially in British cinema. But in the most recent James Bond film (and the last appearance of Daniel Craig as the MI5 spy), No Time to Die, a Maserati appears as one of the villains’ modes of transport. In a scene when Bond finds himself under attack by assassins in southern Italy, the assassins corner Bond in none other than a fourth-generation Maserati Quattroporte, attempting to run him down on a bridge. This iteration of the Quattroporte sedan was designed by Marcello Gandini – the same designer who penned the original Lamborghini Countach.

5 The First Production Car With A Twin-Turbocharged Engine Was A Maserati

The very first reported production car to utilize an engine featuring two turbochargers happened to be a Maserati – specifically, the Maserati Biturbo and Spyder, made between the 1981 and 1994 model years. This Maserati model that debuted during the brand’s De Tomaso ownership era was available as either a two-door coupe or a convertible. Under the hood, these featured a twin-turbocharged 90-degree V6 engine, constructed from aluminum. Initially released with carburetors, the engine was upgraded to feature fuel injection technology.

6 The Maserati Khamsin GT Inherited Citroën’s Hydraulic Expertise

For a period between the 1960s-70s, Maserati was under French ownership, specifically French car brand Citroën. Given the unique quirkiness and experimental phase the French automotive industry was infamous for, small examples of these ended up making their way into Maserati cars during their ownership. One such case was the Maserati Khamsin, a two-door GT made between 1974 and 1982.

Along with a striking body penned by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini, the Khamsin incorporated multiple applications of sophisticated hydraulic technologies from Citroën’s engineering division. The Khamsin featured high-pressure hydraulically-powered steering, clutch, pop-up headlights, and a hydraulic-powered brake system. The hydraulic-driven systems even extended to components like the driver’s seat controls. Call it over-sophisticated, or one of many examples of risk-taking French experimentation, but Citroën was attempting to show what they were capable of. After all, this was the same French car brand that pioneered hydropneumatic suspension systems, which enabled their cars to have one of the most comfortable rides reported in a production vehicle.

7 Maserati’s Modena Production Facility Didn’t Only Produce Maseratis

Maserati’s production facility in Modena, Italy has produced various Maserati cars for the past 80 years. But given Maserati is currently under the Stellantis brand umbrella that includes other carmakers like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, and Jeep, some non-Maserati cars have also been assembled at existing Maserati production facilities. One example is the Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe and Spider. During its production run from the 2014 to 2020 model years, both versions of Alfa’s mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, lightweight sports car were produced at the Modena Maserati S.P.A plant. While the Alfas were produced in a workshop onsite separate from Maserati models, both Maseratis and the Alfa Romeo 4Cs were reviewed in the same final ‘testing/finishing’ inspection areas in the Modena plant.

8 Maserati Entered The World Of Collectible Watches

Luxury items and Italian brands are a common crossbreed, so it is not a surprise that Maserati also has watch enthusiasts in mind. Specifically, by releasing several timepieces developed in collaboration with luxury jewelry/watch brands, such as Bvlgari, to dream up timepieces inspired by Maserati vehicles. The Italian carmaker even has its own independent Maserati Watches brand. Those who have an eye for collectible timepieces can now acquire sports watches displaying features or designs with various influences from the same cars carrying the Trident badge. These watches perfectly complement the naturally-aspirated Maserati V8 in your life, we like to think.

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9 Maserati Also Makes High-End Luxury Boats

From the latest MC20 supercar to modern classics like the GranTurismo MC Stradale, the Maserati badge is very iconic on road vehicles. But did you know Maserati can now be found on high-performance watercraft? Maserati now features a new line of electric-powered luxury boats, developed in collaboration with Vita Power. Known as the ‘Tridente’, this is an all-electric luxury boat that intends to showcase Maserati’s electrification power that can extend to boats as well as their automotive lineup. Measuring around 34 feet in length, the Tridente boat features two electric motors that produce 600 horsepower in total. The design of the boat itself also takes inspiration from Maserati’s sports cars, featuring a lightweight hull made from carbon fiber for added efficiency and minimal weight, made with the assistance of American boatmaker, Hodgdon Yachts.

10 One Of Formula One’s First Champions Drove A Maserati To Victory

One of the first postwar Formula One champions, Juan Manuel Fangio, drove a Maserati to victory. The famed Argentinian racing car driver piloted a red Maserati 250F during his career, which saw him take victory at multiple races – including the 1954 Argentinian Grand Prix and the 1957 German, Monaco, and French Grand Prixes. In addition to achieving victory at the 1957 German Grand Prix, Fangio, piloting the Maserati, also achieved a then-new lap record at the hosting track, the Nürburgring. Another Formula One driver at the time, Sir Stirling Moss, was even quoted as saying that the Maserati 250F was “one of the best Formula One cars” he ever experienced.