Maserati History – Part 1 – Family

The history of Maserati is very much the story of a family business which through ingenuity and drive became a player on the global luxury automotive market.

Before we talk about the origins of Maserati as a car maker, we should probably take a step back to talk a little bit about the Maserati family.

So, the story begins with the birth of Carlo Maserati, who was born in 1881 in Voghera. His father was Rodolfo Maserati, a train driver and his mother’s name was Carolina Losi. Two years later in 1883 Carlo welcomed a brother, Bindo and then another brother Alfieri in 1885. A few short months later though, tragedy struck the young family when Alfieri died. His mother and father decided to name their next son, who arrived in 1887 after him. Three more brothers were yet to arrive though with Mario in 1890, Ettore in 1894 and Ernesto in 1898.

The six surviving Maserati brothers were all involved in the automobike industry, whether it be in the design, engineering, or construction sides of the business, except for one. Mario decided to become a painter, but even he could not completely detach himself from the Maserati automobile business as it is reputed to be he who designed the Maserati Trident Logo. Carlo Maserati was the first of the brothers to become involved with engines. He designed a single cylinder motor for a velocipede while working for the Marquis Carcano di Anzano del Parco. He even raced Carcano bikes which were fitted with the engine, setting a speed records of 31mph in 1900.

When the Carcano factory closed down on 1901, Carlo moved to FIAT but couldn’t really settle and in 1903 moved again, this time to Isotta Fraschini where he became not only a mechanic but also a test driver. Carlo was instrumental in getting his brother Alfieri a job at Isotta even though he was only 16. Carlo’s career was brilliant, but ultimately short as he died when he was only 29.

Starting out as a mechanic, but soon progressing to driving, Alfieri took up the Maserati name where his brother Carlo had left it demonstrating not only technical skills as a mechanic but also superb driving skills. In 1908, his skills were such that Isotta trusted him with one of their cars which he raced in the Grand Prix for Voiturettes in Dieppe where he finished 14th despite suffering from a broken carburettor.

At the same time as Alfieri started to drive for the company, Bindo and Ettore also joined Isotta Fraschini, and Ettore accompanied Alfieri on his trips to represent Isotta in Argentina, the USA and Great Britain. In 1912, Alfieri was put in charge of Isotta’s customer service programme in Bologna.

Although he had been really successful at Isotta, Alfieri soon decided that his talents and experience were such that he should branch out on his own in order to try and do things his own way. So, in 1914, Alfieri rented some office space in Via de Pepoli, in Bologna’s old town centre. This first office would become the first headquarters of the Societa Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati.