Maserati Logo PNG
The Maserati logo invites you to ride the iron horse and become the road king. Only the ruler of a turbulent river of cars can be behind the wheel of such a car. The emblem conveys confidence, a royal presence, and the uniqueness of the company’s products.
On December 1, 1914, Alfieri Maserati opened Società Anonima Officine Alfieri Maserati in Bologna with his brothers Ettore and Ernesto. Mario Maserati, the brother of the engineering team, created the Trident logo, inspired by Neptune’s fountain in Piazza Maggiore. At first, the workshop made spark plugs and prepared racing cars for other manufacturers. In 1926, after Diatto stopped building race cars, the brothers launched cars under the Maserati name. That year, the Tipo 26 won the Targa Florio with Alfieri at the wheel. In 1929, the 16-cylinder V4 reached 248 km/h and became the brand’s main car of that decade.
In 1937, the Orsi family bought Maserati. The brothers stayed for ten more years, while headquarters moved from Bologna to Modena in 1940. That same year, the 8CTF won the Indianapolis 500. After the contract ended, the Maserati brothers left and founded OSCA.
In 1957, Juan Manuel Fangio won the Formula 1 title in the Maserati 250F. Still, racing costs forced the company to step back from factory competition and focus on road GT cars. The A6 debuted in 1947 as Maserati’s first Gran Turismo, with bodywork by Battista “Pinin” Farina. In 1963, Maserati introduced the Quattroporte, its flagship luxury sedan.
Citroën bought Maserati in 1968. In 1975, after GEPI, Alessandro de Tomaso took control and launched the Biturbo era, aimed at a wider market but hurt by quality problems. Fiat acquired Maserati in 1993; Ferrari took control in 1999; then came the 3200 GT, the 2002 Spyder U.S. return, the 2007 Pininfarina GranTurismo, FCA in 2014, and Stellantis in 2021.
Meaning and History
Maserati’s history dates back to the early days of the automotive era, making it older than Ferrari’s and Porsche’s. However, its chronology dates back to 1926, when the world saw the newest model of the Gran Prix 1500 sports car. Then came the Tipo 26, based on the Diatto. The start was successful: the racing car with the chrome-plated stamped logo on the bonnet immediately won the Targa Florio competition.
This is the merit of the Maserati brothers, passionate race drivers, engineers, and mechanics. There were six of them in the family, but only one was not interested in the family business. Mario Maserati cared more about art than engineering. Paradoxically, his creation left the greatest mark in the company’s history. The brothers are long dead; the Dutch corporation Stellantis now owns the brand, and the legendary trident logo endures, recalling Mario’s talents.
Of course, the emblem has changed a lot over a hundred years. Modern designers have adapted it to new standards, significantly improving the graphics and color palette and giving the trident a different shape. But it remains the main decoration of luxury cars; without it, it’s hard to imagine either a sports car or a luxury Maserati.
What is Maserati?
Maserati is an Italian luxury car brand. Five brothers founded it in 1914 and named it after themselves. In the second half of the 1960s, Citroën took over; in 1993, FIAT acquired the shares; and in 1999, Ferrari took control. Since 2021, Maserati has been part of Stellantis N.V. The main car models produced under this brand are Levante, GranTurismo, Ghibli, and Quattroporte.
1926 – 1937
The Trident logo is believed to have been created in 1926. However, historical documents suggest the logo appeared long before the first Maserati: around 1920, Mario designed it at his brother’s request, making the company recognizable. As a talented artist far removed from the automotive industry, he chose to forgo classic racing symbols.
In the early years, the emblem looked rather austere. It looked like a vertically elongated rectangle made of polished brass. The word “MASERATI” was engraved at the bottom, set in a thin sans-serif font. The upper part of the trident image occupied most of the space. Mario refined the design, embellishing the drawing with exquisite patterns.
1937 – 1943
After visiting different cars, the badge has been changed:
- It has acquired an elliptical shape.
- The base color became lighter, removing black spots that created a worn effect.
- The trident has lost many of the details that made it a work of art.
At the same time, the brand name remained in place, but a separate zone was allotted for almost one-fourth of the ellipse.
Archival documents confirm that this logo had a color version. The lemon oval, blue outline, red trident teeth, and silvery inscription on a blue background looked colorful and distinctive.
1943 – 1951
In 1937, the Orsi family took over Maserati. The new owner, Adolfo Orsi, immediately transported it to Modena. With its famous Neptune statue, Bologna is a thing of the past, but the calculating entrepreneur knew the value of a good reputation. A trident has always sat on the front of Maserati cars, and Adolfo was in no hurry to change it.
The iconic symbol has returned to its original form on the new emblem. It now resembles the badge that first adorned the hood of the Tipo 26 in 1926. The designers only dared to turn the ellipse into an oval, intersected by a rectangle with large white lettering “MASERATI.” A wide gray outline surrounded the geometric shapes. The trident was red, but its faded shade made it blend into a blue background lined with stripes resembling sunbeams.
1951 – 1954
In the early 1950s, the classic elliptical logo was used. The red trident consisted of many unconnected lines associated with racing competitions. The ellipse had slight shading on the right side, which made it look three-dimensional. The main body was white, except for the navy blue underside. The remaining elements followed the same pattern: white for the caption and dark blue for the outline.
1954 – 1983
The corners of the ellipse were sharpened, and the trident became more compact. The text has moved to the top of the blue segment, and the colors have darkened.
1983 – 1985
Orsis promoted Maserati to the luxury category but went bankrupt. Alessandro de Tomaso acquired the brand and brought his own vision to the automotive business. The logo was updated in 1983, two years after the first Biturbo was released. The ellipse was replaced with a white oval outlined in gray, the lettering became gray, and the trident was simplified and set to light blue.
1985 – 1997
The 1985 emblem is identical to the 1954 version; the only difference is a wider trident.
1997 – 2006
In 1997, Maserati and Ferrari merged. The general design trends were maintained, but the small trident details were removed. The developers also rounded the ellipse’s pointed ends, widened the blue area at the bottom, and enlarged the “MASERATI” inscription.
2006 – 2020
The letters have serifs, and the oval’s dark outline has become thinner. The trident looks sharper than in previous versions.
2006 – 2015
In 2006, a three-dimensional version of the emblem appeared. The designers achieved this effect using shadows, gradients, and additional paths.
2015 – 2020
The most radical restyling came in 2015. The logo has lost almost everything that made it an iconic symbol of Maserati. Only two elements remain: the trident, repainted and reduced in size, and the company name, enlarged and set in the familiar serif typeface.
2020 – today
The modern icon looks exactly like its minimalist predecessor. Only the typography has changed: all letters in the word “Maserati” are lowercase (except “M”) and linked by short lines running along the bottom.
The author of the first Trident, Mario Maserati, drew inspiration from what he saw around him. A huge fountain dominated the main square of his hometown of Bologna, where Neptune’s statue stood. This sculpture, created by the early Baroque Giovanni da Bologna, pushed the artist towards the cult emblem. The main inspiration was Marquis Diego de Sterlich, who first proposed implementing this idea to improve precision.
Over time, Maserati has given all its sports and road cars the Trident interpretation badge. It is the brand’s unchanging symbol, embodying energy and strength.
Font and Colors
The company has used many different fonts to highlight its uniqueness. The modern version is similar to the Raceway. It is also rumored that the capital “M” was taken from Deftone Stylus and all other letters from Boxer Script JF.
Most Maserati logos are color-coded in red and blue, and the city’s flag displays the official Bologna colors. The red trident symbolizes the power of cars, the silvery field represents the earth, and the dark blue represents the water over which Neptune rules. The current monochromatic version is more prosaic because it uses a white emblem on a black background or a black emblem on a white background.
FAQ
Does Ferrari own a Maserati?
Ferrari does not currently own the company. In 1993, FIAT Chrysler bought Maserati. In 1997, they sold 50 percent of Maserati’s shares to Ferrari, which FIAT Chrysler owned. This allowed Ferrari to influence Maserati, providing engineering support and technology.
Today, Stellantis owns the brand. Stellantis was formed in 2021 from the merger of FIAT Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Peugeot SA (PSA). This merger created one of the world’s largest automotive groups, including several well-known car brands. Stellantis manages company operations, continuing its tradition of producing luxury and high-performance vehicles.
What does the Maserati symbol mean?
The trident symbol has deep meaning. The trident represents power and is inspired by the Roman god Neptune. While Neptune rules the seas, cars conquer the roads.
A red trident symbolizes power, while a silver or white background represents the land and roads that Maserati vehicles dominate. The trident reflects the brand’s strength and dominance, similar to Neptune’s control over the oceans.
Mario Maserati, one of the Maserati brothers, designed the symbol. He drew inspiration from the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna, Italy, where the brand was founded. It reflects the brand’s rich heritage and dedication to producing high-performance, luxurious vehicles.
What inspired the Maserati logo?
The Fountain of Neptune in Bologna’s central square inspired the logo. Mario Maserati designed the Trident logo, inspired by this famous sculpture. Marquis Diego de Sterlich suggested using the trident symbol. The founder liked the idea because Neptune’s connection to Bologna resonated with Maserati’s hometown.
The trident represents power and strength. Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, holds a trident, symbolizing his control over the waters. For a brand, this symbol signifies dominance on the roads.
Choosing the trident was a tribute to Maserati’s origins in Bologna, adding cultural and historical significance to the logo.
Where did the Maserati logo come from?
Mario Maserati, one of the Maserati brothers, created the logo. The idea came from Marquis Diego de Sterlich, a family friend, who suggested using the trident from Bologna’s Fountain of Neptune. Mario took this advice and designed the emblem as Neptune’s trident.
The trident symbol was chosen for its association with power and control. Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, wielded a trident, symbolizing his dominance over the waters. The connection to the Fountain of Neptune also tied the logo to Maserati’s hometown, adding cultural and historical significance.