Just last weekend, the world got its first look at the newest Maserati masterpiece. Unveiled at Monterey Car Week 2024 in California, the Maserati GT2 Stradale is so …Maserati. Not saying that due to limited vocabulary or inadequate car knowledge (well, maybe a little of the latter), but because the brand makes its mark combining the best traits of racing with the mass production of performance drives.
The Maserati GT2 Stradale is entirely that. It inherits the technical prowess from track model GT2 (created for the brand’s return to GT competitions) and melds it with the stylish hallmarks of the MC20. Whoever is responsible for copywriting ‘Road-legal, barely’ deserves a raise.
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As the House of the Trident commemorates 110 years of race heritage this year, it is not holding back on showcasing its storied milestones. The first customer unit of the track-only MCXtrema, the Maserati Classiche program, and limited edition MC20 Icona tributes to the 20th anniversary of GT championships comeback. Which got us thinking.
Sure, these activations are mostly happening in North America, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the luxury, technology and aesthetic excellence of these beasts. Here are five favourites from recent years.
Fragment Design Ghibli
In a partnership probably no one saw coming, the “godfather” of streetwear subculture Hiroshi Fujiwara teams up with the brand on the classic sedan. And thus the resulting full-black Operanera and all-white Operabianca went down in history books. The subtle alphanumeric code M157110519FRG is a stamp of Ghibli’s internal ID, the date of Fujiwara’s first visit to Centro Stile Maserati on 5 November 2019, and an acronym of Fragment.
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Of course, global brand ambassador David Beckham decked out his own MC20 with accents of Miami. And though you can’t lay hands on that one-off fit, you can tap into his vision in a dedicated two-palette collection. “Night Interaction” blue is inspired by the 1967 Maserati Ghibli, the first of the House that left an impression on Beckham; while “Verde Royale” dark green is sparked from the 1986 Maserati Quattroporte Royale, an exclusive run of the four-door sports car.
MC20 Leggenda
Taking its striking visuals after the championship-winning MC12 GT1, this standout of Sleek Nero Essenza and Digital Mint is themed to the T with matching glossy black wheels and hued Tridents. It’s not just the skin that looks unceremoniously cool. A carefully crafted interior with four-way lightweight monocoque racing seats and extensive use of carbon fiber in the cockpit are all fashioned in the name of acceleration.
Barbie Maserati Grecale
There’s Maserati F Tributo; a meaningful homage to Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman to compete in Formula 1. It’s just not as attention-grabbing as a hot pink Barbiecore Grecale. The ultra-limited edition Mattel SUV is available in only two custom units globally. A portion of proceeds for the one auctioned at Neiman Marcus’ Fantasy Gift event benefitted the Barbie Dream Gap Project; an initiative that partners with charities towards equal opportunities for girls. Besides the Barbie logo, pink stitching, and acid-yellow trimmings a nod to racing, this Trofeo version is finished with an iridescent topcoat for maximum glamour.
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420M/58 (Eldorado)
Okay, we know we said recent years but a Maserati commissioned by an ice cream company would be a crime to leave out. Earning its moniker from sponsor Eldorado Sud in 1958, this mythical creature was birthed to compete in a race that attempted to bring European and American racing cultures together. Despite hitting a top speed of more than 350km/h, its steering broke at 250km/h and driver Stirling Moss later referred to it as the scariest motor racing accident of his career. Fortunately, he was unhurt and a final restoration of the automobile is part of the Umberto Panini Collection today.
This story was first seen on EsquireSg.com.
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