Maserati takes part in Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2026

From October 22 to 25 in Bologna, Maserati will showcase the 1972 Ghibli SS Coupé and the new 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo as part of the celebrations marking the Trident emblem’s 100th anniversary.
 

Modena, October 21, 2026 – With a century of automotive excellence behind it, the Trident emblem continues to inspire the present and pave the way to the future. Its spirit will underpin Maserati’s participation in the 43rd edition of Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2026, Europe’s leading trade fair and marketplace for classic cars and spare parts, taking place from October 22 to 25 at BolognaFiere. In this unique setting, at the Motor Valley Stand, the Modena-based brand will showcase two iconic vehicles: the 1972 Ghibli SS Coupé and the new 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo. Despite belonging to different eras, both embody Maserati’s vision of Italian Gran Turismo, where design, Italian style, and craftsmanship come together in a refined balance that is never ostentatious and always focused on performance.

Maserati’s participation in Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2026 holds particular symbolic significance for the longest-standing brand in Italy’s Motor Valley. The Brand returns to the city where it was founded in 1914 as part of the celebrations marking the Trident emblem’s 100th anniversary and Maserati’s motorsport debut, which culminated in a class victory and eighth place overall at the 1926 Targa Florio. The Maserati Tipo 26, the first car to bear the iconic emblem inspired by the Neptune Fountain in Bologna, claimed that victory with Alfieri Maserati at the wheel, inaugurating an extraordinary motorsport tradition. Now, this unique blend of history, identity, and passion brings the Trident back to where it all began, celebrating its roots while continuing to shape its future.

Maserati enthusiasts will be drawn to the stand by the 1972 Ghibli SS Coupé, one of the most captivating expressions of the Trident’s sporting heritage. Unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in November 1966, the Ghibli immediately won over the public and critics alike with its low, sleek lines, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Ghia, blending sportiness and elegance in a timeless style. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2026, the model remains a testament to Maserati’s extraordinary ability to transform technical innovation into sculptural beauty. Its unmistakable silhouette was in part the result of a specific engineering choice: the 4.7-liter motorsport-derived V8, equipped with dry-sump lubrication, could be mounted particularly low in the tubular chassis, allowing the body to sit lower and enhancing its sleek proportions. Its revolutionary design even won over Henry Ford II, who purchased one of the first Ghibli Coupés and had it displayed in the lobby of the Ford Product Development Center in Detroit to serve as inspiration for his own designers. Following the Coupé’s commercial debut in 1967, the range expanded in 1969 with the captivating Spyder, also available with a hardtop. The following year, both body styles received the more powerful 4.9-liter V8, giving rise to the SS variant. The Ghibli SS on display in Bologna was built on July 3, 1972, and originally destined for the German market. Beneath its long hood sits a powerful 4.9-liter V8 producing 335 CV at 5,500 rpm, fed by carburetors and paired with a ZF five-speed manual transmission. With a top speed of 280 km/h, it delivered outstanding performance for its time. Measuring 4.7 meters in length and featuring a 2+2 seating configuration, the Ghibli SS continues to embody an exceptional blend of elegance, fine craftsmanship, and sporting prowess.

Picking up where the Ghibli Coupé left off, the new 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo carries on the tradition of uniting performance and luxury, technology and driving pleasure. The example on display at the Motor Valley Stand is finished in the refined Verde Giada exterior color and powered by the 3.0-liter Nettuno V6, delivering 590 hp and 650 Nm of torque. Its motorsport-derived pre-chamber combustion technology enables a top speed of over 320 km/h without compromising on comfort and long-distance capability. Together with its all-wheel drive, sporty exhaust system, and advanced driving dynamics, this iconic powertrain enhances the car’s sporting prowess while preserving the exclusivity and versatility that are hallmarks of a true Maserati GranTurismo. Designed for drivers who demand the utmost in performance, the 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo stands out for its bold, uncompromising character, with power at the heart of the driving experience. Its styling is more aggressive, featuring dedicated wheels and technical carbon-fiber finishes. Motorsport-inspired materials, such as Alcantara, bring a distinctive tactile quality to the interior, while exposed carbon-fiber elements enhance its three-dimensional, high-performance aesthetic.

Additionally, a second Ghibli SS Coupé, built in 1970, will be on display at the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) stand at the Bologna show, further demonstrating the enduring appeal and historical significance of a model that continues to captivate collectors and enthusiasts around the world. Beyond these remarkable vehicles, Maserati will also take center stage at two events on October 23 dedicated to automotive culture and heritage. At 11:00 a.m., Cristiano Bolzoni, Head of Maserati Classiche, will take part in the talk “Inside the Factory of a Legend,” exploring the role of heritage departments in preserving and passing on automotive tradition. At 3:00 p.m., Davide Baldini, Head of Maserati Fuoriserie, will speak at the meeting “120 Years of AC Bologna and 100 Years of the Maserati Trident,” bringing together two significant anniversaries that celebrate the region’s longstanding passion for motorsport. Both talks will take place at the ACI – ACI Storico stand, located in Pavilion 25, stand A10–B11, at BolognaFiere.

Finally, visitors to the show can discover the full range of activities offered by Maserati Classiche, the program established in Modena in 2021 to preserve and promote Maserati’s historic vehicles. Today, the division is part of BOTTEGAFUORISERIE, the project that safeguards the Trident’s heritage and carries it into the future through technical expertise and Modenese craftsmanship. This heritage is protected on several fronts, from the work of the Officine Classiche, dedicated to the certification of historic models, to the preservation of archives and museum spaces, such as the Collezione Maserati Umberto Panini in Modena. Together, these efforts make this history tangible and accessible, allowing it to continue to inspire. The centerpiece of the program is the Certification of Authenticity, overseen by a committee of experts who conduct an in-depth analysis of each vehicle’s technical characteristics, historical documentation, and records in the Maserati archives. The certification applies to automobiles over 20 years old, as well as special models and the Brand’s limited series.

Maserati S.p.A.
Maserati produces a complete range of unique cars that are immediately recognizable by their extraordinary personality. With style, technology and an innate exclusivity, they delight the most discerning, demanding tastes and refined tastes, always setting a benchmark in the global automotive industry. A tradition of successful cars, each of them redefining what makes an Italian sports car in terms of design, performance, comfort, elegance and safety, currently available in more than 70 markets internationally.
The Maserati line-up includes the Grecale SUV; GranTurismo, the iconic Italian grand tourer; and GranCabrio, the Trident's new convertible; all models characterized by the use of the highest quality materials and outstanding technical solutions. A range equipped with 4-cylinder hybrid powertrains, available for Grecale, and V6 petrol with rear-wheel and four-wheel drive, embodying the performance DNA of the Trident Brand. GranTurismo is available with both the high-performance V6 petrol engine and a 100% electric version, the GranTurismo Folgore, the first car in the Modena-based brand's history to adopt this solution. The full-electric range also includes Grecale Folgore and GranCabrio Folgore. The top of the Brand's range is the MC family, which consists of the MCPURA coupe and its MCPURA Cielo convertible version, powered by the innovative V6 Neptune engine, 100% Maserati, which incorporates F1-derived technologies into the power unit of a standard production car. Completing the Brand's commercial offering is the Maserati GT2 Stradale, the road-legal version of the GT2, which brought Maserati back to the track in covered-wheel championships, while Maserati MCXtrema is the limited series of only 62 units, a track-only homologated racing car that pushes Trident performance to the highest level and is dedicated to racing car enthusiasts.
Maserati's mission is to write the future of mobility in the luxury segment by focusing on its customers’ requests. In order to achieve this mission, the Brand is also strongly focused on the Maserati Fuo
 

For further information:
MASERATI
Andrea Pallard, Maserati Global Communications - andrea.pallard@stellantis.com
Davide Kluzer, Maserati Product Communications Manager - davide.kluzer@maserati.com
Tiziana Solivani, Maserati Global PR Coordination - tiziana.solivani@maserati.com
Roberta Marchetti, BOTTEGAFUORISERIE Communications Manager - roberta.marchetti@maserati.com