Photography by Cordero Studios.
Maserati Trofeo
February 1, 2006
The Maserati dynasty ruled over one of Europe’s most successful racing programs of the last century. The Modenese manufacturer won an estimated 500 races in the various series in which it competed, including a total of 32 Formula One grand prix to go along with two F/1 titles, both of which were captured by legendary driver Juan-Manuel Fangio. But just as Maserati’s racing heritage was becoming steeped in victories, the factory officially withdrew from racing—with only the occasional relapse—after its successful 1957 season. That winning tradition, nearly forgotten, was resurrected in 2003 with Trofeo, a series that allowed the Maserati faithful to take part in their own heritage-making.
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In this series, every car wears the trident badge. For the past three years, Maserati has sponsored a European-based, single-make championship series for racing hobbyists, which in turn spun off a nine-race series in Brazil. What Challenge Stradale is to Ferrari, Trofeo is to Maserati. And what began as a field of modified Coupé Cambiocorsas—which are still used in the Brazilian races—is now a field of modified GranSports, driven by enthusiasts willing to pit their hand-eye-foot coordination against their peers.
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The Trofeo Europa program is a league wherein these lucky few—mostly Italians, but a few other skilled Europeans and even the occasional American—are invited to invest roughly $154,000 (plus applicable taxes) into renting a 425 hp GT racecar for seven races. For about $18,000 more, Maserati will even let you choose the color. That price does not account for ownership of the car, but it does include transportation to and from the tracks, the expertise of a team of trained mechanics, all your lodging costs, most of your meals, and one very chic racing suit.
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