Maserati marks 100 years of the Trident at Auto e Moto d'Epoca with the 1972 Ghibli SS and 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo
Maserati returns to its birth city of Bologna for the 43rd Auto e Moto d'Epoca, pairing a 1972 Ghibli SS Coupé with the 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo as the Trident emblem turns 100.
- 590 hp
- 650 Nm
- 280 km/h
- 43rd
What Happened
Maserati will attend the 43rd edition of Auto e Moto d'Epoca 2026, which the brand calls Europe's leading trade fair and marketplace for classic cars and spare parts, running from October 22 to 25 at BolognaFiere. At the Motor Valley Stand it will show two vehicles: the 1972 Ghibli SS Coupé and the new 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo. The display is part of celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Trident emblem and of Maserati's motorsport debut, which ended in a class victory and eighth place overall at the 1926 Targa Florio with the Tipo 26 driven by Alfieri Maserati. Maserati describes itself as the longest-standing brand in Italy's Motor Valley, and the show brings it back to the city where it was founded in 1914.
The Ghibli was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in November 1966 with low, sleek lines designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Ghia, and it celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026. Its 4.7-liter motorsport-derived V8 used dry-sump lubrication so it could be mounted particularly low in the tubular chassis, letting the body sit lower. The Coupé went on sale in 1967, a Spyder joined in 1969 and was also offered with a hardtop, and in 1970 both body styles received a more powerful 4.9-liter V8 to create the SS variant. The car on the Maserati stand was built on July 3, 1972 and was originally destined for the German market; it delivers 335 CV at 5,500 rpm from a carbureted 4.9-liter V8 paired with a ZF five-speed manual, tops 280 km/h, measures 4.7 meters in length and seats 2+2. Henry Ford II bought one of the first Ghibli Coupés and had it displayed in the lobby of the Ford Product Development Center in Detroit as inspiration for his own designers, while a second Ghibli SS Coupé built in 1970 will appear on the FIVA stand at the Bologna show.
The GranTurismo Trofeo on display at the Motor Valley Stand is finished in Verde Giada and powered by the 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 producing 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 comfort and long-distance capability, supported by all-wheel drive, a sporty exhaust system and advanced driving dynamics. Styling is more aggressive, with dedicated wheels and technical carbon-fiber finishes, while motorsport-inspired Alcantara and exposed carbon-fiber elements shape the interior.
- 4.9-liter V8 with carburetors and a ZF five-speed manual (Ghibli SS) vs 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 (GranTurismo Trofeo)
- 335 CV at 5,500 rpm (Ghibli SS) vs 590 hp and 650 Nm (GranTurismo Trofeo)
- 280 km/h (Ghibli SS) vs over 320 km/h (GranTurismo Trofeo)
Maserati is founded in Bologna, the city hosting Auto e Moto d'Epoca 2026.
The Tipo 26, the first car to carry the Trident emblem, wins its class and finishes eighth overall at the Targa Florio with Alfieri Maserati at the wheel.
The Ghibli is unveiled at the Turin Motor Show with lines by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Ghia.
The Ghibli SS Coupé shown in Bologna is built, originally destined for the German market.
Maserati shows the Ghibli SS and the 590-hp GranTurismo Trofeo at BolognaFiere.
- 11:00 a.m.: Cristiano Bolzoni, Head of Maserati Classiche, takes part in the talk 'Inside the Factory of a Legend' on the role of heritage departments in preserving automotive tradition.
- 3:00 p.m.: Davide Baldini, Head of Maserati Fuoriserie, speaks at '120 Years of AC Bologna and 100 Years of the Maserati Trident', bringing together two anniversaries.
Visitors can also discover Maserati Classiche, the program established in Modena in 2021 to preserve and promote Maserati's historic vehicles, now part of the BOTTEGAFUORISERIE project. Its work ranges from the Officine Classiche, dedicated to certifying historic models, to archives and museum spaces such as the Collezione Maserati Umberto Panini in Modena. The centerpiece is the Certification of Authenticity, overseen by a committee of experts who analyze each vehicle's technical characteristics, historical documentation and records in the Maserati archives. The certification applies to cars over 20 years old as well as special models and the brand's limited series.
Previously from Maserati S.p.A.
Maserati has spent 2026 marking the centenary of the Trident emblem well beyond the Bologna fair: it co-produced with RAI Documentari a three-part docuseries, The Century of the Trident, airing on Rai 2 on October 11, 18 and 25, and in September it closed the third Salone Auto Torino with a Piazzetta Reale stand, a Supercar Meeting parade through Turin's hills and a centenary display. Its heritage arm has also been active, with Maserati Classiche certifying the authenticity of the first Maserati 5000 GT Frua ever produced — the first 5000 GT to receive the certification.
- Maserati docuseries 'The Century of the Trident' airs on Rai 2 from October 11
- Maserati closes Salone Auto Torino 2026 with centenary display and supercar parade
- Maserati Classiche certifies the first 5000 GT Frua, a one-off tied to sovereigns and collectors
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Maserati S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The Bologna fair is described by Maserati as Europe's leading trade fair and marketplace for classic cars and spare parts, putting its heritage operation — certification, archives and museum spaces — in front of the collectors it serves. Pairing the 1972 Ghibli SS with today's GranTurismo Trofeo lets the brand present its current range as a continuation of that history, at an event that draws enthusiasts and classic-car buyers.
Terms in This Story
- Gran Turismo
- Italian for grand tourer: a high-performance car designed for comfortable long-distance driving as well as speed.
- Dry-sump lubrication
- An engine layout that stores oil in a separate tank instead of a sump under the engine, which allows the engine to be mounted lower in the car.
- Pre-chamber combustion
- An ignition layout in which a small pre-chamber ignites a mixture that then ignites the main charge in the cylinder, helping burn lean mixtures.
- FIVA
- Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens, the international federation of historic-vehicle organizations.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.