Maserati Trofeo
02/01/2006
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.
Bring your own helmet. Only 26 Trofeo cars will compete in any given race,
and Maserati has final say in selecting the drivers. Each travels to a total of
seven European circuits, including Spa and Nürburgring, and a few of the races
are run in conjunction with the FIA GT Championship, as well as two Formula One
grand prix races. Very good drivers may even have the opportunity to participate
in the Ferrari Maserati Finals.
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Practice sessions, except those that coincide with the F/1 races, last 60 minutes, qualifying sessions are 40 minutes long, and the actual races take 50 minutes, with one mandatory pit stop. By our calculations, that is approximately 20 hours of total track time, or approximately $7,500 an hour to imitate Fangio—or Walter Mitty, at least. If you can find a more entertaining way to spend seven weekends a year, by all means, seize it.
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The stripped interior is strictly business, with a full roll cage, five-point
harness, and on-board fire system. Only two pedals greet the driver. (Click image to enlarge.)
Derived from the road-going GranSport, this sophisticated version is equipped with a 4.2-liter V-8 and all the goodies of serious racing. The engine management software was remapped, a new intake filter was installed for better breathing, and the rpm redline was raised to 8,000—all contributing to produce 25 extra horsepower.
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The Trofeo cuts a striking profile. (Click image to enlarge.)
Other modifications include a quicker paddle-shifted Cambiocorsa transmission
for simulated Formula One–style shifting, a rear wing said to increase surface
area some 40 percent compared to the last Trofeo, big racing slicks from
Pirelli, better aerodynamic efficiency, and a redesigned flat undertray. Brakes
were improved with air cooling, thanks to the GranSport’s redesigned front
bumper. The suspension is stiffer, and there is a full roll cage for safety.
Finally, the Trofeo GranSport sheds an additional 110 pounds compared to the
last model, which is the total body mass of some of the series’ female
drivers.
The car is not street legal, but that didn’t stop us from taking a test drive
on some of the most heavily policed roads in Napa Valley, without a license
plate. This sort of stunt is not recommended, chiefly because racecars are not
the easiest to parallel park, especially those that lack rearview mirrors. Also,
because racing slicks need to warm up for a few laps to be anything approaching
effective, traction was less than ideal for street use. So we learned very
little on this drive, except that the more obvious you are about driving
something illegal, the less likely you are to be ticketed. I did learn that the
Trofeo’s free-flowing exhaust can be heard for miles away, echoing off distant
hills, and that the suspension is obviously tighter than that of the average
GranSport, a point that was driven home time and again as my helmet rattled
against the roll cage with every bump in the road.
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A street-scraping front air dam and Pirelli racing slicks confine the GranSport
strictly to the racetrack. (Click image to enlarge.)
The real lesson is that the Trofeo GranSport is a racecar and should be treated as such. Trofeo drivers undoubtedly enjoy a fantasy season as members of one of the world’s most famous racing legacies. When their job is done, they also have the option of taking home one of the most beautiful GT cars on the planet—complete with a fire extinguisher and a rear spoiler that could do double duty as a piano bench.
For the privilege of Trofeo participation, visit your local Maserati dealer
and complete an application. If Maserati thinks that you have the right stuff,
it will certainly be in touch.
Maserati Trofeo, www.maseraticorse.it