The Alfieri was one of the concept car surprises at the 2014 Geneva motor show, and one of the few Maserati cars to have been designed without the help of longtime collaborator Pininfarina.
Named after Alfieri Maserati, the engineer brother who founded the Trident marque in 1914, this centenary concept explores Maserati’s design heritage and previews the Italian brand’s future design language.
Based on a shortened GranTurismo MC Stradale chassis and sourcing power from the GranTurismo’s 460hp V8 engine, the Alfieri is a drivable concept, hinting at the production feasibility.
Influenced by Maserati’s racing pedigree and historic GT cars, the design team took inspiration from the A6GCS Berlinetta designed by Pininfarina in the 50s, says Maserati design director Marco Tencone.
“Though it was not produced in high numbers the car was a good compromise between elegance and sporty character,” Tencone says. “It was very interesting to find a way to use those two elements and develop the design language of Maserati.”
The concept’s proportions embody the brand’s historical spirit, with a long hood and short rear deck – classic sports car proportions – but with a more contemporary surface treatment. Sharp, thin lines adorn the main elements of the car, while the main character line flows from the hood to the beltline, dropping down as it reaches the center of the door.
“This drop is a defining design element of the car,” says Tencone. “It’s the way we emphasize the length of the front of the car. We wanted to accent the power of the front and the engine.”
Color also played a large role in defining the character of the concept car, with anodized ‘liquid flair’ metal placed over aluminum parts. ‘Maserati Blue’ is also seen on the more important details, such as signature three air vents on the front fender, in the exhaust pipes and on the wheels, which were designed to recall the wire wheels of the past.
While the interior’s shape sections and surface treatment showcases a more driver focussed, minimalistic aesthetic inspired by the exterior design, the 2+2 seat interior is “more of a concept direction,” Tencone concedes.
The Alfieri incorporates technical, handcrafted materials — such as polished aluminum for the steering wheel spokes, hand paddles, gearshift and pedals – and different color treatment of the driver’s area and the passenger side to emphasize the driver-oriented feel of the cabin. This is highlighted by TFT displays inspired by modern photographic camera menus in the gauge cluster in front of the driver.
“We decided to combine the modern feeling of the electronic devices and content on the dashboard with this handcrafted feeling of the aluminum polished parts,” said Tencone.
While it is speculated the Alfieri concept previews the replacement for the GranTurismo coupe — which has been in production since 2007 — Tencone says it could also become a more powerful, sporting halo model for the brand. We’ll just have to wait and see.
