One automaker has a sharp logo design that pierces through the bland emblems of its competitors. Want to take a stab at which automaker we’re talking about?
The Maserati company was founded in December 1914 by the brothers Maserati. Unlike other popular brothers in automotive history, there were not two or three Maserati brothers, but a whopping seven. Alfieri headed the launch of the company, and the rest of his brothers assisted with designing and engineering the machines–that is, apart from Carlo, a test pilot who died during a race in 1910, and Mario, who was not interested in engineering or being part of the auto industry.
But, Mario’s sole contribution to the company would endure for a century.
What Does the Maserati Logo Represent?
Chances are you’ve seen the basis of the Maserati badge in one of two places:
That’s right. The Masterati emblem is, in fact, a bad-ass trident.
It wasn’t until 1926 that the Maseratis started building their own cars, and with the debut of the Tipo 26 model, the company needed an official logo. Brother Mario, who had not wanted to join the automotive industry, lent his artistic talents to create the perfect emblem for the brand.
Statue of Neptune in Bologna
His inspiration was the trident held by Neptune (known in Greek mythology as Poseidon) in the Fontana de Nettuno statue in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore. This city served as the hometown of the Maserati family and location of the company’s first plant before headquarters were moved to Modena.
The image–what it calls the “saetta” logo–represents Neptune’s command over the seven seas and Maserati’s command over the space between them. The red trident encircled by a white oval was designed to compete with the sophisticated appearance of other Italian brand labels.
Enjoy learning about Maserati? Check out the rest of our Behind the Badge series examining automotive brand logos!
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.