Maserati’s visual identity centers on the Trident, an emblem derived from the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna, Italy. The logo made its official debut in 1926 on the Tipo 26 racing car, which competed in that year’s Targa Florio. The first drawing of the Trident was created in 1925 by Mario Maserati, the only brother in the family with artistic training and the only one not directly involved in the automotive business. His inspiration came from the Fountain of Neptune, located just a few hundred meters from Maserati’s first workshop and a symbol deeply rooted in Bologna’s civic identity. The original drawing is preserved in the Maserati archives in Modena.[1]
Design and History
The first emblem applied to the Tipo 26 was a rectangular badge featuring a dark Trident on a light background, a graphic solution that proved short-lived. By the early 1930s, Maserati evolved toward the oval shape that would become iconic, adopting the red and blue colors of the city of Bologna. This identity remained substantially stable for over forty years on both road cars and racing cars. In 1980, a version with a gold background was introduced across the entire production of the period, and in 1997 the logo was redesigned in terms of proportions and style, marking a new phase in the brand’s relaunch.[1]
The most recent evolution came in 2020 as part of the so-called Maserati New Era, inaugurated by the MC20. This substantial restyling made the Trident more contemporary and elegant while preserving its historical identity. The intervention focused on the proportions and design of the three points, with rounded side arrows to ensure greater visual continuity, a different relationship with the blue shield, and a more dynamic overall composition. The oval was lightened both in structure and chromatic treatment, with the removal of red in favor of a palette reduced to white and a deep blue called Blu Maserati, characterized by a lacquered effect.[1] The 2020 identity was designed in-house at the Maserati Centro Stile, the company’s design center in Turin, Italy.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Trident’s meaning is rooted in its source: the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna, a symbol deeply embedded in the city’s identity. The logo embodies the origins, ambition, and legacy of a brand born to compete and win, both on the road and on the track, having made its debut in the 1926 Targa Florio competition.[1] The red and blue colors adopted in the 1930s were drawn from the colors of the city of Bologna.[1]
Typography and Design
In the 2020 update, the wordmark accompanying the Trident was refined. According to design press coverage of the rebrand, the text was slightly sharpened with decorative flourishes pared back, reducing the original’s “handwritten” effect and creating a more streamlined appearance.[3] The 2020 logo was first revealed publicly in February 2020, when the “MC20” logo appeared on the mainsail of the Maserati Multi 70 trimaran, with the graphics created by the Centro Stile Maserati as a tribute to the brand’s new era.[4]
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