- The first global gathering for Maserati Owners’ Clubs starts this week and it’s in Australia
- Starting on Monday 20 March Classic and Historic Maserati from around the world joining Australian owned classic Maseratis in a 1500 km/five-day drive event from Melbourne to Sydney via Torquay, Apollo Bay, Bendigo, Albury, Cooma and Canberra.
- Multi-Million-dollar car displays in Apollo Bay on Wednesday 21 March, Castlemaine Gaol on Thursday 22 March and at Brown Brothers in Milawa on Friday 23 march
Millions of dollars’ worth of rare and unique Maseratis will be driving through country Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT this week (20-26 March 2018) as part of the first ever Maserati Global Gathering that is bringing classic Maseratis and their owners from around the world to Australia
“This will be a once in a life time chance to see many of these cars as they have been brought to Australia specifically for this event,” says John Gove, President, Maserati Owners Club of Australia “The good news is they won’t be stuck in an exhibition hall, away from the public.
They will be doing what Maseratis do best – driving along the roads accompanied by the glorious sound all Maseratis make. In addition, we will have three displays where the public can get a close look at these magnificent machines and talk to their owners.”
The first ever Maserati Global Gathering brings together this week a host of unique and classic Maserati cars from around the world in Australia with a fleet of classic, historic and new Maseratis participating in a five-day drive from Melbourne to Sydney from 20 March to 26 March.
Organised by Maserati Owners Club of Australia and open to Maserati clubs around the world, this is first time that Maserati has sanctioned a global gathering for its owners’ clubs.
Club members travelling to Australia include from Italy, Norway, UK, France, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand and USA, while road going Maseratis taking part in event range from 1956 – when Maserati began volume production of road going cars – through to current models.
“It is a tremendous honour to be given the responsibility by Maserati of organising the first ever Global Gathering of Maserati owners’ clubs,” says Mr Gove. It is also a recognition of the role Australia has played in the history of Maserati, whether it is the number of cars that have been raced here or the fact that some the earliest Maserati road cars found homes in Australia more than 60 years ago. We have put together a programme that will be both exciting and interesting for participants and allow the public to see these wonderful cars in all their glory.”
“Maseratis have always been designed to be driven and that is why this Global Gathering features a 1500km across Australia. Maseratis are always at their most supreme when you see and hear them moving on the road and our event fully reflects this,” says Mr Gove.
Just about every famous Maserati from a 1956 150S to the present range will be in the event and driven by owners from around the world. The classic cars coming to the event include:
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(1) Built for the Aga Khan, one of only two built
(2) Rare Allemano bodied car, one of only 22 in the world
(3) One of only 14 RHD drive cars made in the world
(4) One of just four in the world, a hand-built fastback wagon version of the Quattroporte
Accompanying the classic cars will be a fleet of the latest modern Maseratis, most of which will have been launched in Australia just weeks before the event.
These include the new Ferrari-engined Maserati Levante S, the new 2018 Maserati sports cars, the GranTurismo and GranCabrio, as well as the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte and 2018 Maserati Ghibli.
The event starts on 21 March with a drive programme along the Great Ocean Road and a car display in Apollo Bay; on 22 March the drive route is from Torquay to Bendigo via a car display at Castlemaine Gaol.
Day three on 23 March is a drive from Bendigo to Albury via a car display in Milawa at Brown Brothers. The penultimate drive day is from Albury to Canberra and includes a formal dinner for participants at the National War Memorial on March 24.
On Sunday 25 March the drive programme concludes with a route from Canberra to Sydney, with the event climaxing with a gala event and car display at the Sydney Opera House on 26 March.
Australia has played a significant role in the history of Maserati, be it with Maseratis raced in Australia and by Australians around the world, or the speed at which its road cars came to Australia and developed a loyal following.
The Global Gathering coincides with the Australian Grand Prix, an event won in 1956 and 1959 by Maserati with Stirling Moss taking the chequered flag in 1956 at Albert Park and Stan Jones, father of F1 World Champion Alan Jones, winning in 1958 at the Tasmanian Longford track.
Both wins were made in the Maserati 250F, the same car that was the first car to carry name of Sir Jack Brabham’s racing team.
Other famous Australia racing drivers to helm Maseratis around the country and the world include Frederick McEvoy, Sir Jack Brabham, Bob Jane, Doug Whiteford, Brian Stillwell, Alex Mildren, Frank Gardner, Kevin Bartlett and Reg Hunt.
As well as Albert Park and Longford, Maseratis have raced at Bathurst (1950s and 1980s), Philip Island, Fishermans Bend, Lakeside, Sandown, Ballarat, Warwick Farm and Lowood.
During its motorsport history Maserati has produced some of the most successful and influential motorsport cars of all time, including the Maserati 250F, 300S, the Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’ and the Maserati MC12, bridging more than 100 years of motorsport.