The first edition of Anantara Concorso Roma – an international event dedicated to Italian excellence in both hospitality and automotive culture – ended yesterday, having witnessed the participation of 70 of some of the rarest and most prestigious Italian cars from all over the world, on display at Casina Valadier, in the heart of the Villa Borghese, from 16 to 19 April. At the prestigious event, as Official Partner, Maserati put on show some of its iconic cars: the Tipo 26B (1927), belonging to MAUTO (National Automobile Museum, Turin); the A6GCS-53 Berlinetta Pininfarina (1954) from the Maserati Umberto Panini Collection; and a private customer’s 3500 GT Convertible Vignale prototype (1959), entered in the competition and recently certified by the Maserati Classiche team. Together with these vintage gems, the GT2 Stradale and MCPURA super sports cars, modern expressions of the Trident’s performance and elegance. Other priceless Maserati cars belonging to private collectors also took part in the Rome event, including the V4 Sport Zagato (1931), that won the Best of Show award, 3500 GT Vignale Spider (1959-1963), 3500 GT Vignale Spider “prototype” (1959) and Ghibli SS (1970) models.
Apart from the Tipo 26B on display in the sumptuous atrium of the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel, the other Maserati cars were on show at Casina Valadier, the splendid villa located on Piazza Bucarest, where a sophisticated Maserati stand had been set up to welcome visitors and enthusiasts. The Rome event represented a unique opportunity for guests and visitors, offering them an immersive journey: on the one hand, the thrill of admiring some of the most beautiful cars from the Modena brand; on the other, the discovery of Maserati Classiche, the team that protects and promotes the conservation and originality of its historical heritage, under the aegis of the outstanding BOTTEGAFUORISERIE project.
An evocative itinerary, it formed part of the broader program dedicated to the centenary of the Trident, the iconic symbol that made its 25 April 1926 debut on the bonnet of the Tipo 26 lined up at the 17th Targa Florio, the starting point in a legendary story of sporting victories, exclusive style and technical records. To enter the race, Maserati needed a logo on its car. Originally in black and white, the Trident only later took on the red and blue of Bologna, making it one of the most recognisable symbols in world motoring. The symbol was created by Mario, one of the Maserati brothers and an artist of great experience. He drew his inspiration from the Fountain of Neptune, a monumental sculpture located in the piazza of the same name in the Emilian city, home of the “Alfieri Maserati Company” he founded in 1914 together with his brothers Ettore and Ernesto. Alfieri, flanked by his faithful mechanic Guerino Bertocchi, drove the Tipo 26 (in red, racing under no. 5) In the Sicilian competition: they came in first in the class up to 1500 cc and eighth in the overall standings. It was an immediate success, with orders flooding in from all over Europe.
One of the true leading lights and a highly significant model was the 3500 GT Convertible Vignale prototype (chassis *101*505*), which won its own class, in addition to receiving the award for best interior design. Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and presented at the 1959 Turin Motor Show, only six units were built. This car represented Vignale’s first stylistic study for Maserati and originated the Trident’s convertible grand tourers. Silver bodywork, ivory and red interiors, blue carpets and gold details were the hallmarks of a refined, unmistakable aesthetic, whereas the 3,485-cc in-line six-cylinder powered by Weber carburettors delivered 235 CV for a top speed of over 230 km/h. Subjected to a meticulous restoration between 2023 and 2026, with the direct support of Maserati Classiche, the car received the 100th Certificate of Authenticity under the programme launched at the Modena workshops in 2021, created to assist customers and collectors in the conservation and restoration of historic Trident cars. The flagship of Maserati Classiche is its Certificate of Authenticity, entrusted to a committee of experts who verify each car based on an in-depth analysis of its technical specifications and according to historical documentation kept in the Maserati Archives.
Another leading light at Anantara Concorso Roma was the Maserati Tipo 26B, a more powerful evolution of the Tipo 26; it was produced in only eight units between 1927 and 1930, intended for road racing. Compared to its predecessor – restricted to a maximum displacement of 1.5 litres under the Grand Prix formula – the Tipo 26B adopted a 1980-cc in-line eight-cylinder engine that could deliver 155 CV at 5,300 rpm. The cast-iron cylinder block solved the structural deformations that emerged on the previous model, maintaining the solutions that had previously been tested: two-seater Sport bodywork in aluminium and a chassis consisting of two side rails with steel-profiled crossbars. The distribution was entrusted to two overhead camshafts controlled by a cascade gearbox, forcedly supplied by a Roots-type volumetric compressor and dry sump lubrication. One of the most significant innovations used in the production of the Tipo 26B was the adoption of elektron – an ultra-light magnesium-based alloy – for the crankcase, sump and other components, made in conjunction with the Isotta Fraschini foundries and resulting in a significant reduction in overall weight. The brakes adopted the patented “Perrot system”, which guaranteed braking independent of steering movements. From 1929, the chassis was shortened with a reduced wheelbase and the top speed was set to between 180 and 210 km/h, with a dry weight between 720 and 780 kg and an 80-litre tank located behind the seats. The last of these engines saw the light of day in 1930, when the Maserati brothers dedicated themselves to other, more demanding designs, allowing the Tipo 26B to serve as the final chapter in a family of racing cars that had written indelible pages in history.
No less fascinating, the story of the A6GCS-53 Berlinetta Pininfarina (1955), a direct evolution of the A6G.CS model (single headlight), whose outstanding results in racing had already impressed Maserati’s technical staff. The most significant qualitative leap related to the engine: an in-line six-cylinder fitted with a new cylinder head with double overhead camshaft, taking its output to 170 CV and top speed to 235 km/h, making the car one of the most competitive sports two-litres of itis time. On this mechanical basis, one of the most fascinating coupés of the 1950s took shape. The initiative was the brainchild of Guglielmo “Mimmo” Dei, Maserati’s representative in Rome and the head of the Scuderia Centro Sud. He commissioned Pininfarina to create a closed berlinetta for customers of his who requested improved protection from the elements during races. The result was extraordinarily elegant bodywork, launched at the 1954 Turin Motor Show on the Pininfarina stand and immediately winning over the attention of the public and the specialist press. The fluid, harmonious line of the Berlinetta delineated a clear boundary between the worlds of racing cars and of road GT, anticipating with considerable foresight the aesthetic and technical themes that would go on to inspire the subsequent A6G-54 model. In all, only four were made, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after pieces in Maserati’s post-war production to this day.
Completing Maserati’s presence at the Anantara Concorso Roma 2026 were two super sports cars that embody the Trident’s contemporary vision in its purest form. The evolution of the MCPURA stands out for four exclusive specifications: carbon-fibre monocoque, 630-CV V6 Nettuno engine with patented pre-chamber technology, Butterfly doors and, in the Cielo version, retractable smart glass roof. Weighing less than 1,500 kg and with a power-to-weight ratio of 2.33 kg/CV, it is the best in its class for its combination of extraordinary performance with extreme elegance. The model that went on show in Rome shone out in its AI Aqua Rainbow launch colour, from the Fuoriserie collection. Alongside it was the GT2 Stradale, created as a road-legal version of the Maserati GT2 racing car and now the most powerful Maserati with a combustion engine that can be driven on the road: 640 CV delivered by the V6 Nettuno, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of over 320 km/h.
Anantara Concorso Roma represents a major new automotive event on the world stage. An exclusive selection of the rarest and most prestigious Italian collector’s cars, brought together from all over the world for a three-day event dedicated to the excellence of Rome’s hospitality, the great Italian culinary tradition and the authentic luxury of Made in Italy. A unique setting, in which the timeless charm of La Dolce Vita has transformed the Eternal City into an exceptional stage, to celebrate elegance, culture and automotive passion.
