A car inspired by tradition, innovation and craftsmanship, made in Italy
From the Bespoke experience of the Maserati Fuoriserie customisation programme, he created a unique model in collaboration with Marchesi Antinori, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tignanello.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Tignanello, one of the most influential red wines ahead of its time, Maserati has created a personalised Fuoriserie version of its latest creation, the GranCabrio Folgore, the most futuristic expression of the Modena-based brand. The commission, created exclusively for Marchesi Antinori, will be auctioned, on July 14, in California, at Festival Napa Valley's Arts for All Gala - one of the leading arts charity events in the US.
For the 110th anniversary of Trident, Maserati is partnering with Marchesi Antinori, which boasts a family wine history of over 600 years, handed down for 26 generations, and is a unique symbol of Italy. With the solid identity, innovative intuition and strong value of the long tradition that has made the Italian winery one of the best companies in the world, the production of Marchesi Antinori and Tignanello reflects the emotion and passion that have always characterized the spirit of Maserati, a living protagonist and pioneer in automotive history. Always driven by the desire to anticipate and become a sign of the times.
The inspiration for this car comes from the vineyard, a metaphor for roots and territory. The local areas of both houses add great value to their final products: from the cellar, the magical place where the wine is made, and from the specific Tignanello label, unchanged for half a century and still highly recognizable, like Trident's most iconic creations.
To create a car that embodies the characteristics and values of Marchesi Antinori and Tignanello, Maserati has explored the uniqueness surrounding the history of this wine and paid homage to the Florentine winemaking family through the colours, shades, innovative materials and refined handcrafted details that make the GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello a moving ode to the famous Tignanello vineyard and 50 years of this wine.
The exteriors of the GranCabrio Folgore Tignanello translate into an adaptation of the body colour, created ad hoc: the Terra di Tignanello colour is a brown colour inspired by the vineyard soil, warmed by a coppery burgundy that recalls the central red tones of the characteristic Tignanello barrels. It has a rich, metallic hue; a prestigious colour inspired by the estate and the atmosphere of the winery. The wheels and calipers come in matte and gloss black respectively, while the emblems are bronze, with the Maserati logo in glossy copper on a shiny background. The soft-top fabric is also black.
But the most romantic details are found in the interiors, "revealing" the characteristics of Tignanello and celebrating the history of the two houses, combining tradition, innovation and craftsmanship. The seats feature leather trimmed with polymer silver and burgundy ribbed weave, made from Vegea, an innovative fabric derived from the vineyards. It recalls the pattern of the rows of vines on the Tignanello hill, carved by the Albarese rocks in the middle of them. The fabric looks and feels like leather and is used for the first time in a Maserati car.
Everything else is real materials: dark wood, chosen to evoke the print that had been burned on the oak barrels; it adorns the panels, with details of Tignanello's creation. On the headrest, an elegant embroidery combines the Maserati trident with one of Tignanello's hallmarks: the sun, long a feature on the bottle's label. The same symbol is laser-engraved on the central tunnel, along with the dates 1971-2021: these refer to the first and current vintages of Tignanello, 50 years since this wine was released on the market.
Klaus Busse, Head of Design at Maserati: "This partnership with Marchesi Antinori gives us the opportunity to embody the essence of Bespoke production, the flagship of the Maserati Fuoriserie personalisation programme. It is designed to create ad hoc experiences for Trident customers, producing bespoke cars that can make the driving experience even more sublime and special, as only an excellent wine can do at the table. Telling a story of Italian excellence is a source of pride for us and acts as a constant stimulus for our work, which with Bespoke production aspires to create something totally dedicated and unrepeatable."
Piero Antinori: "An endless challenge, the persistence to improve and constantly challenge ourselves, to find ever higher quality margins: these are the cornerstones of the partnership with Maserati, a brand recognised worldwide as a symbol of Made in Italy quality.
A unique model, inspired by Tignanello for its 50th anniversary, a car with a great identity and recognition, just like our wine. An initiative that makes our family particularly proud: this special GranCabrio Folgore will be auctioned off at the Festival Napa Valley's 2024 Arts for All Gala, with proceeds going to charity."
The GranCabrio Folgore is Maserati's latest addition, as the first 100% electric convertible in the luxury segment and the fastest on the market. Performance, comfort, style and elegance give this car equipped with a battery system based on 800V technology - developed with cutting-edge Formula E-based technological solutions - the ability to deliver outstanding performance combined with Maserati's typical comfort and elegance.
The Maserati GranCabrio offers four real seats, made possible by the soft top. It also features a number of innovative systems and details, such as the neck warmer to travel with the roof down even when the temperature drops, and the wind stopper to reduce air turbulence inside the passenger compartment.
Tignanello was the first Sangiovese to be aged in barrels, the first modern red wine to be blended with non-traditional grape varieties (specifically Cabernet) and one of the first red wines from Chianti Classico not to use white grapes. Tignanello is a landmark, a wine that fully represents the spirit of the Antinori family motto, "Te Duce Proficio", which means "Following your guide I flourish". The wine is created from a careful selection of Sangiovese and Cabernet harvested from the eponymous vineyard located at Tenuta Tignanello, in the heart of Chianti Classico, on a 57 hectare (141 acre) site with exposure to southwestern sunlight.
