When Ferrari first launched its Challenge spec racing series a decade ago, the program came in a box. Well, not necessarily the program itself, but the components required to turn your Ferrari 348 into a sort-of race car came in a shipping crate no larger than a medium-sized refrigerator. It consisted of safety gear and a few handling and go-fast goodies, to be installed by your dealer, or at home if you were of moderate wrenching capability.
The series has matured considerably in 10 years time, so much so that by the time Ferrari was ready to spec out the 360 Modena in Challenge form, it became a separate model, ordered factory direct, and was no longer street legal. Ferrari Challenge did much to bridge the gap between the customers who wanted to race and the company's own racing efforts, centered around the Formula One program.
Maserati has effectively been out of the racing business for 40 years, and now is seeking the same magic that Challenge has afforded Ferrari. Today's Gruppo Ferrari Maserati management, particularly one group president named Luca di Montezomolo, knows the value of racing, and he knew Maserati had to get back in the game if the marque were to fulfill its renaissance and future sales goals. The program, like the car itself, is called Maserati Trofeo.
Trofeo for 2003 is a seven-race series, being run as a support program to FIA GT and Formula One race weekends throughout Europe. It's a true "arrive and drive" deal: Maserati supplies the cars, crews, spare parts, tires, vehicle transportation, lodging, meals, hospitality, insurance, PR...even the gas and cheering crowds. The driver need only bring a helmet. The factory schleps and maintains all the hardware and provides each car with its own mechanic; there's also a team of race engineers and other technical staff to assist with setup and support. Running the season costs 120,000 Euros, or about $150,000 at current exchange rates.
Maserati had about 50 serious, qualified inquiries for the 26 cars/spots that make up a Trofeo grid, so this first season is sold out. And the venues are major spectator facilities, not club tracks. Among them are Magny-Cours, the Nrburgring, Silverstone, Mugello and Monza. At give or take 20 grand per event, this is expensive racing, and you never do get to own the car. But the program parameters, hardware and execution are first class.
A Trofeo begins life as a Cambiocorsa Coupe chassis and receives a substantive yet straightforward transformation to a race spec that's not unlike that-big surprise here-of a Ferrari 360 Challenge car. The Maser powerplant is internally stock yet enjoys the aforementioned free-flow exhaust system and revised engine mapping. The result is 413 bhp compared to the stocker's 385 SAE net rating. Ride height is lowered, and all the suspension's "tuneables" (shocks, springs, bushings, anti-roll bars) are uprated for track duty. Those beautiful 18-in. BBS alloy wheels are wrapped by Pirelli racing slicks. The lower front fascia is a unique piece, and the high-mounted rear wing comes from the Challenge car as well. Huge Brembo brakes mean it'll be tough to overdrive the Trofeo, with the factory ABS and driver-defeatable traction control systems remaining operable.