Maserati Classiche reaches 100 certifications and celebrates with a true icon
15/04/2026
Some milestones feel like numbers. Others feel like statements.
With its 100th Certificate of Authenticity, Maserati isn’t just celebrating a round figure, it’s reinforcing something far more important: its right to exist in the future by protecting its past. And the car chosen to mark that moment says everything about the brand’s DNA.
The car that started it all
The 100th certification goes to the Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Convertible prototype, a car that quietly shaped everything Maserati would become in the world of open-top grand touring. Unveiled in 1959 at the Turin Motor Show, this wasn’t just another coachbuilt special. It was a turning point.
Designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built by Carrozzeria Vignale, the prototype introduced a formula that still defines Maserati today:
long bonnet, elegant proportions, real performance and the emotional layer of open-air driving. Only five prototypes were ever built. Around 250 production cars followed. But this one? This is the origin story.
Maserati Classiche: more than just restoration
Since its launch in 2021, Maserati Classiche has quietly become one of the most important divisions inside the brand. Based in Modena, it does more than restore cars. It validates them.
Each certification is the result of a deep forensic process, historical archives, technical verification, and expert analysis. Only cars over 20 years old (or special series) qualify. And not all of them pass.
This isn’t marketing. This is heritage control. In an era where brands fight for relevance through electrification and software, Maserati is doing something equally critical: owning its history with precision.
A restoration that respects time
The certified prototype underwent a full restoration between 2023 and 2026 — in Modena, where it was originally built. Not reimagined. Not modernised. Returned to its exact 1959 Turin Motor Show specification.
That matters. Because in the classic world, authenticity is everything. And this car doesn’t just look right, it is right. The silver body, ivory and red interior, blue carpets and gold accents reflect the identity of Vignale itself. It’s not just a design. It’s a signature.
Under the bonnet sits a 3.5-litre inline-six, producing 235 hp, paired with a manual gearbox. Enough for around 235 km/h, serious performance for its time, and still more than enough to remind you what a true grand tourer feels like.
From this car… to today’s GranCabrio
This is where things get interesting. Because this one-off prototype isn’t just a museum piece. It’s the blueprint for everything that followed, including the modern Maserati GranCabrio.
And that’s where the connection to today’s Maserati becomes clear. It’s anchoring its future in a very specific emotional space:
elegant performance
open-air driving
Italian design purity
And that DNA? It started here.
AutoNext Take
Let’s be honest, a “Certificate of Authenticity” doesn’t sound like headline material. But this one is. Because it highlights something most brands are quietly struggling with: credibility.
If the brand manages to translate that same authenticity into its future models (especially in a rapidly electrifying world) then this 100th certificate might mean more than just heritage. It might be a signal of direction.
