Maserati may be focusing the bulk of its efforts on electrifying its growing pool of models, but the company is still taking time to pay homage to key moments in its history. Case in point is the new lineup of F Tributo models that are helping to highlight the legacy of the first female driver in Formula 1, Maria Teresa de Fillipis.
F Tributo Duo Will Be Ghibli and Levante Exclusive
Fillipis is one of a small handful of female drivers that have competed in the largely male dominated sport and is from Maserati’s home country of Italy. Fillipis got her start racing Fiat 500s and after climbing the ranks, she eventually caught Maserati’s attention with the company giving her the chance to first compete in sports car and hill climb events before letting her pilot an F1 car in the 1950s. She made her debut at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix but failed to place at the event. That trend continued in her five other races before she faded into the pages of history.
The F Tributo package pays homage to her achievements and will be limited to the Ghibli and the Levante with the two receiving design tweaks that aim to make them stand out more versus their mainstream cousins. Go for the Levante and you will receive a model that’s adorned in Arancio Devil (aka Orange) paint with 21-inch Antea wheels. As for the Ghibli, it gets 21-inch Titano wheels with this particular color scheme being complimented by blue detailing that’s carefully applied to the wheels. For buyers looking to fly under the radar more, both models can also be coated in Grigio Lamiera (grey) paint with Gloss Black wheels and orange detailing that tags out the blue elements we talked about earlier.
Slip inside either model and you’ll get a choice of two color schemes with vibrant orange or a more formal black full grain leather treatment with cobalt blue and orange contrast stitching to make things pop more. Performance hardware and other core essentials are carried over unchanged which should please buyers looking to recreate some of that F1 magic on their favorite back road.
When Can I Buy An F Tributo?
Maserati didn’t reveal any details on when the F Tributo models will formally make their way to dealerships, but with these models being a design special, look for them to begin trickling into showrooms later this year with pricing being revealed closer to their official launch. That said, look for the price to be quite the premium over a non F Tributo Levante or Ghibli which will also reflect on their rarity.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.