Photo: Maserati via Instagram
Yesterday was May the 4th, also known as "May the Fourth be with you", also known as "May the Force be with you", also known as the international Star Wars holiday.
Normally, that's something that goes over most people's heads. If you read the right calendar, you'll notice every day is "something's day", sometimes maybe even "something else's day" as well, so the vast majority of people tend to ignore these things and focus on getting on with their lives.
However, given its huge international reach and the zeal shown by its fans, the Star Wars universe is not something you can just ignore and expect not to feel the consequences. You can't really compare Star Wars Day to International Soup Day, for example (April 5th, in case you were wondering), even if more people of this world eat soup than geek over things that go pew-pew.
For the automotive industry, though, finding links between the wheeled machines we use to get around today and a virtual universe from "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." may prove tricky, so it's a 50/50 whether brands will choose to celebrate the moment.
There is one brand, though, that had every reason to make as much noise on May the 4th as possible, and that is the Italians at Maserati. The premium carmaker needs no CGIs and no forced connections with the universe because one of its cars was actually featured in one of the Star Wars films, the "Episode I – The Phantom Menace".
Spotting it, however, might not be as easy. What you're looking for is a Maserati Tipo 60/61, a type of sports car manufactured in the very early '60s for various competitions that received the nickname "Birdcage" due to the intricate nature of its tubular steel chassis.
Apparently, the Tipo 60/61 served as the inspiration for Anakin Skywalker's podracer, and you hear that and see the pictures, it's hard to dismiss the claim as fantasy. Star Wars buffs are probably reading this while scoffing and shaking their heads having known it for decades, but for the casual fans, it might be a new piece of information.
Well, either way, Maserati did its part to let everyone know by posting two pictures on its Instagram accounts (Maserati and Maserati_Fuoriserie), one picturing a red Tipo 60/61 posing on Tatooine, and the other a white and blue model racing alongside the podracer on the sandy planet where all the action begins. That's definitely a cool association for the Italian brand, and one we didn't see coming.
However, given its huge international reach and the zeal shown by its fans, the Star Wars universe is not something you can just ignore and expect not to feel the consequences. You can't really compare Star Wars Day to International Soup Day, for example (April 5th, in case you were wondering), even if more people of this world eat soup than geek over things that go pew-pew.
For the automotive industry, though, finding links between the wheeled machines we use to get around today and a virtual universe from "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." may prove tricky, so it's a 50/50 whether brands will choose to celebrate the moment.
There is one brand, though, that had every reason to make as much noise on May the 4th as possible, and that is the Italians at Maserati. The premium carmaker needs no CGIs and no forced connections with the universe because one of its cars was actually featured in one of the Star Wars films, the "Episode I – The Phantom Menace".
Spotting it, however, might not be as easy. What you're looking for is a Maserati Tipo 60/61, a type of sports car manufactured in the very early '60s for various competitions that received the nickname "Birdcage" due to the intricate nature of its tubular steel chassis.
Apparently, the Tipo 60/61 served as the inspiration for Anakin Skywalker's podracer, and you hear that and see the pictures, it's hard to dismiss the claim as fantasy. Star Wars buffs are probably reading this while scoffing and shaking their heads having known it for decades, but for the casual fans, it might be a new piece of information.
Well, either way, Maserati did its part to let everyone know by posting two pictures on its Instagram accounts (Maserati and Maserati_Fuoriserie), one picturing a red Tipo 60/61 posing on Tatooine, and the other a white and blue model racing alongside the podracer on the sandy planet where all the action begins. That's definitely a cool association for the Italian brand, and one we didn't see coming.
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