This next car will now be one of my personal favorites ever posted here to RareCarsOnly, and I’ll tell you all the reasons why. This is the extremely unique 2005 Maserati Birdcage 75th Anniversary Concept, designed and developed by famous Italian car design firm, Pininfarina. The Birdcage is simply one of the most underrated and unbelievable projects of all time. The Birdcage was constructed on the carbon fiber chassis of a Maserati MC12 GT1 race car, and considering this is actually a fully-functional build, it’s also powered by a monstrous Ferrari/Maserati F140 V12 engine. The Birdcage was developed in order to celebrate Pininfarina’s 75th anniversary, and was imagined by an extremely talented design team lead by Flemish designer Lowie Vermeersch, consisting of other designers such as Jason Castriota and Giuseppe Randazzo under the direction of Japanese industrial designer, Ken Okuyama. The project was a collaboration between Maserati, Pininfarina, and American multinational telecommunications company, Motorola, who handled the cars communications and driver-interface technology. The cars name recalls the legendary Maserati Tipo 60/61 ‘Birdcage’ produced between 1959 and 1961, and was designed to invoke many classic Maserati Heritage design elements. Some notable design elements include the massive windshield, which is made of made of Perspex and extends over the roof to provide a glasshouse effect, an integrated roof scoop, and also the elongated LED tail-lights. What you won’t find on the Birdcage are traditional doors, instead, a bubble canopy is raised to allow for entry. On the interior, you’ll find blue suede seats with racing harnesses, and a bluetooth headset for mobile phones designed by Motorola, amongst many other features. The Birdcage 75th is truly a futuristic extension of the Maserati brand, while still retaining the classic design heritage of extreme sports prototypes of the 50’s and 60’s.
How many made? 1 of 1
Engine: 6.0 L Tipo F140 B V12 - 700hp
Debut: Geneva Auto Show - 2005
Top Speed: 217mph (claimed)
0-60mph: 3.5 seconds (claimed)
Photo Credit: @carbonbody2022
Research: @rarecarsonly