Here, at the glorious site of the Targa Florio, we let go of the Maserati Pinto 63 together with the photographer René Staud. A racing car of a very rare kind, one of the magnificent examples from the Maserati collection of the Panini family. The world’s largest Maserati collection houses not only production models, but also rare one-offs and exotics. Like the Tipo 63 “Birdcage”, which embodied the ideal of lightweight construction like no other racing car of its time. The twelve-cylinder sports car is supported by a frame made of more than 200 finger-thin tubular segments, which weighs just 36 kilograms and is reminiscent of a bird’s nest in terms of design. And with them: Genevieve Morton, also known as the cover model of Sports Illustrated Swimwear. Italy is a wonderful place for such adventures. On the one hand, because Maserati comes from here, on the other hand, we are in the country where racetracks have sonorous names like Mille Miglia or Targa Floria. And you have a soft spot for beautiful women and racy automobiles. In addition, it has nice curves here in Sicily. Just driving a lap quickly requires concentration, and mastering the whole thing at race pace and several times pays everyone a good deal of respect for the racers of yesteryear. Although the road condition today is sometimes treacherous with many road subsidences and potholes, it doesn’t matter, the Tipo 63 is not only loud and sporty but also wonderfully suitable for everyday use. But it still looks unreal, a red-hot vision as if it had fallen out of time.
The style of Genevieve Morton, top model from South Africa, is shaped by the pace of life of a globetrotter. For her, being on the road privately means relaxation. Then mostly in Italy, where she feels really comfortable. To do this, she usually travels to a place where it is warm. Not infrequently at the wheel of a sports car. This is a feeling of freedom. It’s nice to know that you can get in a car and go anywhere you want.
René Staud & Maserati
Photo designer René Staud travels around the globe 280 days a year to showcase high-end car brands such as Maserati.
